Phew! This summer has been hot so far, with temperatures climbing into the mid-thirties in Pretoria in late November. Sometimes, it feels like there is genuinely no escape, even at night. Often, even going inside doesn’t seem to help.
So, what does one do to stay cool? How can you beat the summer heat if you live in one of Live Easy’s apartments in Pretoria?
Here are some cost-effective tips that really work.
Get a Fan
If you don’t already have one, owning a fan is essential for surviving the summer heat. What’s great about fans is that they are cheap to purchase, portable, compact enough to move out of the way when not needed, easy to move around to wherever they’re needed most, and relatively low on energy.
In scientific terms, fans work based on the principles of fluid dynamics and heat transfer. When air is blown across your skin, it helps to cool you down through a process called evaporative cooling. That’s a fancy way of saying that the moving air forces moisture from your skin to evaporate and transfer heat from you to the air, thus cooling you down.
Cheap fans can be bought from most department stores like Game, Makro, and Builders Warehouse, among many others. Another bonus of having a fan on is the soothing sound it makes, which many of our tenants say lulls them to sleep and effectively drowns out outside noises. Win-win!
Stock Up on Refrigerated Water and Ice
Another great way to stay cool during hot summers is to keep ice-cold water always available in your fridge and ice in your freezer.
It’s worth spending a little extra cash on a few extra ice trays and at least two large water bottles to keep in your fridge. This way, you can always have one water bottle or ice tray chilling while you use up the others, ensuring a steady and revolving supply.
Drinking cold water, which you can mix with cheap concentrates like Oros to make juice, can keep you cool and hydrated, which is important in extreme heat. The ice can either be used in drinks or put into Ziplock bags to cool your skin while you relax. Just be careful not to give yourself a freezer burn.
You can also put some chilled water into a spritzer bottle so that you can spritz yourself. When combined with a fan, this method will cool you down very effectively.
Take a Cold Shower
Taking a cold shower can be a highly effective way to bring your overall body temperature down. In fact, it might be necessary if you feel the heat is too much to handle. After all, the last thing you want is heatstroke.
If getting into an icy shower is too much of a shock to the system, even in the midst of a heatwave, then try starting off with the water slightly warm and gradually reducing the temperature until you feel it starting to chill you a bit. Before you know it, you’ll be having the same refreshing sensation you get from swimming in a pool.
Beat the heat this summer by renting one of Live Easy’s nifty apartments in Pretoria. Contact us today to apply!