Keeping Cool Without AC: 8 Simple Tips

From the surprisingly simple DIY wind tunnel to the microwave dinner, these tips will keep you cool if you don't have air conditioning, or don't want to pay to run it all the time. By Dan Shapley

Keeping Cool Without AC

Summer is here, and that means heat! While 84% of U.S. homes use air conditioners, we can all save money by using them less; after all, the typical U.S. home spends 17% of its annual energy bill on cooling – about $375.

We can all save energy, too, which on the hottest summer days can have an immediate payoff: avoiding an electricity blackout caused by an overloaded power grid, and by lessening the load of air pollution emitted by our power plants. The Daily Green has tried to find the best ways to stay cool without using the air conditioner. (Incidentally, these tips are also useful when the electricity does go out, leaving you without the use of your air conditioner.)

We start with the easiest, cheapest tips you can do right now to cool off – and then recommend some home improvements that can help keep your home cooler in the years to come, and tack on some tips for those of us with air conditioners we'd like to pay less to run or replace. And remember – even if you have and use an air conditioner, these tips can help you reduce your need for it, saving both energy and money.