30+ Ideas for DIY Cooler & AC

Super Simple And Cost-Effective Ideas To Keep Yourself Cool Without An AC

 

People always say, “B cool”.

But do you know why ‘B’ is cool? Any guesses?

Simple! Because it’s in the AC! (A B C…) Haha!

Please don’t kill me for this stupid joke.

Jokes apart, but almost everyone loves AC (Air Conditioners). As temperatures rise, most of us resort to keeping our homes cool by using air conditioners. Their effective cooling system can provide instant relief from the heat and make sweaty nights bearable, especially in the summer.

No wonder more and more families are installing AC units in their home every year. From India to America and from Philippines to South Africa, air conditioning is no longer a luxury; it’s a must-have.

But, we need to be sensitive to its overuse or it could cause more harm than good.

 

In This Article:

1. 5 reasons to ditch your AC
2. Super simple and cost-effective ideas to keep yourself cool without an AC

• How to keep your roof cool?
• How to make your house cooler instantly?
• Simple and quick ways to keep yourself cool

3. A quick recap at solutions to keep yourself cool without an AC

 

5 Reasons To Ditch Your AC

 

• It’s Expensive:

  Buying an air conditioner is not affordable to everyone. It’s quite costly to run and can empty your pockets due to high electricity consumption.

 

• Increases carbon footprint:

  To make us feel cooler, ACs suck up energy, ultimately leaving the planet a warmer place at the end of the day.

  Also, they are of no use in the areas which face power shortage / load shading on regular basis.

 

• Invites many health issues:

  As we have to close all the windows for effective cooling, there is no ventilation of fresh air.

  Spending too much time in such air-conditioned environment can contribute to health problems such as asthma, skin dryness, tightness in the chest and other respiratory ailments.

 

• You may get addicted to it:

  One day, I was travelling by local train in Mumbai. There was an old lady standing with a hardly 4-5 months old baby which was probably her granddaughter.

  That baby was crying continuously and didn’t stop crying even for a minute. Honestly, it was very irritating at the beginning, but later everyone got really worried for that baby.

  Many women tried to cheer her by whistling, clapping and talking. Few of them even tried playing songs on their mobiles. But nothing changed.

  Finally, one woman asked the old lady, why the baby was crying so much, is she hungry? And we all were shocked to hear the answer.
  She said, “My granddaughter is so used to AC at home that, she starts crying whenever there is no AC.”

  I really wonder, how people can be so careless about keeping such a small baby in AC for hours. Sadly, their baby will pay the price of their negligence by facing various health issues very early.

 

• Needs regular maintenance:

  Sometimes, people just buy an AC for comfort, but don’t maintain it properly. As a result, it catches dust slowly and takes more time to cool, which also increases the energy consumption.

  One of my school friend’s husband runs an electronic shop and does servicing of his AC’s every 3-4 months. As a result, performance of the ACs has increased to a great extent, making his shop a lot cooler than earlier. He also saw a significant reduction in the electricity bills.

  Not cleaning the air conditioner can also cause the accumulation of dust, bacteria, and pollen in the air filters, which significantly increase the risk of asthma attacks and respiratory tract infections.
  So, if you have an AC, get its servicing done on regular basis.

 

The good news is that, although using AC is a must at many workplaces, we can definitely avoid/ reduce its use at homes with various easy and innovative ways to keep ourselves cool even in the hottest days of the summer.

 

Super Simple And Cost-Effective Ideas To Keep Yourself Cool Without An AC

 

A) How To Keep Your Roof Cool?

If your head is cool, your body will remain cool and calm too. Similarly, if you can keep the head of your house (Roof) cool, the entire house will become cooler too.

 

1. Water Jute Gunny Bags

 

Jute gunny bags are generally used to store the grains. Nowadays, plastic gunny bags have replaced them to a great extent; still, if you have many such jute bags and no water shortage at your home, you can definitely try this simple method.

 

How It Works?

 

• Cover the surface:

  Cover your terrace/ roof with these jute gunny bags.
  If you want to look more sophisticated and are ready to spend some extra bucks, you can buy a jute roll and spread it on your terrace like a carpet instead of using gunny bags.

 

• Water it:

  Pour some cold water on it. Jute will absorb all the water.

 

• Enjoy Cooling:

  Most of the heat coming from the sun will be used to evaporate the water. As a result, very less heat will enter your home through terrace/roof, making your home a lot cooler than earlier (nearly by 5°C or 41°F).

 

• Keep Watering:

  You can keep on watering these jute bags 2-3 times a day, depending upon intensity of sunlight in your area. It will roughly require 2-3 buckets of water per day for normal sized terrace.

 

How to save your energy and time in watering jute bags again and again?

• Take 2-3 small drums with tiny hole at the bottom.
• Place them on jute bags, in opposite direction of the slope.
• Fill them with water and slowly, the water will start coming out drop by drop through these tiny holes and will keep the bags wet throughout the day.
• This way you will have to water them only once in a day.
• Don’t forget to cover the drums in order to prevent mosquitoes from laying eggs in it as well as to stop evaporation of the water.

 

Pros:

• Easy to setup/remove:

  You can place / remove gunny bags very easily and very quickly whenever you want

 

• Cost-effective:

  It is a very pocket friendly as well as Eco friendly solution

 

• Doesn’t block space:

  You can still use your terrace as you can easily step on gunny bags without damaging the setup

 

Cons:

• Not visually appealing
• Requires regular watering
• Not suitable for areas with water shortage problem
• Overwatering may cause wastage as well as leakage of water in long run if the waterproofing is not done properly.

 

Similar Methods:

 

Using Thermocol sheets covered with Aluminium foil:

 

I read an article about a similar method which uses additional layer of thermocol sheets covered with aluminium foil on the top of gunny bags to create more insulation and reflect heat.

I simply hate it as it has so many disadvantages. The choice is yours. But, I am not going to try this one for sure!

 

Cons:

• It’s not that eco friendly
• Just imagine how your terrace will look with all those super shiny aluminium foils! It will look like a set from futuristic sci-fi movie in which a spaceship is going to land on your terrace.
• Strong light reflected from these shiny sheets can harm/irritate your eyes
• If you have placed them on a pitched roof, it can disturb the vision of the passer-bys with its reflection and can invite accidents.
• Stepping on these sheets can damage them. So, you won’t be able to use your terrace freely anymore.

 

Note: Placing Thermocol sheets on the rooftop may not be a good idea; but you can use these sheets as a false ceiling (or just stick them to your normal ceiling). They can work as a very good heat (Thermal) insulator.

 

Using Hay/ Straw:

 

In remote areas, people make the most of naturally available resources to keep their houses cooler even under a harsh sunlight.

This method is eco-friendly, simple and cheap.

• Put a plastic sheet on the roof, to avoid leakage of water (Optional)
• Simply put hay on the rooftop and soak it with water
• Or stack bundles of damp straw (a natural insulator) on the roof

and it’s done! Simple, isn’t it?

 

2. Paint Your Roof White

 

If you don’t want to look cheap or take pain of going to the terrace and watering jute bags again and again, you can try this simple method which requires slightly more initial cost, but almost no maintenance in later stages.

This method is really old but very effective in the areas, where sun is really harsh, and the heat is unbearable, almost throughout the year. It is widely used in the arid regions like Rajasthan since years.

 

How it works?

We all know that white colour reflects heat and light whereas, black colour absorbs it. That’s why we wear light clothes in summer to keep ourselves cool and wear darker ones in winter to feel little cosy. Right?

Same is with our houses. When sunlight falls on the dark rooftop, it warms the surface, heating the building below. Millions of rooftops in America are made of tar, and they absorb an enormous amount of heat during the summer.

By coating black tar roofs with a white solar-reflective paint, we can immediately reduce temperatures inside and out.

 

On a black tar roof, you could fry an egg, and at the same time, you can walk barefoot on a white roof.

 

Pros:

• Affordable:

  It may look a bit costly at the beginning due to initial cost of painting, but it is not expensive at all if you compare it with the amount of money that would be saved on energy consuming cooling techniques in long run to keep your house cool.

  Note:
  If you can’t afford solar reflective white paint, or want to use cheaper and temporary alternative, you can simply apply a single coat of white lime wash on your terrace/ roof.

  However, it can get washed away in the rains. Hence you may have to re-apply it every 1-2 years, depending upon the amount of rainfall in your region.

 

• Easy to implement:

  The process is really simple and even you can do it by yourself. You just have to clean the roof and apply 2 coats of solar reflective white paint.

  It can be used on pitched roof as well as flat roofs/terraces.
  When you have to re-coat it many years later, you can simply apply another coat right on top of it instead of ripping up all the black tar.

 

• Low / No maintenance:

  Since black roofs become overheated in the sun, they are prone to warping and cracking. This means more roof repair.

  Whereas in white roof, it’s rubbery and elastic, and can bend on hot days. Hence, no regular handling / maintenance is required.

 

• Cost effective in long run:

  Painting saves money on roof repairs by extending its life. A white roof can also extend the life of a buildings cooling equipment by decreasing its

 

• Can cut down on smog:
  

  The heated air that sits above dark roofs is a large contributor to the urban heat island effect, which can put urban temperatures 3-5°C warmer than surrounding areas.

  They keep smog in and make it harder for us to breathe. White rooftops can help reduce heat trapping, and could reduce smog in our cities if implemented on larger scales.

 

Cons:

• White roof could be a problem during winter:
  

  While white roofs can effectively lower a building’s temperature during summer, they also tend to lower the building’s temperature during winter too.

  This means that any savings on energy used for air-conditioning in the summer may be lost to increases in energy used for heating in the winter.

  Although it is logical, it’s not completely true. In the case of regions which have extremely cold winters, roofs are anyways covered with snow for much of the winter, turning them ‘white’ and eliminating any potential black roof heat gain.

  So, it doesn’t make much of a difference and you can definitely try this method without any hesitation.

 

• It may not be as eco-friendly as it looks:
  

  There is another controversial theory to this method which says that, white roofs can actually contribute to global warming rather than reducing it.

  That’s because when everyone paints their roofs white, these surfaces set off a chain reaction that increases the amount of sun cities receive.

  The white surfaces reduce the vertical transport of moisture to the atmosphere, which in turn limits cloud coverage. That means less rain and an increase in drought conditions-the opposite of the intended effect.

 

Impact:

A roof covered with solar-reflective white paint reflects up to 90% of sunlight as opposed to the 20% reflected by a traditional black roof.

On a 90°F (32°C) day, a black roof can be up to 180°F (82°C) while a white roof stays cool with 100°F (38°C) reducing cooling costs up to 40%.

Using white paint to combat climate changes is not only limited to roofs.

 

Now It’s time to paint the roads too.

 

Many urban areas have thousands of miles of dark-coloured asphalt roads which absorb 80-95% of the sun’s rays, heating up not just the streets themselves but the entire surrounding area by approx. 50-90°F (10-32°C).

So, on a hot, sunny summer day, when temperature rises above 100°F (37°C), surface temperature on the asphalt roads can climb to 150°F (65°C). Oh my God! It’s terrible.

And when these roads reach sizzling hot status, ambient heat radiates into surrounding neighborhoods. This results in stifling and unhealthy conditions for residents. It also causes energy usage to spike — as all those fans and air conditioners are switched to maximum cool.

That’s why, painting these black asphalt roads with a reflective white coating can make a difference.

 

Pros:

• Lowers heat absorption:

  It keeps the neighborhood comparatively cooler. As a result, public health will also get a boost, particularly during potentially dangerous heat waves made worse by heat-radiating asphalt.

 

• Reflects more light:

  Its higher reflectivity can save on energy needed to illuminate streets and parking lots when the sun starts to set. This means that street lighting doesn’t have to kick in quite as early in the evening, saving additional energy.

 

• Increases lifespan of the road:

  It protects and maintains the quality and longevity of the road surface.

 

Cons:

• It’s expensive:

  Currently, this method is very pricey.

 

Impact:

Tests proved that, such coated streets are approx. 10-15°F cooler than regular asphalt streets and therefore cools down the buildings around them.

Although the temperature difference is not that impressive, its implementation on larger scale may create a more significant difference in keeping the city cooler and reducing overall energy costs.

Los Angeles has already painted many streets white with water-based asphalt emulsion to stay cooler.

 

3. Grow a Rooftop Garden

 

Traditional building materials soak up the sun’s radiation and re-emit it as heat.

If you cover your sloping roof/ terrace with a vegetative layer (post waterproofing), this green roof can help you cool down the air and has many other benefits.

Germany is the country with the most green roofs in the world and has most advanced knowledge in modern green roof technology.

 

Pros:

• Cools down the air:

  Green roofs remove heat from the air through the process of evapotranspiration. It can lower urban air temperatures and mitigate the heat island effect.

  Green roof temperatures can be 30-40°F (approx. 1-4°C) lower than those of conventional roofs.

 

• Saves energy:

  Acts as an insulator for buildings, reducing the energy needed to provide cooling and heating. Which as a result, reduces the load on devices such as ACs during summer and on heaters during winter.

  A green roof can reduce cooling loads on a building by 50-90% (especially if it is glassed).

 

• Enables roof farming:

  Gives you a chance to grow vegetables on your own

 

• Adds aesthetic value:

  Enhances the beauty of the house / building

 

• Improved air quality:
  

  Reduces air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions by absorbing pollutants and carbon dioxide.

 

• Creates natural habitat:

  Green roofs can create natural habitat for many birds and insects. Even in high-rise buildings as tall as 19 stories, it has been found that green roofs can attract beneficial insects, birds, bees and butterflies.

 

• Reduces storm-water runoff:

  It can capture and absorb or evaporate large amounts of water when it rains, managing runoff and reducing the amount of pollution being dumped at our rivers and beaches.

 

Cons:

• Requires higher initial cost on setup and waterproofing
• Plants need regular maintenance and watering
• Your house / building structure should have enough strength to take the additional load of the soil, pots & plants.
• May cause leakage in a long run if the waterproofing is not done properly
• Questions about accessibility, building height restrictions, and fire regulations may prohibit any type of roof use

 

B) How To Make Your House Cooler Instantly?

 

1. Enable Cross Ventilation

 

Create a breeze inside your home by strategically opening your windows at opposite ends to enable cross ventilation and allow a healthy flow of fresh air.

Remember that time also plays a crucial factor. Don’t wide open the windows when it’s too hot outside. Or else, you will end up making your home hotter. So…

In the morning:

• Open your doors and windows completely to let some fresh air and light come in

 

In the Afternoon:

• Close all the doors and windows along with the curtains / blinds.

 

In the evening:

• This is the time when most of the insects enter your home, so don’t keep your windows wide open even if it’s cool outside.
• Or, you can use a permanent / removable mosquito net on doors and windows in order to block the insects and let the fresh breeze come in.

 

In the night:

• You can keep your windows partly / fully open as per your comfort to get fresh air.
• But keep the curtains / blinds closed to get some privacy at the same time

 

I personally prefer opening the windows and switching on a fan to keep fresh air coming. It is a lot healthier and cost effective than AC.

Even while travelling in a car, I prefer rolling car windows down and getting some fresh air instead of reaching for the AC.

 

2. Install Vetiver Cooling Shades/ Mats

Stay cool in the summer: Install Vetiver cooling shades, curtains and mats to keep your house cooler Source

 

Using Vetiver (Camel grass/ Khus) as a coolant is not new. It has been used since centuries as shades for windows/balconies and as a mat on terrace.

How it works?

• Vetiver shades or blinds are installed on the windows
• Water is sprinkled on them once-twice daily. Vetiver soaks water and becomes wet
• As the dry air passes through these wet shades, they don’t allow the heat in the air to pass through, thus providing cool breeze for people living behind the layer
• Due to its natural soothing fragrance, it also diffuses the sweet aroma in the air

 

Pros:

• Serves the purpose of keeping the room cool, if watered regularly
• Spreads pleasant aroma in the room
• Easy to use
• More feasible than cooler and AC in the areas with frequent power-cuts/ no power supply

 

Cons:

• Do not last long
• Pure vetiver is costly due to high demand, making it unaffordable to lower income groups. This has given rise to many adulterated and low quality, cheaper products who claim to be pure.
• Due to its lightweight structure, vetiver mats and shades can flap wildly in windy situations, which makes them unfit for outdoor use.

 

3. Hang Wet Bed Sheet In The Direction Of The Air

 

This is a quick and cost effective alternative for vetiver shades and it’s my dad’s favourite too!

It can definitely make your sweaty summer bearable.

 

How it works?

• Take any old bedsheet (preferably cotton or any other material that soaks and holds water)
• Soak it in a bucket filled with water
• Wring the bedsheet out slightly to remove the excess of water and prevent dripping it in your room
• Tie a rope and hang this wet bedsheet in front of your window (in the direction of an air)
• As the hot air passes through these wet bedsheets, the moisture gets evaporated due to the heat, providing cool breeze for people living behind the layer
• It won’t reduce the room temperature drastically, but it will definitely make your room more soothing and cooler.

 

Note:

• Wet bed-sheets are heavy. So just make sure that the rope is strong and tight enough to stay straight and can take its load
• If the temperature is too hot, the bedsheets will become dry very soon. This can be fixed by simply sprinkling or spraying some water on them.
• You can also try this method by sprinkling some water on your existing curtains. This way, you don’t have to do any additional setup like tying the strings etc.

 

Pros:

• It is super simple
• Requires no extra cost
• Cools down the room quickly

 

Cons:

• May not look visually appealing
• Affects the light in your room
• Water may drip from the wet bed-sheets if they are too wet
• May not work very efficiently if there is no natural wind coming from the windows (you can fix this by using a table fan instead)

 

4. Make a DIY Air Cooler

 

If you are a nerd or love to experiment, there are thousands of videos available online on all kinds of DIY air conditioners you can make at home.

With little bit of online research and efforts, you can actually build your own affordable cooler at home from variety of available materials like plastic bottles, copper tube, ice cubes etc.

Just select the one which suits you the most and it may put an end to your warm weather woes.

 

Warning:
There are many DIY cooler ideas on Youtube that look very attractive, but do not work that efficiently. Hence, don’t forget to read their reviews in order to avoid disappointment.

 

5. Turn Off Unwanted Lights And Electronic Appliances

 

If you are too lazy to try out any of these methods; at least turn off lights and electronics when not in use.

What? Do you think I am crazy? How turning off your lights would make the room cooler? Well, this won’t make your room cooler, but will prevent it from becoming hotter.

Especially, if you have incandescent bulbs; which not only consume more power and increase your electricity bills, but also radiate a lot of heat.

If you have turned them on for a longer time, just take your hand near them and you will be easily able to feel the warmth.

Hence, it’s best to minimize their usage or to completely replace them with cooler and energy efficient LED (light-emitting diodes) lights.

Similarly, the electronics you leave on may not seem like a big deal, but they do emit heat, even when you’re not using them.

So, just unplug them when not in a use. It won’t make a huge difference. But when you’re in the middle of a hot summer, every degree counts. Isn’t it?

 

6. Minimize the clutter:

 

Clutter creates ‘hot air pockets’ in the house by trapping the hot air. That’s why a cluttered room feels hot and suffocating! It’s difficult to clean and manage too. Too much of clutter also causes accumulation of dust that carries bacteria, mold, mites and fungi etc. This can result in indoor air pollution.

Whereas less cluttered spaces are easier to manage and clean. More free space means more space for fresh air to come and stay. That’s why decluttering is one of the best ways to improve your indoor air quality significantly.

 

1) Buy only what you really need instead of cluttering your house with fancy, random, and useless stuff.

 

2) Remove unwanted stuff like…

• Broken / bulky furniture
• Appliances and other random stuff which are of no longer use / you have not used since years
• Fancy decorative articles that are taking too much of space
• Outdated books, newspapers and magazines

 

If you can’t get rid of all the useless stuff immediately, just keep it in your garage or a loft for time being and see the difference.

Your house / room will instantly become more spacious and airy.

Visual impact also plays a great role in the overall feeling of that place. Cluttered room looks heavy and claustrophobic, whereas clean room with lesser furniture looks lighter, fresher and airy. You can also change / remove the heavy drapes and thick woolly carpets that look and feel hot.

Dark colours absorb more heat. So, use lighter colours for the interiors like wall, bed sheets, sofa and curtains etc.

So, are you going to declutter your home or not? Just try it once. Trust me, you will feel much better and cooler.

 

7. Use Natural Air Conditioner

 

What could be better than a natural AC? Strategically placed plants and vines can function as living air conditioners.

Indoor plants are not only great in enhancing the indoor air quality to make you feel fresh, but also provide a visual treat to the eyes. Greenery gives the feeling of calmness and coolness.

Growing a rooftop garden is difficult. But you can easily grow some indoor plants, vines and creepers along staircase balustrades, balcony grills or indoor screens/dividers.

 

C) How To Keep Yourself Cool?

 

Spray Water On Your Face

 

Something as easy and simple as spraying / sprinkling some water on your face and head can make the summer heat more bearable.

• Take any basic & handy empty spray bottle
• Fill the bottle with water (Preferably cold)
• You can also add few drops of your favourite cooling essential oils like mint and eucalyptus to make you feel fresher and smell wonderful
• Carry this bottle and spay it on yourself whenever you feel hot and itchy (Especially while walking under a hot sun)
• If you are at home, keep this bottle in your fridge for added effect. It will hydrate your skin and help you cool down quickly.

 

Keep chilled cucumber slices on your eyes

 

This home remedy never fails!

Antioxidant rich cucumbers have long been used as a remedy for puffy eyes, skin / eye irritation and heat related issues.

• Keep some sliced cucumbers in the refrigerator
• Lie down or relax in a reclining chair.
• Place chilled cucumber slices over closed eyes.
• Relax while the cucumber’s natural acids soak into your skin.
• If one side of the cucumber becomes warm against your face, flip it over and enjoy the cooling sensation all over again.
• Discard the slices after you remove them; do not reuse. (but you can compost them!)

 

Keep A Wet Handkerchief / Towel Around Your Neck

 

This one was my grandfather’s favourite! And mine too.

What could be simpler than putting a wet handkerchief around your neck?

Just try this one whenever you feel uncomfortable because of the extreme heat, and you will be amazed to see the effect of it.

I don’t know the medical science behind it, but as per my experience, once your neck gets cooled down, you feel cool too!

To make it stay cold for longer time, use ice cold water or you can even freeze your slightly wet cotton handkerchief in the freezer for some time and then keep it on your eyes and face right before you get into the bed at night.

No doubt you will fall asleep in soothing, cool comfort.

 

Keep Your Clothing Loose

 

Tight and heavy clothing made up of synthetic fibers can make you warmer and uncomfortable especially during summer.

So, if you are already spending sweaty, itchy nights; then make sure to wear loose clothes that will allow a good airflow and won’t cling or bind anywhere.

Your clothing material also plays an important role in getting a good deep sleep. Natural fibers like cotton are great in absorbing the sweat. They are good and comfortable for your skin too.

That’s why Summer is a great season and reason to choose natural over synthetic one.

 

Choose Comfortable Bedding

 

Do you feel like getting roasted at night due to extreme heat? Your comfort and peaceful sleep highly depends upon the mattresses and other bedding materials used.

Many memory foam and sponge mattresses hold heat; resulting in sweaty, itchy nights. Whereas cotton and innerspring beds are known for releasing heat rather than holding it.

I personally prefer pure cotton mattresses and bed sheets because they are super comfortable and absorb sweat.

They are a great choice over synthetic ones, as they will definitely keep you cooler than other materials and make your sweaty nights bearable.

Note:
Hot air is lighter than the normal air and rises.

So, set up your bed as close to the ground as possible to beat the heat. Or put your mattress down on the floor, from a high bed

 

Reduce Your Body Heat From Inside

Keeping yourself cool from outside is not enough. If you can lower your body heat from inside, that could be really refreshing and helpful during summer.

Eat cool:

 

• Fried, spicy foods can cause your normal body temperature to go up. So, avoid them as much as you can
• Drink plenty of water
• Eat juicy fruits and veggies like cucumber/ watermelon and coconut water
• Drink cool buttermilk (curd + water) after every meal (especially after heavy and spicy meal); as it soothes the stomach and gives you relief from the discomfort caused due to acidity and burning sensation.

 

If you have a tendency to experience heat related issues:

• Boil cumin seeds/ fennel seeds in water for 10-15 minutes and drink this water whenever you feel thirsty. It will reduce your body heat naturally
• Soak sweet basil seeds (Sabja) or tulsi seeds in water for 30 minutes. Once they absorb the water, a translucent gelatin like coating is formed around them. Strain and then use these soaked seeds in drinks, coolers and faloodas. They are very effective in reducing body heat.

 

Stay away from the heat:

 

• If it’s already too hot to bear, try to avoid complicated cooking items which need your continuous presence near the hot stove/gas. It will just warm up the room and make you even more uncomfortable
• Instead, eat food that take less preparation time or don’t have to be cooked at all, such as salads, sandwiches etc.

 

6. Take advantage of the free AC

 

When I was a kid, my school used to get over at 12.30 pm; and every day I was blessed to have a wonderful company of my 2-3 school friends while returning home.

My house was in a prime location of one of the crowded cities in the world-Mumbai. I was lucky to have my school on a walkable distance of approx. 10 minutes from my house. And even for such a short distance, it used to take us at least 20-25 minutes to reach home. Why? You know how kids are!

Nowadays, it is difficult to find some pleasant greenery in many crowded cities; but thanks to the big green trees on both sides of the road, harsh bright sun hardly bothered our tender skin.

Although there was comparatively less exposure to the sun due to trees, we used to reach home with lot of sweat and stinky uniforms because of the hot and humid climate. Especially, summers were unbearable.

But we had our own way of getting some cool air. Very simple, free and effective. Visiting the air conditioned Gift shop! At that time, very few shops like jewellery, ethnic wear and gift articles had AC facility. No one would have entertained school girls inside jewellery/ ethnic wear shop.

So, we chose the famous ‘Archies’ gift shop to accomplish the mission. Regular visits would have looked too cheap as we never purchased anything. So, we used to visit this shop occasionally with single intention of enjoying cool AC.

Thanks to the growing mall culture, we don’t even have to visit any particular shop anymore to get some cool air.

So, if you are feeling bored and sweaty, instead of wasting electricity by putting your AC and TV on, just go out and visit your nearby shopping mall/ library where AC is pumping anyway.

 

Pros:

• It’s cost effective and relaxing:

  You don’t have to buy anything from the mall, just sit in the common area and observe kids playing, people walking in their own unique styles, attractive decorations etc.

  This way, you will get entertained and also learn lot of new things without wasting a single penny.

 

• It’s eco-friendly:

  This concept is like carpooling in which, sharing a car with others is better than driving your own private vehicle to work every day.

  Similarly, public spaces like shopping malls, libraries etc. cool many people down at the same time, which is more beneficial for the environment than each of those individuals using their own ACs in their homes.

  It will reduce your carbon footprint and long-term effects of such green practices can create a significant positive impact.

 

Quick Recap

 

Why should you ditch your AC?

• Air conditioners are expensive to purchase and cause hefty electricity bills.
• High electricity consumption increases our carbon footprint
• They are not suitable in the areas which face power shortage / load shading on regular basis.
• Poorly maintained air conditioner can cause accumulation of dust, bacteria, and pollen in the air filters and give rise to indoor air pollution
• Spending too much time in air-conditioned environment can contribute to various health problems such as asthma, skin dryness, tightness in the chest and other respiratory ailments.
• Air conditioners can reduce your tolerance against natural outdoor heat.

How To Keep Yourself Cool Without An AC?

 

Keep Your Roof Cool

• Water Jute Gunny Bags
• Cover your roof with hay/ straw
• Paint your roof (and even roads) white with solar reflective white paint
• Grow a Rooftop Garden by installing a green roof

 

Make Your House Cooler Instantly

• Minimize the clutter by removing unwanted stuff to make your home/ room feel more spacious and airy
• Use lighter colours for your interiors
• Strategically open your windows to allow cross ventilation
• Grow indoor plants to cool and purify the air
• Install vetiver cooling shades/ mats / blinds on your windows and in balconies
• Hang wet bed sheet in the direction of an air
• Make a DIY air cooler at home by doing some online research
• If you prefer using an AC; keep your curtains, blinds, and drapes closed during daylight hours to prevent your AC from working harder than it needs to.
• Turn off lights and electronics when not in use.

 

Keep Yourself Cool

• Keep cucumber slices on your eyes
• Spray water on your face
• Keep a wet handkerchief around your neck
• Keep your clothing loose
• Avoid tight and heavy clothing made up of synthetic fibers
• Use clothing made up with natural fibers like cotton
• Wear light /pastel coloured clothes
• Choose comfortable bedding made up of natural fibers
• Bathe with cold water
• Set up your bed as close to the ground as possible or put your mattress down on the floor, from a high bed
• Cool down your feet in cold water before hitting the bed
• Apply Kailas Jeevan or aloe vera gel on your feet. They are great to get relief from excessive body heat

 

Reduce Your Body Heat From Inside

• Avoid fried, salty and spicy foods
• Drink plenty of water
• Eat juicy fruits and veggies like cucumber/ watermelon
• Drink cool buttermilk after meal
• Drink boiled cumin/ fennel seeds water to effectively reduce body heat
• Use soak sweet basil seeds (Sabja) or tulsi seeds in drinks, coolers and faloodas.
• Avoid complicated cooking items which need your continuous presence near the hot stove/gas
• Eat food that take less preparation time or don’t have to be cooked at all, such as salads, sandwiches etc.
• Take advantage of the free AC available in the malls and public libraries

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Have you tried these methods at home? Were they useful?
Do you know any other simple and cost effective cool ways to survive hot summer nights?

Please comment, so that no one has to roast at home this summer.

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References:

• https://www.cbsnews.com/news/los-angeles-is-painting-some-of-its-streets-white-and-the-reasons-why-are-pretty-cool/

• http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/04/10/los-angeles-painting-city-streets-white-in-bid-to-combat-climate-change.html

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHK8Evlq44Q

• http://www.whiteroofproject.org/diy/

• http://www.whiteroofproject.org/tag/tedx/

• http://www.ecoideaz.com/expert-corner/indian-summer-tips-to-stay-cool-the-eco-friendly-way

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbigQjL6oKo

• https://www.homes.com/blog/2016/10/pros-cons-cool-roofs/

• https://www.thebetterindia.com/92798/summer-simple-ecofriendly-hacks-air-conditioner-keep-home-cool/

• https://www.berkeys.com/2016/12/22/advantage-disadvantage-air-conditioner/

• https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/cool-bedroom-without-using-air-conditioner.php

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_roof