When we built our house, we didn’t install a central air system, much to the shock and outrage of our contractor. He couldn’t believe somebody building a house in 2002 would be so dismissive of central air.
But! I argued, It’s Wisconsin, you only need central air for about a week when it’s dreadfully humid, and that’s it! It hardly pays to install air conditioning for one week a year!
He disagreed, but grudgingly accommodated our requests. How does Enviro-Girl’s clan keep it cool in the sultry, sweaty months of summer?
* We strategically planted trees — they’re not very big now, but already the birches are shading the house so we can enjoy a break from the afternoon sun. In five more years, the maples and elms and honey locust will shoulder the burden.
* We put in mostly tile floors — they hold the cool evening air well into the afternoon and keep our feet comfortable. Where there’s no tile, there’s wood, which doesn’t retain much heat or cold. Carpet is an insulator, the rooms with carpeting are the hottest and those are bedrooms where we don’t spend much time.
* We installed ceiling fans in every room. The moving air keeps our sweaty skin cooled off. We also installed ceiling fans on the porches which helps keep the bugs away and keep us cool while we’re sipping iced tea and lemonade.
* We strategically positioned windows to capture cross-breezes. By opening them on both ends of the house or a room, the air flow is better than a fan could generate.
* We have wooden blinds in the bedroom and waffle blinds in the living room windows. As Recycla mentioned yesterday, this keeps the hot sun out in the afternoon.
* When it’s awfully hot, we set up camp in the basement where the temperature is 10 degrees less than upstairs.
Those are the A/C-free methods we’ve adopted to keep cool. Shade, a breeze, and cool stones beneath our feet — just like nature’s creatures use. Add in a diet of melons, salads, and ice cream, well, we’re the coolest clan around!
On a side note, I’ve heard in the southwest people hang wet blankets in their windows to keep the air moist and cool. This is definitely a regional thing — it wouldn’t help much in Wisconsin. What do you do to keep cool in your neck of the woods?
