Keep the Air Moving

Fans are critical in a hot LA summer. Air movement can lightly cool a space but it makes the room feel much cooler because humans are evaporative-cooling by nature. When moving are blows over your skin, it's easier to cool down.

• Set ceiling fans spinning counter-clockwise to create that cooling vortex below every fan in your house.
• Place box fans in corners and doorways to help the air circulate through your home.
• Set a personal fan near your chair or desk for constant on-your-body cooling.

Misting Fans

In addition to moving air, a little "misting" can go a long way. Many theme parks and water parks use this trick: Spraying a cool water mist into the fan breeze to help people cool down. Use a spray bottle or buy a misting fan to help you evaporate heat from your skin and keep cool.

Shade the Windows During the Day

Direct sunlight is where all that heat is coming from. So, naturally, blocking the sun can help keep your apartment cool without AC. Use shades and curtains in your windows to minimize the heat-delivering sunbeams that enter your home.

Most apartments come with white miniblinds, but an extra layer can really help. If you don't have curtains on-hand, a dark-colored bedsheet or throw blanket over the windows can be just as effective.

Open the Windows at Night

The temperature tends to drop at night, and fresh air can do you good. If you don't have AC, then you have every reason to open the windows at night and welcome the cool evening air. This will help improve the air quality in your apartment and provide natural cooling through night breezes.

When the windows are open, you can place a box fan in the open window. Ideally, open two windows facing opposite directions. Place one fan facing inward, drawing in cool air. Place the other fan facing outward to expel hot air. This also creates a steady airflow through the apartment.

Take Quick Cool Showers

A few cool showers can also really help cool you down without AC. Water doesn't get very cold during a Louisiana summer, so running the "cold" tap in your shower will provide a pleasantly cool stream of water that will help remove heat from your body and knock a little heat out of the air.

If you start to feel too hot, just step through the shower to keep cool.

Run a Dehumidifier

Of course, moisture in the air can also make the heat feel more oppressive. During a humid heat wave, a little dehumidifying can go a long way. Place a dehumidifier in your apartment, or even one in each room to help keep the humidity level down. This will help the air release heat more easily and help your body evaporate heat through your skin as the humidity drops inside your apartment.

Use a Portable Evaporative Cooler

In dry heat, evaporative coolers can provide significant cooling by evaporating cool water into the air. Hot, dry air is pulled through water-soaked pads, creating moist but cooler air, which then blows into the apartment through a fan.

Don't Use the Big Oven

You may already know that cooking heats up the apartment. While the big oven is toasty warm in the winter, it can also add a lot of heat to your apartment in the summer. Focus on stove cooking and small appliances like toaster and toaster ovens to prepare meals when you're trying to keep the apartment cool.

Install a Compact Window AC

If it is permitted in your lease terms, you may be able to install window AC units in each window where a unit can safely fit. Window units can provide air conditioning to cool an apartment without AC. Before investing in a window unit, be sure to carefully read your lease and check with your apartment manager. You will need to match your window unit design to the window size and opening mechanism and ensure the installation does not damage the window frame or wall.

Louisiana Apartment Air Conditioning

Apartments in Louisiana range from no AC to central air with every possible configuration in between. This is because there is no state-wide law regarding AC in apartments, and policies tend to be set by cities and regions instead. For example, New Orleans recently implemented a law requiring cooling in every bedroom down to 80 degrees. But central air is a luxury in any Louisiana apartment.

You can find apartments with central AC in Denham Springs, LA, at the Village at Juban Lake Apartments. We are proud to provide high-quality central air conditioning to help you keep cool and comfortable at home all year long. Contact us today to inquire about availability, floor plans, and more.