Tips for using electric fans to cool like air conditioners and stay cool during power outages

Using air conditioning regularly on hot days not only wastes electricity but also causes many respiratory problems. To save electricity or if you do not have the conditions to buy an air conditioner, you can refer to the following ways to cool down with an electric fan.

Place a bottle of ice in front of the fan

Many people put buckets of ice in front of a fan to cool the room instantly. However, the downside of this method is that the ice melts quickly and the cold air disappears quickly. This can be overcome by modifying a few plastic bottles to concentrate the cool air from the fan.

Take a plastic bottle filled with clean water and put it in the freezer for 3-4 hours to freeze the water. Use a string to tie the frozen plastic bottle to the fan cage. When the fan is turned on, the air will pass through the ice layer, be cooled and circulated around the room. This is an effective way to cool a room.

Place a bottle of ice in front of the fan

Note that when using this method, you should place a dry towel under the ice bottle to absorb the water that flows out when the ice melts. If this water is not absorbed, it will cause the floor to be slippery. In addition, the ice will melt quite quickly when exposed to the fan's air. If you use this cooling method, you need to replace the ice bottle continuously to ensure there is always cold air in the room.

Stick essential oil soaked gauze on the fan cage

Put a little bit of essential oil on a bandage and stick it on the fan cage. The amount of bandage you use depends on your needs. One bandage can be used multiple times on the fan cage without wasting it.

When you turn on the fan, you will feel a cool breeze blowing out. The reason is that the essential oil contains alcohol, which evaporates quickly and when mixed with the air, it will reduce the surrounding temperature. The essential oil also has a pleasant aroma and has the effect of repelling insects such as mosquitoes and cockroaches. If you see the essential oil on the gauze evaporate, you can continue to add more to the gauze and use it many times.

Place the fan in the window at night

The air at night is usually cooler than during the day, and the temperature outside will also be cooler than inside the house. At this time, place a standing fan in front of an open window and turn it on to draw cool air into the house. Place the fan 0.5-2m from the window for best results.

This method only works when the temperature inside the house is higher than the outside temperature. The electric fan then functions as an exhaust fan, sucking low temperature from outside to inside to cool down.

However, if you have small children at home, you should be careful when using this method. The reason is that the cold air and night dew can cause some respiratory diseases. To overcome this, you can put a scarf on your child before going to bed.

Tips for staying cool during a power outage

Temperatures have continued to rise in early June, along with increased electricity demand, causing power outages in many areas. Here are some tips to keep yourself and your home cool when the power is out.

Don't drink water that is too cold.

"Cold water may quench your thirst immediately, but it makes your body work harder and heats up more easily," said Joseph Riser, an expert with the Los Angeles Department of Emergency Management. Instead, choose cool drinks during power outages.

Foot bath

Many people think that applying ice to the head and neck or soaking in cold water is the best way to regulate body temperature, but this is a misconception that affects health.

Adrianan Quinones-Camacho, cardiologist and professor of medicine at Langone Health (New York University, USA), explains: "Directly pouring cold water will cause the body to shiver. This is an action of retaining body heat, causing the internal temperature to increase, making us even hotter."

Instead, experts advise people to soak their feet in a bucket of cold water to help the body cool down quickly.

Use wet towels to prevent hot air from entering the house.

You can use towels, woven cloth or absorbent feather blankets to cover windows and door gaps to prevent hot air from entering. Besides, you also need to pull all the curtains - a tool that helps block light and heat effectively.

Closing the curtains and using wet towels to block the gaps can help cool the room on hot days. Photo illustration: Akshar Dave / Unsplash

Choose when to open

Riser says that 'knowing your house' can help you avoid overheating. Depending on the length of the outage and the orientation of your windows, you may want to open rooms to let in a cooling breeze.

However, you need to monitor the temperature outside and inside the house before opening the doors. Specifically, if the temperature outside is lower than inside the house, open all the doors to balance the temperature. But in case the house is cooler than outside, absolutely do not open the doors.

Some things not to do during a power outage

Standing in front of an open refrigerator: It's tempting to enjoy the cool air from the fridge, but it doesn't help regulate your body temperature and can cause food to spoil.

Cooking with a gas stove: Even if you have a gas stove or oven that still operates ionizers, limit cooking to keep the temperature of the house as low as possible.

Burning candles: If you need light, choose a battery-powered source to avoid fire hazards.

According to Nguoilaodong