Help Your Home Stay Cool

When the thermometer soars and the heat index rises to the sort of temperature usually associated with baking a soufflé, what can you do to help your house feel less like Dante’s Inferno and more like a polar bear’s habitat?

Tip #1.  Keep your windows closed, draw your curtains or pull down the blinds.  I know this sounds counter intuitive – surely a breeze, even a hot one, is better than no breeze? – but you’re better off keeping the hot air out.  The sun streaming in through open windows will just heat up the house. 

Tip #2.  Be sparing in your use of the lights and your appliances.  Anything that uses electricity gives off heat.  Apart from the obvious culprits – the dryer and dishwasher which which should be avoided on hot, steamy days --  just try standing next to your large flat screen TV and see how hot the air around it gets.  Turn off the lights.  I’m always amazed at how often people leave the lights on in empty rooms.  Maybe they like giving money away to the utility companies.

Tip #3.  Use your outdoor BBQ for cooking rather than heating up the house by cooking indoors.  And whatever you do, avoid using the oven.  If your kids are desperate for pizza, have it delivered.  This is the time to eat salads and lots of fruit, especially watermelon.

Tip #4.  Make sure you stay hydrated by drinking lots of fluids.  If you’re hot and sweating a lot, replacing lost fluids will help you stay cool.  Sports drinks are good for replacing electrolytes but they also contain a lot of sweeteners, which can end up making you more thirsty. One of the most refreshing drinks is good old-fashioned lemonade.

Quick and Easy Lemonade Recipe for One Glass of Lemonade.

½ cup sugar, ½ cup boiling water, 1 lemon

Pour the boiling water over the sugar and stir until dissolved.  Squeeze the lemon into a large glass, add ice cubes and top up with cold water.  Add sugar syrup to taste.  Store leftover sugar syrup in a clean bottle or jar in the refrigerator.  For an extra ‘sparkle’ use soda water or San Pellegrino.

Click here to follow Daily Voice Norwalk and receive free news updates.