Keep it Cool: How to Beat the Heat During New England Summers

Summer has arrived in the Northeast with a vengeance. Folks around here are known for choosing to sweat it out instead of using air conditioning, and it can be a challenge to stay cool.

Here are some tips to beat the heat without busting your budget.

Open up

It’s advice as good for therapy as it is for keeping your house cool. On those nights when the temperature drops, throw open those windows and get a good cross breeze blowing.

You can add in a window or box fan to really pull in that cooler air. It’ll add to your electricity bill, but not as much as having to run an air conditioner all night long. Some window fans even have a temperature gauge, so they’ll automatically turn off when they reach the preset temperature of your choosing.

Sun’s out, shades down

What you lose in natural light, you’ll gain back in Fahrenheit. Pull the curtains and lower the shades in to keep the sun out and prevent your home from turning into a greenhouse.

Set your ceiling fans

If you have ceiling fans, make sure they’re spinning the right direction to blow the air downward for a nice inside breeze.

Step into the freezer

Throw a wet towel in the freezer and voila! You have an easy ice pack to wrap around your neck.

For something more edible, you can get a little kit to make home-made popsicles with juice or yogurt. They hit the spot and make some great memories (personally speaking).

The easiest way to feel refreshed might be to drop a few ice cubes in your reusable water bottle. Nothing hits a parched mouth quite like a glass of ice water! (And staying hydrated helps keep you feeling cool.)

If you’re like me and water can get a little boring, spruce it up with a little infusion of mint, cucumber, lemons, or berries. Skip buying the flavors at the store. If you want bonus points, grab some herbs or plants from the nursery and grow your own!

Avoid the oven

Find a recipe book that doesn’t require the oven or stovetop. Anything to avoid generating heat in your house! Stick to summery meals like salads with farm-fresh vegetables, wraps and sandwiches that just require a little slicing, and cold pasta dishes that will tide you over for at least a couple of meals. Otherwise, it’s time to break out the grill.

Investigate heat pumps

Heat pumps are a great alternative to air conditioning. It requires an investment of both time and money, but it can pay off in the long run, both financially and thermally.

There’s a lot to unpack when it comes to heat pumps, but we have a couple of recent articles that take a deeper dive into the systems and the financing behind it.

Find low-cost summer fun

It’s summer in New England, you must escape the house! There are a lot of ways to stay cool without having to break the bank.

• Make your way to the plethora of beaches on lakes, or explore Reddit to find that hidden, local swimming hole near you.
• Buy a kiddie pool at your local hardware store for around $20. It’s perfect for kids and for dipping your feet into while enjoying a cold beverage. If you’re looking to splurge, invest in a hose and sprinkler system while you’re there.
• Find a fountain in the town center. As a Burlington, Vermont resident, I plan to check out Burlington City Arts’ music while my kid runs through the water jets at City Hall Park.
• Stroll around a farmer’s market. There will inevitably be iced coffee, lemonade, popsicles, or some other cold treat.
• See if your local library has passes to museums, state parks, and other sites. All it costs is the time it takes to get a library card. In fact, you don’t even have to leave the library—grab a book off the shelf and enjoy their A/C!

Summer in New England can feel all too short, which is why we want to make the most of it. These tips (and surely others I haven’t thought of or found on the internet) can help you stay cool while sticking to your budget.