Architect and content creator Leonardo Rogel has shared on TikTok a handful of low-cost, do-it-yourself methods to cool a home without air conditioning — an alternative aimed at the summer months in the United States, when heat waves drive up both temperatures and electricity bills. His main recommendations are to add moisture to the air before bed, hang a wet towel behind a fan, and place the fan in a window to pull cooler air in from outside.
It’s worth remembering that air conditioning remains the most effective defense against the heat, but its installation and upkeep aren’t within everyone’s budget. That’s the appeal of these hacks, which aim to bring down the “feels-like” temperature without adding to the monthly bill — a relevant concern as the first major heat of the season arrives in early June.
Adding moisture to the air: the first trick before bed
One of the main problems with fans is that they move air around but don’t actually cool it. To make up for that, Rogel suggests raising the humidity in the room. The method is simple: before going to sleep, just mist a little water into the room with a spray bottle. According to the creator, that small step boosts the room’s humidity and helps ease the feeling of heat.
The wet towel behind the fan
The second method is perhaps the most eye-catching. It involves dampening a towel and placing it directly behind the fan. As the water evaporates, it cools the air around the fabric, and the fan then pushes that cooler stream toward you.
In other words, the trick mimics how a fan with a water reservoir works — but in a far cheaper way that’s easy to improvise at home. Rogel notes it can make a real difference on especially hot nights.
Putting the fan in the window
His third tip is to set the fan in a window, positioned so it draws in outside air and pushes it into the room. The technique works best later in the day, once the outdoor temperature has already begun to drop.
“Every degree counts in extreme climates, and this method can be an effective solution to lower the room temperature without running up additional costs,” Rogel said.
Other habits to keep your home cool
Beyond Rogel’s hacks, there are everyday routines that help keep a home cooler through the summer. The specialized outlet Hogar Manía lists, among others, the following
- Keep curtains and blinds drawn during the hottest hours of the day to block direct sunlight.
- Choose light colors for décor and bedding, since they reflect light and heat more effectively.
- Add indoor plants, which help with air quality and bring a natural sense of freshness.
Useful in emergencies and power outages
These methods are especially handy during climate emergencies, when the power supply is intermittent or energy costs spike. That said, it’s worth keeping in mind that these are backup solutions: none fully replaces real cooling, but they can take the edge off the heat on the toughest days without inflating the electric bill.
