Cool It

It's hotter than hades outside.

So how do you cool your house down on hot days? A heat index of 108 doesn't exactly make for the happiest of outdoor fun. But, it's great for swimming I suppose! Our house is a little older, and our AC unit is older than that, so go figure that when it's this hot outside in good old Oklahoma, our poor AC unit is like the little engine that couldn't.

There are few things that you can do to keep your AC cooler. I didn't say frigid, but yes, cooler. And no, I'm not an AC gal, I just have some non-professional mom advice.

1. Spray off your AC until with cool water from the hose. It removes dust and gunk that is stuck on your fan and it allows the unit to suck in air more easily, and cools it off in general, making your house cooler. You can spray the outside down, but also make sure to give the middle a good long drink as well (where the fan lives). You may want to turn of your unit when you do this or you'll get a nice little sprinkler bath. :)

2. Replace your filter! You're supposed to do this once a month, not once a summer. Filters can be found at any local hardware store or home improvement store. They range from $1-$10. I suggest getting a higher end filter, because the better it works, the cooler your house. You don't want nasty dust flying in your house anyway, right?

3. Keep your doors and windows closed. You'd think this was obvious, but I've heard of crazier things. If you don't want the hot sunshine in your house, you have to close your blinds to keep it out, silly.

4. Don't run hot appliances in your house like the oven, stove, or even your blow-dryer during the hot hours. Think ahead about these things and do these activities during the cooler hours each morning or evening.


Hopefully this helps you out if you're like me, because I'm praying for fall to arrive early. :)