The worst-case scenario has just happened in your own home: your air conditioning system is no longer blowing cold air. It’s a sweltering 80+ degrees out, and instead of staying cool as a cucumber, you’re sweating like it’s your job.
It’s obvious that you need a reliable HVAC company that can come out for an emergency air conditioning repair in Polk County, TN as soon as possible. Until your savior arrives, however, you still have to cope with the heat. Luckily, we have some tips that will help you keep cool.
- Shower off: At this point, it’s time to cool off as soon as possible before setting out to cool off your house. Hop in your shower to rinse off the sweat and get your body temperature back down to normal. This is an easy method of cooling down, so try it a few times a day, if necessary.
- Fan away the heat: Many people simply place a fan in the middle of a room and leave it running all day, but all this actually does is blow warm air around the room. You’ll do much better if you turn your fans around and point them out your open window, which will suck the hot air into the blades and push it out. You can speed this process along by running your ceiling fan counter-clockwise. This will make the heat rise to the ceiling, where it can then be blown out by your other fans.
- Turn the lights out: Draw the shades of any windows that don’t have fans or don’t need to be open for circulation. Also, turn off as many lights as possible. This will help keep your rooms cool.
- Keep the oven off: Ovens create an impressive amount of heat, so it’s definitely best to forego baked chicken while you wait for your A/C to come back. Instead, get creative with cold soups, deli sandwiches, Greek yogurt and mixed green salads. Swap out hot desserts such as brownies for sorbet. If you absolutely must use the stovetop or oven, make sure to place a fan in the window while you cook, to blow as much of the hot air out as possible.
- Ice yourself: If you have a hot water bottle, you probably didn’t know you could use it as an ice pack, too. Hot water bottles are insulated to retain heat, and this insulation will also work well to keep ice frozen. Fill up the bottle about ¾ (since water will expand when it’s frozen), and then cuddle up with it at bedtime to help you cool off.
Of course, the absolute best way of cooling off— and staying cool— is to call your HVAC company as soon as you notice a problem with your A/C. A good company will make coming out for an emergency air conditioning repair in Polk County, TN a top priority, and you’ll be cool as a cucumber once again in no time.