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5 Ways to Keep Cool When Your Air Conditioner Breaks Down
Murphy’s Law says that if an air conditioner is going to break down, it will do so on the hottest day in August. Thankfully, Northern Climate Control has 24-hour emergency service to get you back up and running.
However, here are a few tips to help you stay cool while our technicians are getting things fixed.
1. Turn on your ceiling fans.
Ceiling fans draw the hot air up to the ceiling and circulate the cooler air below, provided you have them spinning counter-clockwise. You can also place box fans inside a window so that the hair is blowing OUT of the room. Once the room has cooled off, close the window and put the fan on the floor. Switch the position of the fan so that the air is blowing into the room. This breeze will help cool you off quite nicely.
2. Use natural cooling at night.
Once the sun has passed over the horizon, you should open your windows and circulate cool air into your home with box fans. An attic fan can also provide quite a bit of relief. Keep in mind that an attic fan works like a vacuum. It will draw air from the nearest source. To create a cross breeze, open windows only in the rooms you wish to cool. Never run an attic fan without first opening a window. It can extinguish the pilot lights on your water heater or other appliances.
3. Close up your home first thing in the morning.
As the sun rises, so does the temperature and the humidity. Keep out the heat by closing up the house first thing in the morning. Though it may seem a bit stuffy, the drier air will actually be more comfortable than if you open the windows. Be sure to close all the curtains or blinds to prevent radiant heat from coming through the glass.
4. Avoid cooking indoors.
Your stovetop and the oven put out a lot of heat and can quickly raise the temperature in your kitchen. It might not be a good idea to bake a bunch of cookies on a day when your air conditioner is not working. If possible cook outside on a grill or live on sandwiches for a while.
5. Run a dehumidifier.
As we said earlier, keeping the humidity level low inside your home will make higher temperatures more bearable. Running a dehumidifier in your bedroom or living spaces will add to your comfort. If your unit is not large enough for an entire floor, consider placing it in a smaller room and closing the door. Limit your activities to that room while repairs to your air conditioner are being made.
