Seven Ways to Beat the Seattle Heat
Summer came blazing into the Pacific Northwest recently (not that you’d know it this week), and many people were caught by surprise. Our normally mild climate was scorched by a heat wave, all before the official first day of summer. That could be a sign that this summer will be a hot one! For many residents in the Pacific Northwest, air conditioning is not a standard feature in their home or apartment. It isn’t usually needed and the few days a year the temperature soars are tolerable. However, our folks at Greenwood Hardware have some suggestions to help keep you cool this summer just in case the temperature spikes again.
- Keep your curtains pulled in the heat of the day. Yes, your home may be a little dark, but it can keep the temperature down. Heavy sun-blocking curtains or blinds are the best. Sheer curtains or pretty lace curtains are not going to do much good. If you have to, there is no shame in hanging a blanket over a south-facing window for a couple of days. Scorching heat is no time to worry about appearances.
- Leave your windows closed as well. The air outside is going to be much hotter than the air in your home. Use a fan to help stir the air and create a breeze.
- Avoid cooking in the oven or running the dryer. These two appliances can raise the temperature in the house several degrees.
- Open the windows at night to take advantage of the cool air. Fortunately, it is always much cooler late at night and in the early hours of the morning. This can help lower the temperature in the house before another hot day rolls in.
- Small windows can be covered with an auto shade. Use a little duct tape to hold the shade in place. This will block the heat and reflect it away from your house.
- When you are home, save the heavy duty cleaning for later. Don’t take on any big projects in the yard or decide to rearrange the furniture. You need to keep your body temperature down, especially when you don’t have somewhere cool to rest after you have become overheated.
- If you feel warm, place a cool cloth on the back of your neck. This will help reduce your body temperature fairly quickly. With a fan blowing on you and a cool, damp cloth draped across your neck, you will be infinitely cooler.
Don’t let the summer heat get you down. All of us at your friendly neighborhood Greenwood Hardware want you to stay safe and cool this summer! Come on in, or contact us today.