Towards May, summer in Athens is pretty much on. The weather can get hot. Blame Al Gore. Blame China. Either way, Global Warming is very real when it’s 90+ degrees, sweat sticks to you like glue, and you feel like you can barely breathe much less move.
At the same time, economics towards the end of the semester (and even worse in the summer) usually leaves your bank account running on fumes. You don’t want an expensive electric bill from running a window air conditioner in every single room in the house. Here are efficient ways to keep cool in your Athens Ohio rental. Read on.
Use Fans to Keep Cool in Your Athens College Apartment
Fans don’t use nearly as much electricity as an air conditioner. Ceiling fans are practically a Godsend. Kick the ceiling fans on in your Ohio University apartment rental at night to get the most out of the cool air being spread around. Circulating the air can really break up the stifling heat. It also helps to break out those hot pockets. Sitting in front of a fan is a great way to cool off.
Determined to keep your rental home at a low cost for utilities each month? Consider a portable fan. They’re rechargeable, and you can bring them nearly anywhere with you. Cool off from the comfort of your couch or take it on a walk around the neighborhood.
Curtain the Windows During the Daytime
Closing the curtains during the day can really cut down on the heat that builds up in a house. If you’re not using the room during the afternoon, keep it dark enough to sleep in and shut the door. The whole house will stay cooler.
If you really appreciate the ambiance of the natural sunlight pouring through the windows in your college campus rental apartment, you could always look at treatments or film to place around the windows. There are lots of treatments that aid in blocking sunlight and reducing UV rays.
Open the Windows in Your Rental Home Once the Sun Goes Down
Even if it’s sweltering during the summer days, the temperatures reliably drop at night once the sun goes down. If you’re trying to , pop those windows open in the evening.
Your college rental will probably get hot in the afternoon, especially if you’re attempting to not use the air conditioning. Slide the windows open at nighttime, and all of that hot air will be replaced with cooler air and more comfortable temperatures.
Keep the Oven and Stovetop Cooking to a Minimum
Here’s one you might not have considered: your appliances also give off heat. So, when you’re cooking that chicken in the oven at a cool 400 degrees, you’re basically just heating your Athens rental apartment. At the same time, you’ve got to eat, and cooking food at home is a great way to save money in college. If it’s the middle of the afternoon, and you’re turning the oven on, you’ll want to think twice about doing it. Instead, reserve oven usage in your Ohio University rental strictly for dinnertime. You know, once the sun has gone down.
On the other hand, if you’re looking to save on heating in your rental pad during the wintertime, fire that oven up.
Stovetop cooking is quick, and you don’t have to keep the stove on nearly as long as most ovens run for. Consider food that requires zero cooking too, like a good sandwich or a leafy salad.
Make Your Own Swamp Cooler
This one’s thrifty, but it works in a bind. Swamp coolers are devices that cool the air around you via water evaporation, but you don’t even need to invest money in one. Instead, create a makeshift swamp cooler in your off-campus rental home. Take a damp sheet, towel, or other large piece of fabric, pop open one of your windows, and hang the damp fabric over the front of the window. As air blows into your Athens apartment, the evaporating water cools it down.
Cold Showers are Always on Tap in Your Apartment
When all else fails, a cold shower is a reliable way to cool off quickly. The relief is almost immediate, plus you’ll probably step out feeling refreshed and energized. It’s been proven that exposure to cold water activates a response in our bodies that triggers alertness and increases your energy. If the summer heat has you down, and you’ve tried everything to cool down in your college home for rent, a cold shower always has your back.