Hot days can make it tough to stay cool, especially without air conditioning.
“Heat is a growing hazard that impacts many people,” said Mike Olczyk, the City's Emergency Management Coordinator.
Too much heat in a home can put even the healthiest person at risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
Here are some ways to cool your living space without air conditioning.
Block the sun
The sun heats the air inside a home. Floors and counters can also absorb heat and release it over time. Use curtains, blinds, awnings, or window film to reduce the amount of direct sunlight hitting your home.
If you own your home, consider planting vines to act as a cooling buffer between the hot sun and your exterior walls.
Tree-shaded areas can be as much as 5ºC cooler than unshaded areas. For a longer-term fix, plant a shade tree. Over time, a strategically placed tree can help cool your home considerably during the day.
Open windows at night
When temperatures drop at night, opening your windows can help cool the air inside your home.
As soon as the temperature outside climbs above the temperature indoors, close your windows to help trap the cool air inside.
Add insulation
Adding more insulation helps keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
Use fans
Fans don’t cool the air directly. They move air around.
“If you aim a fan in your direction, sweat will evaporate more quickly and help cool your body,” said Olczyk. “Just make sure to keep fans and cords out of the reach of small children.”
If you’re using a ceiling fan to cool down, set it to rotate counter-clockwise in the summer to create a downdraft. Remember that fans are most effective at cooling the body in dry heat, and decrease in efficiency as the humidity rises.
You can also place fans strategically around your home to move cool air in and push hot air out. For example, if the air in your basement is cooler, place a fan at the base of the stairs and point it at the main level.
At night, if you need a little help moving cool air into your bedroom from an open window, open a window across your home. Then grab a fan, face it outward, and turn it on. Window fans can also be helpful here. This approach uses air pressure throughout your home to push hot air out, while creating space to allow cool air to rush into the bedroom you want to cool.
Olcyzk said placing a bowl of ice or ice pack in front of a fan can mimic a cool breeze without the A/C.
Move to cooler rooms
Some rooms, like the basement, may be cooler. If possible, temporarily arrange to sleep and/or work where it is cooler.
Eliminate heat sources
Replace incandescent lights with energy-efficient ones that produce less heat. If possible, avoid preparing meals that require the oven, and do chores like laundry and dishwashing at night.
Cool your body
To cool your body, wear loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing made of breathable fabric. Our spray pads, wading pools, and heated and non-heated pools can also offer relief. If all else fails, get to a cooler spot, such as a basement, or a friend or family’s home with A/C.
“It’s important to check in on loved ones, especially those more vulnerable to heat such as infants, children, older adults, those with chronic illnesses or physical impairments, and those that are more active in the heat,” said Olczyk.
“If you notice the signs of heat illness, it’s very important to cool down as quickly as possible,” said Olcyzk.
If you believe you or someone you know is suffering from heat stroke, call 911 as this is a life-threatening condition.
Other options
We're taking steps to provide heat relief to residents and partnering with several community centres to offer cooling spaces to residents during select hours.
“It’s a great opportunity to bring more cooling options to people from within their communities,” said Olczyk.
Residents are invited to cool off and access clean drinking water in our leisure centres and libraries during regular operating hours. Our indoor pools and outdoor aquatic facilities, such as spray pads, wading pools, and heated and non-heated pools are also great ways to cool down during the warm summer months.
We also have eight hydration stations located throughout the city where you can fill your water bottle up 24 hours a day.
Olczyk recommends people keep a close watch on the weather forecast and consider setting up notifications for weather alerts so they can be prepared.
Originally posted August 10, 2022