Don’t lose your cool if you don’t have AC and now you’re suffering through some extreme heat. Check out these simple ways you can start to lower the temperature inside your home and chill out.

During periods of extreme heat, there are several effective ways to keep your home cooler without relying on air conditioning. Blocking sunlight with blackout curtains or shades, especially during daylight hours, can significantly reduce indoor heat. Avoiding the use of ovens or stoves and opting for alternatives like slow cookers or salads helps prevent additional heat buildup.

Using exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms can help remove hot air, while a dehumidifier can make the indoor environment feel less humid and more comfortable. In the evening, opening windows on opposite sides of the home can create a cross breeze to cool the space. Sleeping in lower areas of the home, such as basements, can also provide relief, as hot air tends to rise.

No AC during a heat wave? How to keep your home cool

Fans are lovely when you don't have AC in a heat wave, but let's talk about outsmarting the sun together. When dawn breaks, think of yourself as a vampire. Curtains, shades, shutters should all come down. Blackout curtains are your new best friend, blocking out heat like a bouncer at a club. Skip firing up the oven or stove and embrace your slow cooker, or honestly, just make a gorgeous salad. By the way, that exhaust fan over the stove or in your bathroom can suck out hot air. A dehumidifier won't drop the temperature, but it'll make you feel less like you're living in a swamp by pulling moisture out of the air. Come sunset, open windows on opposite sides of your space to get a good cross breeze going. Rather brilliant. And if you can, sleep downstairs or in the basement. Hot air rises and you're smarter than hot air.

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Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

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North Carolina

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Washington

Ukraine Invasion

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New Delhi

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Austin

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Toronto

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Hong Kong Island

Ex-Hong Kong lawmaker granted asylum by Australia

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East Coast of the United States

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Los Angeles

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La Paz

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Trump meeting with Zelenskiy, European leaders at White House

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Kyiv

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Paris

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Tel Aviv-Yafo

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Anchorage

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Breakdown