Ways to Stay Cool

Its the middle of summer and we are all trying to find ways to stay cool. Here are 23 tips to help keep you cool, while trying to keep your electricity bill down.

1. Put up Sun Blockers - When the air outside is dry and cooler than the air inside, hang a damp sheet in an open window. Incoming breezes are cooled by the evaporating air.
2. Block the Sun - Closing curtains and blinds can reduce the amount of heat that passes into your home by as much as 45%, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
3. Make a makeshift air conditioner - If it's hot but not humid, place a shallow bowl of ice in front of a fan and enjoy the breeze. As the ice melts, then evaporates, it will cool you off.
4. Give your AC some TLC - Clean or replace the filter in room and central air contiioners about once a month during the summer. If you have central AC, have the ducts checked for leaks, which can reduce a system's efficiency by as much as 15%.
5. Close the damper - While running any kind of air conditioner, shut your fireplace damper. An open one will pull hot air into your house.
6. Close everything else, too - Whether the AC is on or off, keep windows and doors shut if the temperature outside is more than 77°. Whenever the outside air temperature is hotter than the inside air, opening a window invites heat to creep in.

To read the other 17 tips, take the jump to the article from RealSimple.com.

Do you have tips for beating the heat? Leave them in the Comments section.