Living in an apartment in the heat of the summer isn’t easy at times, especially if the building doesn’t have air conditioning. The biggest problem is that many of us don’t know how to take advantage of summer living conditions. We choose to survive – instead of flourish – in the heat.
First, make use of your balcony. It’s not a storage area, so stop using it like one. Get the lawn chairs out, a little side table, your coffee and a good book. Bring in the flowers and you’ve created a little oasis of tranquility. Early morning hours and early evening hours are often wonderful times to sit on the balcony. Did you know that balconies are the least-used space in your home? Balconies or patios should be an extension of your home, especially for summer living. We find happy residents use this space all the time. There is nothing more invigorating than fresh air.
Second, stop using the stove if you don’t live in an air-conditioned apartment. When it’s hot there is no point in making the apartment hotter. Nobody wants to live in an oven. In turn, many buildings today have barbecues set up outside the building. Take your favourite meat down and spice up your life. Just because most provinces don’t allow barbecuing on balconies doesn’t mean you can’t barbecue anymore. If you don’t like to barbecue, make salads – and if you have to cook use the microwave because it doesn’t create or emit heat.
Third, make good use of windows and fans. Try leaving more then one window open in your apartment to create a cross breeze. A well-positioned fan can often work as well as an air conditioner. You should also make sure the fan is always set to circulate. The job of the fan is to provide a light breeze and circulate dead, hot air. We recommend one on its own stand, as they seem to provide the best results. You can purchase one for as little as $25 at your local discount or big box store. Two well-positioned fans can create a great effect on summer living conditions in an apartment.
We also recommend that you don’t forget about the lights. Keep your lights turned off in the summer – you don’t need artificial light anyway. Remember, these are the sunniest days of the year and light bulbs still give off heat. If you have enough of them turned on, they contribute to the sense of warmth inside your apartment. The only light you really want is sunshine.
And finally, don’t take hot steamy showers. We’re certainly not advocating cold showers, but steam just adds to mugginess and humidity in an apartment.
So when you feel like you’re boiling try one or two – or all of the above. We’re sure you’ll see the difference, and more importantly feel the difference, in the heat of the summer.
Happy renting!