Fun Ways to Cool Off in Summer Heat

Keeping Summer More Stress-Free in the Heat

Summer is definitely here in Sonoma County, and along with it, hot weather. When the thermometer starts pushing into the 90s it’s hot! We offer some fun ways to cool off in the summer heat this year for you and your family. Some of our suggestions are fun activities that help you cool off, and others are DIY projects for your home that can help your home stay cool without increasing your utility bill.

 

First, we will offer some of the typical cool-down tips for beating summer heat. Many you might use, but some you might not have heard of before. We give you some of the usual health suggestions below, and also some out-of-the-box ideas that are simple and cost-effective DIY projects that can keep your family cooler this summer.

 

Traditional Summer Cooling Tips

We offer a quick overview of the most often shared extreme heat advice that can keep you healthier while the weather is hot!

Keep Your Body Hydrated:

 

• Stay hydrated & drink water with added electrolytes or lemons or cucumbers added.
• Wear loose and light-colored clothing that allows for airflow.
• Limit outdoor activities to very early morning and late evening when temperatures can be cooler.
• Drink consistently, even when you don’t feel thirsty.
• Avoid alcohol; it doesn’t quench thirst.

 

Body Cool-Down Ideas:

 

• Monitor your body for heat exhaustion symptoms; these are some of the milder symptoms to be aware of: nausea, light-headedness, headaches, diarrhea, feeling faint, and profuse sweating.
• Take a cool bath or shower; it’s one of the quickest ways to lower your body temperature.
• When you are outside, run cold water over your wrists, place an ice pack behind your knees, on your wrists, or soak a bandana in water and fill with ice cubes and apply to your neck.

 

Keep Your House Cool:

 

 

• Block the sun from entering your home with outdoor shades or blackout curtains during the hottest part of the day.
• If you have an overhead fan, be sure to change the setting from winter to summer to get maximum cooling.
• Cover skylights with blackout covers.
• Use your home’s exhaust fans in the kitchen and bath to pull out hot air before it circulates through the house.
• Create a cross breeze in your rooms by putting a box fan in one window facing outward to push out hot air, and on the opposite window, put a fan facing inward to draw in cooler air in the morning and late evening.
• You can turn your fan into a DIY swamp cooler by putting a clothes rack in front of your box fan and hanging a wet towel in front of the fan, utilizing the evaporative factor to cool down the room.

 

Plan Ahead in Extreme Heat:

• Avoid the hottest times of day, from 10 am-4 pm. If you have to go out, bring a cooler filled with ice and beverages, seek shade, and wear a wide-brimmed hat. There is a wide selection of SPF50 hats available that provide good sun protection.
• Seek out cooler places, such as government buildings. libraries, and stores.
• Check on older adults in your family and community, pregnant friends, disabled individuals, pets, and livestock. Never leave pets, children, or older adults in a car.

 

Home Improvement Ideas to Beat the Heat

 

There are some simple ways to keep your home cooler during the summer without cranking up the air conditioner. Some of these take a couple of hours, and others are weekend projects that require some building skills or hiring a contractor to do the work.

 

Create Natural Airflow with Windows

 

This seems so simple, the thought of having natural airflow in a room or house, but many homes these days are not built with windows on opposite walls. I do wonder why this has been eliminated as a common building practice, but it’s simple to remedy. If your rooms don’t have windows on opposite walls, your home is losing out on natural air circulation that can cool your home. Consider installing windows across from existing windows to give your home great air circulation during early morning and evening hours.

 

Take Your Cooking Outdoors This Summer

 

Cooking in your kitchen during extreme heat doesn’t make good sense. Cooking and eating outdoors is enjoyable and keeps you from heating up your home with cooking. Be sure to check out our previous blog on Outdoor Kitchens, it’s filled with great ideas on how to start small or build out an entire outdoor cooking and dining area. Installing an overhead fan on your patio or having a standing fan can help circulate the air and keep bugs away while you are enjoying cooking and eating outdoors.

Hot Weather is a Great Excuse for an Ice Bath

 

Building an ice bath is a quick DIY project. Before using an ice bath, be sure to check with your doctor because they aren’t suggested for people with heart conditions, high blood pressure, Raynaud’s Disease, diabetes, or someone with a history of fainting or seizures. Ice baths should also be avoided by young children or pregnant women.

Creating an ice bath can be as simple as buying a suitable-sized stock water tank and filling it with cold water and a few ice cubes. You can repurpose an old claw foot bathtub and connect plumbing to it or fill it with a hose. There are many types of reasonably priced ice baths on the market today. There are inflatable and foldable PVC models that are very portable or temporary. Many companies sell pods with covers so you don’t need to refill the water as often, and it keeps bugs and birds from using your bathing source.

 

Cool Down with Your Dog

 

Remember that pavement is much hotter than circulating air during extreme heat. Paw protectors for your dog are a must, and it’s best to walk your dog during early morning hours or later in the day. Paw protectors go double-duty since they also protect your dog’s paws from ice and snow during the winter.

Summer and hot weather are a great excuse to act like a kid again. Your best accomplice is your dog. Turn on the sprinkler and run through the water with them. Toss a ball through the sprinkler for them to fetch.

Consider a wading pool for your canine friend in the summer. You can also turn on the sprinkler and run through the water with them; both are great ways to cool down on a hot day.

 

Tubing Down the River

 

The Russian River is an amazing place to tube down in the summer. One of my favorite memories is a day trip with my girlfriends tubing from one winery to another, starting north of Healdsburg. Tubing is great fun with friends and also as a family. Cooling down in the Russian River on a hot day is relaxing and fun.

We’d like to make your summer less stressful. Consider delegating house cleaning to Crystal Clear Home so you can do more of what you love to do this summer. Give us a call at 707-827-3316 or fill out our FREE ESTIMATE form and one of our cleaning professionals will call you promptly to answer your questions and give you a free cleaning estimate.