India’s sweltering summers can make for uncomfortable nights and sweaty, sticky days. They demand smart, no-cost cooling hacks that only have two solutions – an exhaustive electricity bill at the end of
the month or bearing it in silence. Here are five natural ways Indians across regions chill homes by drawing from age-old wisdom and simple tweaks. These methods can drop the indoor temperature from 5-10°C when executed effectively:
Block Sunlight with Curtains & Blinds
From Rajasthan’s havelis to Kerala homes, light-colored cotton curtains or bamboo blinds (chiks) reflect 40-60% heat during peak hours (10am-4pm). Keep the west and east-facing windows fully closed during the day and opt for sheer white curtains that filter light without darkening rooms. In Kerala, they wet khus curtains at night which cools the rooms as the water evaporated there by also reducing the temperature.
Maximize Cross-Ventilation
There is a nighttime ritual in Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, where people will open the opposite windows and doors of their rooms post-8pm, when the air cools. This creates wind tunnels that flush the hot, stale air out of the rooms and brings in cooler temperatures. Use pedestal fans to pull cooler street breeze inside.
Indoor Plants & Greenery
In Bengaluru, while they might experience pleasant weather throughout the year but they too are dealing with the consequences of climate changes making their summers extremely hot. To ensure that their apartments are cool, one can add transpiration-cooling plants like areca palms, snake plants, ferns, and money plants clustered near windows. They release moisture, purify air, and also add some shade.
Evaporative Cooling with Water
Like in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, adding shallow terracotta trays or pots or even wet clay bowls near fans that help to evaporate water can mimick the traditional desert coolers. Mist or mop your home’s floors in the evenings to also make the room cooler before you go to sleep.
Light Fabrics & Minimal Electronics
In the summer months, especially in coastals parts of India, like Goa and Mumbai, people will swap heavy or synthetic bedding for breathable cotton and linen, mats and upholstery as it absorbs less heat during the day. Avoid doing a lot of cooking and opt for dishes that need minimal gas usage as the entire home gets warmer. By eating room temperature or cooler dishes can also help you to cool down internally.
These timeless methods that are rooted in regional techniques can certainly help to keep homes cooler, save energy, and they cost nothing extra.
