Hot and Humid in the South: How to Stay Cool This Summer Indoors and Outdoors
June 11, 2024

Southern summers are hot and humid. Unfortunately, the air inside your home could be just as muggy and oppressive as the air around it. Although heat pumps and air conditioners provide combined temperature control and moisture regulation, they're rarely enough on their own for optimum comfort. In the interests of curbing your carbon footprint and your home energy bills, the following are several easy and efficient ways to keep cool this summer, both indoors and out.


Tips for Staying Cooling Indoors

You can limit the work that your cooling system has to do by creating a naturally cool and naturally cooling environment. Not only will this lower your HVAC-related energy use, but it will also reduce stress on your heat pump or air conditioner. You'll have fewer performance issues like icing, short-cycling, and overheating. Maintaining an efficient home could even extend the lifespan of your cooling equipment.


Leverage Your Window Treatments Wisely

Keep your blinds, curtains or other window treatments closed throughout the hottest portion of the day. However, for this tactic to work, you have to close them before your home has already taken in solar heat. It's always best to have light-blocking, heat-blocking, or blackout window treatments rather than lightweight sheers. Adding plantation shutters to the exterior of the building will tighten your home's envelope, keep more of your conditioned air inside, and greatly improve your home's curbside appeal.


Seal Up Air Leaks

Weatherstripping isn't just for preventing heat loss in the winter. It can also keep your living space cooler and drier in the summertime. Add weatherstripping to your windows and doors and seal up air leaks in general building materials. If you haven't done so in a while, you can also add more insulation to your home or upgrade to insulating materials with higher R-values. Having an efficient and tightly sealed home envelope will allow you to create and maintain the indoor climate you want irrespective of what's happening outside.


Keep Hydrated

Don't wait until you're thirsty to reach for a cool drink. According to Harvard Health, thirst is one of the first signs of dehydration. Staying hydrated is easier when you take small sips of water throughout the day rather than gulping down large quantities at once. 


Wear Loose, Breathable Fabrics

When properly hydrated, the human body is effective at cooling itself. It does so by sweating. Wearing light, loose, breathable fabrics supports your body's natural cooling abilities. For the highest level of comfort, choose natural fabrics like linen or cotton that wick moisture away from the skin.


Set Your Ceiling Fans to Rotate Counterclockwise

Set your ceiling fans to rotate clockwise in the summer months. Doing so will push a cooling breeze down and make your living space feel much colder than it actually is. 


Hit Your Hot Zones With Cool Compresses

Cool down fast by applying cold compresses to your hot zones. Try placing one on the back of your neck, on your forehead, or in your armpits when overheated. You can even put your sheets or your pajamas in the freezer for several minutes just before going to bed.


Consider the Need for Additional Humidity Control

Heat pumps and ACs extract excess moisture during each cooling cycle. They convert this into condensation and route it out of homes via attached condensate drains. However, this is largely done to optimize operating conditions for heat pumps and ACs rather than for benefit of human users.

Humid air feels hotter and heavier than dry air. If your home feels excessively humid even when your HVAC system is on, consider adding whole-house dehumidification equipment as an integrated HVAC accessory.


Let Your Home Breathe at Night

When the sun sets and the daytime temperature drops, open a few windows and let fresh, outdoor air flow in. This is a great way to get rid of old, stale air and the trapped contaminants it contains.


Pets Matter, Too!

Don't forget about your feline and canine companions. Excessive panting and bright-red tongues and gums are signs of overheating. Keep your pets' water dishes full and let them experience the rapid relief of cold compresses, too.


Tips for Staying Cool Outdoors

On the hottest and most humid days of the year, staying cool outdoors can be a special challenge. Fortunately, there are many innovative products and strategies that make things a bit easier. 


Invest in Cooling Towels

Purchase a few cooling towels. These work much like cold compresses, but they're portable and perfect for wicking moisture away from the skin.


Opt for Light-Colored Garments

Ditch your dark-colored duds and opt for light-colored garments instead. Summer is hardly the time for an all-black ensemble. Black absorbs heat while lighter colors reflect it.


Pack a Cooler

Don't leave home without a few icy beverages in tow. There are many soft-sided, personal coolers that will help you stay hydrated while out and about.


Bring Rechargeable, Portable Fans Along

Whether solar powered or supporting USB-charging, there are lots of portable fans to choose from. You can find options that attach to your head, hang just around the neck, or clip onto books and cellphones.


Know When to Say When!

The best tip for staying cool in the summer months is knowing when to say when. When outside humidity and heat become unbearable, know when to throw in the cooling towel and make your way indoors. To shop a fantastic selection of light and heat-blocking window treatments, get in touch with Just Blinds today!

Expert Advice by Just Blinds

What Your Window Treatment Says About You: A Personality-Based Guide

April 23, 2025
Your selection of window treatment products and services is not merely about getting a job done. Rather, if you look hard enough, you can find direct correlations between the type of person that you are and the window treatment that you select. We have created this personality-based guide to help you best discover what kind of window treatment truly matches your spirit. The Dependable Type: Wooden Blinds You are the person that all of your friends can count on. You are the type of person who truly sticks to your plans when you make them, and you are the type of person who will choose wooden blinds for your home. Privacy is important to you when selecting your blinds, and that is why you find yourself pulled into the idea of putting up wooden blinds. Besides that, they happen to be highly functional, and that's not something that you are willing to pass up either. The Planner: Blackout Curtains Those who value truly getting the most value out of their blinds or anything else that they install in their homes will think very carefully about their options. For those people, going with blackout curtains makes a lot of sense. They want to gain as much value as possible out of their options, and they know that they can significantly improve their quality of sleep and so much more when they opt for blackout curtains. These also happen to be a great option for those who work night shifts or other odd hours and yet still want to enjoy their sleep. They need blackout curtains to help increase the quality of that sleep and allow themselves to get their day started right. The Tech Enthusiast: Smart Shades They roam among us: The type of people who are quick to adopt any new technology and get to work figuring out how it can improve their lives. These people are great because they are not afraid to take a risk and because they help to move our society forward. They simply want to get more out of each day, and they often do so by adopting and using the latest technologies. These individuals will gravitate towards smart shades for the following attributes: Innovation - Who wants to stick with the boring old ways of shading one's house? Smarter options are now available, and you better believe that the tech enthusiasts among us are willing to latch on to them. Efficiency - These shades are a more efficient option for those who care about that kind of thing. They can be easily activated and set up to open or close automatically (how cool is that?!). Progressive - The "cool" factor is a big deal for people who fall into this category as well. They might not admit to it right off the bat, but they care deeply about what others think about them. As such, they want window shades that have that cool factor attached to them. The Dreamer: Sheer Curtains Finally, we land upon the dreamer. This is the person who views every day for the possibilities that it can bring. They are not scared off by those with a negative attitude. If anything, they believe that they can change those people! Instead, the dreamer wants sheer curtains because they bring in soft light, open spaces, and bring about a feeling of possibility all throughout the house. Sheer curtains are the ideal option for someone who classifies themselves in this way. They will receive plenty of compliments on their curtains, and they will appreciate how open they are to the world.  Which kind of person are you and which window treatment option makes the most sense for your personality? For more inspiration and ideas, reach out and contact us today.

5 Unexpected Places Homeowners Are Installing Outdoor Shades

March 13, 2025
We all know and understand the concept of installing outdoor shades on a patio. It is the classic way to create a cool and comfortable space for yourself and your friends to spend some quality time together outdoors. There is nothing wrong with that, but it is limiting to think that the patio is the only part of one's property where outdoor shades are appropriate. There are some surprising and unexpected places where homeowners have taken to installing outdoor shades recently. We want to take a look at some of these to provide you with ideas for your next home improvement project. 1) Balconies Some homes are built quite close together, and some homeowners naturally feel like they would like to do more to protect their privacy. Although their neighbors might not intentionally be looking through their balconies, it is easy for the human eye to drift. Thus, some city-dwelling homeowners have made the choice to install outdoor shades in this area. On top of keeping prying eyes off of your property, outdoor shades also block the sun rays from your balcony as well creating a more comfortable space to spend some time. 2) Outdoor Kitchens One of the most delightful social experiences that someone can have is to invite over a large group of friends for a meal cooked outside. It gives everyone the opportunity to share stories, laughes, and a bit of food all at the same time. Of course, this is best done in an outdoor kitchen. Your outdoor kitchen is a space where you should feel comfortable and have the ability to entertain a large group of people all at the same time. This means looking at installing outdoor shades to provide an extra layer of protection from the heat of the sun. Thus, this has become another area where homeowners are quickly installing outdoor shades. 3) Poolside Lounges Now we are really talking! Who doesn't love to kick back with their favorite cold beverage and spend some time relaxing next to the pool? That is what you can enjoy more completely when you set up a poolside lounge with outdoor shades. Poolside lounges are meant to be a place where you can spend several hours at a time. However, it can get pretty hot while doing so if you don't put some outdoor shades in place. Get those shades up so you can let all of your worries melt away as you take in the smell of pool water and sunscreen. 4) Garden Areas Do you enjoy a little gardening in your downtime? You might like it even more after setting up outdoor shades that protect you from the excessive heat of the sun. Gardening is labor-intensive work and can take several hours of diligent labor to do it properly. However, you don't want to overextend yourself and end up getting physically overworked. Keeping some of the sun away is an excellent way to ensure that you don't overdo it. Just make sure that you check up on the sunlight needs of the various plants that you intend to put into your garden before installing outdoor shades. 5) Exterior Windows Did you know that it is possible to reduce your energy bills by installing outdoor shades? It's true! If you place outdoor shades on the exterior windows of your home, you can reduce the strain placed on your air conditioning by naturally reducing the overall temperature within your living space. This means less money out of your pocket and more money for working on your next project.  There are many interesting places where homeowners are installing outdoor shades these days. For more creative ideas on what you can do with yours, reach out and contact us now.