No Air Conditioning? Some Cheap Ways to Stay Cool During Hot Weather

July was the hottest month on record in the U.S.  Yesterday, we told you about some ways you can save money on your AC bill by running your system only when you need it.

That's all fine for the Central-Air Elite... but what about the large number of you that don't have air?

Here are  a couple tips that can help you keep cool sans Air Conditioning.

• Fans

Whether it be a ceiling fan or table fan, every little bit helps.  It's important to know that fans don't actually cool the air.  All they do is circulate air and move it across your skin, which makes you feel cooler.  Another way to use fans in to purchase a relatively inexpensive window-mounted fan.  The trick to these is using them right.  Even during our hottest months, we cool down a good 20 or more degrees in the evening.  Turn on a window-mounted fan late at night to pull in the cool(er) air.  Just make sure you take it out of the window as the sun comes up.

• Crosswind

One of the MOST cost-efficient ways to cool your place down is to create a crosswind by opening windows.  But most people don't do it right.  You have to open two windows on opposite sides of your apartment (house)  but not the whole way.  The less you open them, the more of a draft it creates.  If you live in a two-story place, crack one window on the first floor, and one on the second floor.