• Cut back on using the oven. Cooking in the oven is only going to make your house hotter than it already is, so try investing in, and using a toaster oven, microwave, or the barbeque. You'd be surprised at how using smaller appliances or the barbeque outside will help to keep your house cool, not to mention your electric bill down.


•  Close your blinds. Depending on which way your house faces and where your windows are can determine largely on how much heat gets into your home. If you have windows that the sun beats against at the hottest parts of the day then make sure your blinds or drapes are closed to let in as little heat as possible. It's actually a good idea to keep blinds closed during the day anyway just to keep the heat out.


•  Ceiling and Box Fans. If you have ceiling fans or other types of fans lying around then don't hesitate to use them. Ceiling fans work great as do standing fans in keeping rooms cool while they circulate the air through the entire house. So even if the air is a little warmer than you like it will feel cool because it's circulating throughout the house.


•  Keep doors closed. If you are running the air conditioner then make sure you do everything in your power to keep outside doors closed so you're not letting the cold air out and the hot air in. If you have a swamp cooler or bedroom air conditioner then close bedroom doors so you can trap the cool air in the busiest rooms of the house. It will stay cooler in the places you want it to.


•  Turn your lights off. Unless you absolutely need to, turn off any incandescent lights and other appliances that generate heat. You can replace incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent ones; they give off the same light but use less energy and heat.


•  Insulate your attic. If it isn't already insulated one of the best ways to keep your house cool is to have the proper insulation in the attic. If you live in an older home you might want to check to see if, and how well your attic is insulated. You'd be surprised at how much heat gets trapped during the summer in the attic, and lost during the winter.

Without an air conditioner or some type of cooling device it can definitely make the summers hotter and miserable. However, with these tips for keeping your house cool in the summer might provide you with more relief than you think.