Florida summers are hot. There's really no way around it. And if you aren't living in an all-inclusive apartment, you may worry about racking up an expensive electrical bill by running the AC at all times and exceeding the monthly electricity cap. So here's a few ways to cool off in your Full Sail apartment that don't involve arctic blasts from your air conditioning unit.
Close the blinds: This sounds simple, but by closing your blinds during the day you prevent sunlight from heating up your room, especially through windows facing south and west.
Turn on the Ceiling Fan: Did your new apartment come equipped with ceiling fans? Try turning on your ceiling fan and running the AC a degree or two warmer. To cool a room, your ceiling fan should be set to run in a forward motion, or in a counter-clockwise direction.
Blackout curtains: To take it a step further, consider investing in blackout curtains, which naturally insulate a room by blocking all sunlight. You can even purchase lighter neutral-colored curtains to reduce heat retention.
Keep the doors closed: Strategically closing doors to rooms you don't use frequently will prevent your limited air conditioning from circulating through unused rooms.
Cook outside: Using your oven all summer will inevitably add some heat to your apartment near Full Sail. To combat this, head to your community's grilling station and cook a summer meal outdoors.
Cotton sheet: Swap out those cozy fleece and flannel sheets for fresh spring cotton sheets to cool off while you sleep. Cotton stays cooler and breathes easier and is a great seasonal bedding for the hotter months.
Buy smarter light bulbs: Typical incandescent bulbs put off a lot of heat, so consider switching to compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) to drop the temperate in your Full Sail apartment. As an added bonus, CFL bulbs require less energy, meaning your electric bill may drop slightly. If you live in an energy-efficient apartment, your building may already be using these bulbs.
Make a homemade air conditioner: Hack your fans by constructing a homemade air conditioner out of bowls of ice and a standing fan. Simply place the bowl of ice in front of the fan and angle the fan to blow across the top of it for a faux sea breeze that is sure to make you forget about the 100 degree temperatures outside.
Put your pillow in the freezer: It sounds strange, but trust us: it feels like magic. Just place your pillow in the freezer for a few minutes before bedtime and enjoy your new "chillow." For an added bonus, HuffPost recommends popping your sheets in the freezer as well.
Drink cold water: Go straight to the source to cool off this summer: you. Drinking cold water will drop your internal temperature meaning there's no need to blast the AC; you're already feeling cooler. If our ancestors survived in this heat before air conditioning, so can we.
Cold showers before bed: Just like cold water and freezer-pillows, taking a cold shower before bed drops your body temperature, cooling you off for a night's rest. Using this trifecta of tactics will ensure you stay cool all summer without breaking the bank.