How to stay cool indoors without A/C during heat wave in the Northwest

With temperatures projected to hit the 90s and even reach 100 this weekend, Tacoma residents are in for a rare June heat wave.

Keeping cool can be difficult in some apartments and area homes that don’t have air conditioning. Clear skies are being predicted all weekend, meaning there will be no natural protection from the sunshine.

Here are a few ways to keep your cool in your apartment or home in the midst of the summer heat:

Purchasing, using fans

Stock up on portable electric fans if possible. Doing so will help you dissipate the hot air while blowing cooler air in your direction. If you plan on opening your windows, you can also try and partner a fan with your natural cross breeze to enhance the impact.

There are plenty of places to buy fans in Tacoma if you’re in need of one (or more). Check out your local Target, Walmart or Home Depot while supplies last.

Experiment with your windows

If you’re not working from home or will be out and about, shut everything off and close every window before you leave for work. Once you get home, open all of your windows back up, The Washington Post suggests. The hot air in your home will build up over the course of working hours, and once that air has a place to escape, it should.

There are ways you can experiment with opening select windows in your home to try and create a cross breeze through your living space. The Washington Post said that while conventional wisdom advises individuals to open windows that are across from each other to create a breeze, that’s not always the best method. Instead, try leaving windows at the lowest and highest point of your home or apartment open. This creates a “chimney effect” in which cool air will enter at the lowest points and hotter air will leave from above.

You can also purchase thermal or blackout curtains to block out sunlight and its warmth from your windows.

Minimize electricity use

One of the most common ways to keep cool is to keep as much turned off as possible. Avoid keeping on excess lights or using any appliances that require the use of light bulbs. Stoves will heat up your kitchen, and you can always grill outside to avoid putting that heat inside of your home. You can also run appliances during the evening when it’s cooler to avoid generating additional heat during the worst of the heat.

Get out when possible

Sometimes getting out of your home or apartment for a bit is the right solution if you’re feeling stuffy. Take a walk down by the water, where temperatures are always a bit cooler. Stop at a place that will have air conditioning, like a library. It’s not a long-term solution, but getting out at the peak of the day means you’re not spending time at home if you’re without air conditioning.

Use your resources

When you’re really in a bind, sometimes you’ve got to do whatever it takes. Stock up on ice cream or popsicles in advance. Take a wet washcloth and place it across your neck or forehead. Swap out the hot shower for a cold one. Sometimes what’s unconventional can be surprisingly effective.

This story was originally published June 24, 2021 at 5:00 AM.