One of the big problems with living with heat these days is that we are all trying to save money on our energy bills. Whether it is because we are environmentally aware or whether it is because we have found that the cost of living is rising faster than our income - we are all trying to find economical ways to keep cool.
If we are talking about economizing, it would seem paradoxical to suggest installing yet another electrical appliance. Yet, installing a ceiling fan pay for itself in two summers - after that you are making money on it!
Ceiling fans do not have any means to cool the air, but simply by making a breeze they can make you feel at least five degrees cooler. This means that you can drop your thermostat down by a few degrees and save money on your energy bills.
Take care to install a ceiling fan so that it can offer the maximum efficiency. Install it between seven and nine feet from the floor and ensure that the blades are rotating the right way; the right way is counter - clockwise. This means that the blades will be pushing the air down into the room, rather than up into the ceiling area.
For maximum efficiency, the fan should be at least ten inches from the ceiling as it needs space for air above it to circulate. For this reason also place it at least eighteen inches from the nearest wall. If you have vaulted (or high) ceilings buy extenders to lower the fan.
Remember that ceiling fans do not cool a room so you will turn them off before you leave the room. Another precaution about ceiling fans is that if you are sick and running a fever, do not let the air blow directly onto your skin.
Practicing all the simple 'free' rules of life in a hot country can also keep your bills down. In India, drinking hot tea is recommended because it makes you break into a sweat and the sweating action lowers the body temperature!
In Japan, residents eat only light, frequent and small meals to stop the over-heating that occurs when the body's digestive system burns energy.
On the Mediterranean they shutter their windows the minute the sun shines on them and the whole house is kept closed until dusk. This means that the cooler night air is held in the home and the sunshine is not allowed to peak through windows to warm rooms up.
Work is done only in the evening and mornings with a long siesta always planned right after lunch. As lunch is the largest meal of the day it is easy to snooze after eating it! Early morning walks and late evening walks are more comfortable than mid-day walks.
If you are planning to stay in your home for several years, think about planting a tree near a west facing or south facing window that will grow and give you some shade. If you can manage it, you can also build a wooden frame and train a grape vine up it - lots of shade to sit under in the hot, hot summer.
