July — the hottest month on average — might be over, but it will still be hot for a couple of months. And, you know, summer returns every year.
If the intense heat is too much for you or costing you a fortune in cooling bills, it might be time to follow the examples of people around the world who regularly deal with high temperatures.
Clothing and accessories
In Saudi Arabia on Monday temperatures were expected to reach 118 degrees Fahrenheit, with a low of 91. That’s why people in the Middle East, India and other areas where such temperatures are the norm, wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothing made from natural fibers.
Although most people know to wear white, which reflects heat, instead of black, which absorbs heat, a 2020 study out of Thailand showed the darker color can make you feel up to 50 degrees hotter. The research also found yellow, gray and red clothing can help keep you cool. Just be sure to avoid light and dark green, and, surprisingly, blue.
Summer temperatures in Vietnam regularly reach the mid-90s and 100s. This lead to the creation of the sedge, or conical hat, which protects the wearing from both sun and rain.
According to Google Arts & Culture: “Its woven structure allows a flow of air to the head on hot days, but the stems of the sedge expand in rainy weather to seal any gaps, making it waterproof.”
If, as Lifehacker points out, wearing a sedge hat seems like cultural appropriation, “the same principles apply to the big, straw hats Southern California surfers wear, and that floppy gardening hat your aunt rocks.”
Homes
Much the way white fabric reflects heat, putting white on your roof will, too. Are you looking at getting a new roof before next summer? Consider light colored or white shingles, which will help to cut down on cooling costs next summer.
Researchers in Indonesia found that painting roofs with a special white paint called MS-Thermashield cooled buildings by as much as 20 degrees Fahrenheit during the hottest part of the day, Lifehacker reported.
If a new roof isn’t in your budget, Bob Villa says you can paint your shingles a lighter color.
“However, you need to have the right asphalt shingle paint and ensure that it doesn’t trap moisture inside the roof layers, which could lead to mold, mildew, and wood rot,” the home improvement guru states on his website.
Also keep in mind that you can’t paint terra-cotta roof tiles because they have a glaze that keeps paint from binding to them.
Although air-conditioning has been most people’s go-to way of staying cool, some are now looking for more eco-friendly ways to lower the temperatures in their homes.
In India, people often hang curtains made from a local grass, called vetiver, outside their doors and windows. Then they spray the curtains with water during the hottest parts of the day so the air blowing through them is cooler and damper.
Although blackout curtains won’t make the air damper, they will block sunlight from your rooms, which can help keep your house cooler.
These changes won’t just protect your health during the heat, but also your bank account.
