Make no doubt about it, summer means hot. Hot means trying everything you can to stay cool, and for many, this 
means sitting in a pleasant, air-conditioned location. Most never seem to think about their A/C units until the unthinkable – it goes out.
Of course, if your A/C goes out, call us immediately. One of our great techs will be on the way to help, but in the meantime, it is still going to be hot. Drink lots of water; remain calm and check out these four tips of how to stay cool during this time. We will cover other tips over the next few summer blogs.
1. Close the windows – This may seem to be counter-productive, but the windows closed and covered will keep the home cooler. Having lighter colors facing out is the way to go as they reflect the heat. If it cools down enough at night, by all means open the windows. Be sure screens are in place, or various critters may be joining you.
2. Fans – Yes; this is a no brainer. You know the advantages of fans in a home. How to use the fans is the secret. Box and oscillating fans needs to face an internal wall and near an internal door, and here is why. Fans near an external wall will pull radiant heat from the wall into the room. This makes using fans counterproductive. Bowls of ice in front of the fan cools the air going across it; try this if you have the ice to spare. Lastly, be sure the ceiling fans are blowing down (counter-clockwise) for the cooling effect.
3. Evaporative coolers – This is a fun activity for the kids. A small fan, piece of elbow PVC pipe, bucket with lid and ice is all that is needed. Cut a hole in the bucket for the fan (computer fans are great) and attach. Put the PVC pipe over the fan. Fill the bucket with ice and put lid on the bucket. Power the fan, and you have an evaporative cooler.
4. Ice cream – Cool foods, like ice cream and popsicles, will cool down your body nicely. For meals, think salads, fruits and sandwiches – anything else will require the stove or oven, and add extra heat to your house.
Above all else, call us at Cranbury Comfort. We hope to have your A/C back in short order, but until we get there, we can’t know for certain. Come back next month for more tips!
