Ways to Cool Your House When Louisiana Temps are Dangerously High

Life would be easier if we could just run around on a splash pad, cool off and not have to worry about air conditioning, but alas, we don't live in that world.

I don't know about you, but I am constantly thinking about what I set my thermostat on. I want to stay cool, but I also don't want to pay a fortune for my energy bill like last month.

I started looking up ways to see if I can cool down even more in my house, but not have to spend a bunch of money buying more fans or products that I can't afford.

I had to research this idea to find out what smarter people than myself do to help cool things down without heating up their energy bills.

We All Know About Ceiling Fans, But Have You Checked The Direction of the Blades?

We all know that ceiling fans help to make you feel cool, but do you remember if the blades are up or down? Realsimple.com has a great reminder for us. Are your blades running clockwise or counter-clockwise? Here's what they point out concerning this important issue:

....ceiling fans....use only 10% of the energy that a traditional air conditioner does, according to NRDC. Just make sure your fan is set with the blades running counterclockwise for cooling.

Use Your Exhaust Fans

I can't believe I haven't thought about doing this, but what a great and easy way to get some heat out of your home to help cool some things down. If you have got exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathrooms turn them on from time to time when it feels hot. You will be able to remove some of that heat according to ambientedge.com.

Some People Put A Fan in A Window to Get the Hot Air Out

If you walk into a room that is hot or one that ends up staying hot through the day, some people find that if they put a fan in the window to pull the hot air out of the room into the outside area, it makes the room more bearable. It's more cost-effective too. As far as leaving it on constantly, you'll have to figure out what works best for your house and your bill.

Use a Cool Rag on Your Neck

This is such a simple, easy way to make your body feel cool instantly. It's not a bad idea to do this if you have to closely watch your thermostat. In an ideal world we could all afford to leave the thermostat on 72 degrees, but since we can't always do that, why not just dunk a rag in very cold water, wring it out well, and put it around your neck? I got this idea from a friend who was working on a project outside recently. Why not use a neck towel inside?

Are You Closing the Curtains?

Whether you have miniblinds, curtains, or both, most of us want those open during the day so we can see what is happening within our neighborhoods. But, if you are trying to keep your home cooler, you should probably close them. Most people enjoy the sunshine, but it's going to add more heat to your home.

Do You Already Have Cotton Sheets?

A senior lecturer emeritus in agriculture and biological engineering at the University of Florida, Wendell Porter had several suggestions for CNN. If you have cotton sheets then you should use them during the hot weather. He says they are more breathable. This is one time when you want the thread count of the sheets to be lower so more air can circulate through them.

Take a Cold Shower

It sounds simple, but if you want to help cool your body down without having to buy something new, you can get into the habit of taking cold showers to cool things down. It may sound crazy, but according to Wendell Porter, it will cool your core body temperature down. He adds, "For an extra cool blast, try peppermint soap. The menthol in peppermint oil activates brain receptors that tell your body something you're eating or feeling is cold."