5 Low Cost Ways for Renters to Stay Cool in the Hot Summer Months

If you are a renter, you know the pains of trying to stay cool in the summer months. In most cases, when you rent an apartment, you are lucky to have an A/C unit. If you do, chances are that it hasn’t been serviced or repaired in multiple years – and who knows how old the unit is. Also, if you have an absentee landlord who doesn’t care much for how comfortable you are in the summer months, it is important to get proactive and creative. Here are five low cost ways for renters to stay cool in the hot summer months.

1. Dress the part. One of the best ways to stay cool is to dress cool. That means no heavy socks in the apartment, no flannel or heavy fabrics, and lot of shorts. The lighter you dress, the more comfortable you will be in the summertime. You might also be wearing lots of t-shirts as well. If you have company, you can always explain to them the situation. Anyone that rents an apartment will understand that staying cool in a rented apartment can be tough.
2. Take cold showers. Taking a cold shower will lower your body temperature so that you feel more comfortable in your sweltering apartment. Also, chances are that all that humidify doesn’t feel great on your skin. If you were brave enough, you could also take a cold bath, which would feel incredible if the temperatures are reaching untenable levels. When you get out of the shower, you want to make sure to put on a pair of shorts and light clothing — wearing a robe or keeping a towel on might raise your body temperature back up to what it was before you took a cold shower.
3. Try not to use the oven. If you can avoid it, try not to cook anything that requires the use of an oven. If you live in a small place – a small place that already feels like an oven – any kind of baking can make your living space feel virtually unbearable. If you can, stick with cooking meals on the stove or in the microwave. If they are quick meals, you can probably get away with preparing most meals in a toaster oven as well.
4. Learn how air conditioning works. Sometimes you have to just learn how an HVAC system works, so that you can make the necessary repairs and perform maintenance on your apartment’s air conditioning system. If a landlord won’t cover the costs, you are probably going to have to do it yourself. Chances are that all it needs is a new air filter and an internal cleaning – it might also need more Freon, which you should talk to a professional about first before you attempt to refill it.
5. Shutdown any electronics or gadgets that you don’t need to use. Not only are these electronics and gadgets causing the temperatures to rise in your apartment, but they are also sucking down your energy and causing higher electricity bills. The solution: just unplug anything that doesn’t need to be plugged in.