How to cool a building without air conditioning

Toronto is known for its sweltering heat waves. So far this year, temperatures have climbed above 30 degrees Celsius countless times, with the humidex reaching well into the 40s.

Many residents have taken solace in the fact that air conditioning can be found in most public buildings, including malls, offices, restaurants, and bars. But unfortunately, not all homes come with this luxury. 

READ: Ask An Agent: Tips For Selling During Slow Seasons Like Summer

In fact, only 60 percent of all households in Canada actually have air conditioning, according to 2017 data from Statistics Canada. 

But whether you live in an older house or just happen to live in a place with no AC, it’s still possible to stay cool in the hot summer months! Read on for 10 genius tricks to keep your home (and you!) cool without air conditioning. 

1. Rotate Your Ceiling Fan Counter-Clockwise

Believe it or not, ceiling fans have two settings: clockwise and counter-clockwise. In the summer, it should spin counter-clockwise at a high speed in order to provide a breeze in the home, LifeHacker reports. Conversely, the clockwise setting is for the winter and should be used with a slower speed to help move around heat. 

2. Block The Heat With Your Curtains

It’s natural to hide from the sun when there’s a heatwave, which is why it’s always a good idea to close your curtains. Blackout curtains work best because they will completely prevent the sun from getting in. However, Consumer Reports notes that neutral-toned curtains with white plastic backings are best for reflecting away sunlight. These curtains can actually reduce heat gain by up to 33 percent. 

3. Open Your Windows In The Evenings 

Let out the heat in your home by opening your windows in the evenings. Leaving them open overnight will allow the cooler outside air to flow in and prevent your home from getting stuffy. Just don’t forget to close the windows before the heat starts to rise again! 

4. Opt For Cotton Sheets

Don’t let the heat prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep! During the summer months, be sure to swap out your current bed sheets for cotton ones. These natural fibres are the most breathable and lightweight, which will help you stay cool as you sleep. Moisture-wicking sheets also exist, for those who tend to sweat a lot at night. 

5. Create A DIY ‘Air Conditioner’

Put your trays of ice cubes to good use! Fill a shallow pan or bowl with ice and place it in front of a fan. As the ice melts, the fan will pick up the cold water particles and blow them around the room creating a cool mist. Genius, right?

6. Turn On Your Kitchen Exhaust Fan

This is a brilliant idea! Your kitchen exhaust fan sucks out hot, humid air from the room, so this is an easy way to get rid of some heat from your home and save on energy bills. Your bathroom fan works in the same way, so be sure to throw that one on too! 

7. Drink More Water

Drinking water helps regulate your body temperature and keeps you hydrated. So even though this tip is common sense, it’s still a good reminder. Drinking cold beverages can also help keep you cool even when your home is not. 

8. Create A Cross Breeze

Fans don’t necessarily make your home cooler since they essentially push around hot air. But if you set up a cross breeze in your home using two fans, this could make you feel more comfortable in warmer temps. To create a cross breeze, set up two flows of air — one to blow cool air and one to pull away hot air.

9. Forget About The Stove And Oven

This might be a no-brainer, but using your stove or oven in the summer will only make your home hotter. Avoid these appliances and opt for either a BBQ meal or simple cold recipes for the summer. 

10. Take A Cold Shower

When all else fails, taking a cold shower is the quickest and surest way to cool down in the heat, even if it only lasts a few seconds!

Isabelle Khoo is a former editor at Storeys. She's previously worked for big brands like HuffPost Canada and has written about every topic imaginable. From Asian representation to parenting trends to mental health, she's covered it all. When she's not busy chasing a story, you can find her boxing or planning her next travel adventure. 

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Summer is upon us, and that can mean seeking refuge from some of the season’s uncomfortably hot weather. If your rental unit doesn’t have an air conditioner — or if you’re just trying your best not to use it around the clock — there are still plenty of things you can do to keep your home cool. These DIY methods are some of the best ways to cool a home without the help of air conditioning.

1. Keep the Windows Closed and Covered

During the hot summer months, the simplest thing you can do to keep a room cool without AC is making sure the windows are shut. For those of us who love the fresh air, this can be a hard sell — but trust us, it works. If the air outside is hotter than the air inside, keeping the windows shut will help the inside of your home stay a little cooler.

And because about 76% of sunlight that enters your home through the windows turns into heat, it’s a good idea to keep your blinds drawn or your curtains closed. The Department of Energy suggests medium-colored drapes with white-plastic backing to reduce heat inside, and some people even opt for blackout curtains to keep windows covered and block the sunlight out completely.

2. Shut and Insulate Your Doors

If you’re spending most of your time in one room, consider closing the doors to the rooms you aren’t using as often — like bedrooms or bathrooms. Closing off parts of the house keeps the cooler air concentrated in a single area, and can help the room you’re using the most cool down faster and stay cool.

If you have doors with gaps at the bottom — especially those that lead outside — invest in some insulation. Weather strips are an inexpensive option, and you can put them on yourself.

3. Don’t Use the Oven

Put that Sunday roast on hold, because nothing heats up a room like a 400-degree oven. Burners also emit some heat, so be strategic about which kitchen appliances you’re using. Opt for outdoor grilling instead, or any seasonal summer recipe that doesn’t require heat. 

If you absolutely need to use the oven, wait until the outdoor air cools down later at night and open some windows.

If outdated appliances are making the heat issue worse, here’s how to talk to your landlord about upgrades.

4. Swap Your Light Bulbs

Kitchen appliances aren’t the only things that bring in unnecessary heat during the summer. Light bulbs are another culprit, albeit a less obvious one. Incandescent light bulbs give off the most heat by wasting 90% of the energy they use, so making the switch to CFL (compact fluorescent lamps) or LED bulbs can make a difference in keeping your home cool. An added bonus is energy-efficient bulbs like these will also help lower your electric bill.

5. Use Fans the Right Way

If you live in a home without air conditioning, fans are your best friend — as long as you’re using them the right way. Since fans move air around rather than cooling it, what you do with a fan and where you put it matters.

Creating a cross breeze with fans is the best way to circulate cooler air and push hot air out. Find the coolest part of your house (either the coolest room or outside air from a window in the shade) and angle the fan towards the hottest part of your house. This should help draw in cooler air from one side of the house and push the hotter air out.

For a make-shift air conditioner, try placing a large bowl of ice at an angle in front of a fan. This easy trick blows the cold air coming off the ice into the room.

Thinking about moving to a place with AC? Find out how much rent you can afford in your next place.

6. Manage the Humidity

If you live in a humid climate, the humidity can make the summer heat feel even worse. While a dehumidifier won’t reduce room temperature, it will help control the sticky, thick air that makes hot days even more uncomfortable. Since humidity decreases the rate at which our sweat evaporates, we often feel much hotter and sweatier in humid weather, so investing in a dehumidifier can keep your home more comfortable during the humid months.

7. Let the Night Air In

Finally, if you live in a place where the temperature drops at night, consider yourself lucky and open the windows before bed. Working with the outdoor temperatures can save you money and help keep your house cool. Just make sure you close the windows back up in the morning to keep the cool air in before it gets too hot outside.

If you’ve tried all these tricks but decided you can’t live without AC, we can help you find your next place.