How to Keep a Room Cool: 12 Best Cooling Hacks

Air conditioning specialist Victor Belavus shares how to keep your home cool without spending any money

Co-authored by Victor Belavus and Elaine Heredia, BA

Last Updated: August 31, 2026 Fact Checked

Being cooped up in a room when it’s sweltering hot can be a real drag. Luckily, there are several ways you can cool down a room. Even if you don’t have air conditioning, you can adjust your windows and maximize the room’s airflow so that it’s not as hot. Instead of being uncomfortable, follow our air conditioning and construction specialists' advice and take the following steps to make your room as cool as possible!

Fastest Ways to Cool Down a Room

Air conditioning specialist Victor Belavus says to open your windows in the early morning and again at night. Here are other strategies for cooling a room without A/C:

Close the blinds and the curtains over your windows while the sun is up.
Turn on the exhaust fan after you cook to siphon hot air out of your kitchen.
Bake, cook, and do laundry at night to generate less heat.
Install or set up ceiling fans and stationary fans (i.e., desk, box, and tower fans).
Set a bowl of ice or ice packs in front of a blowing fan.
Point 1 fan toward the room and another toward the window to create a cross breeze.

1

Open the windows in the early morning and after sunset.

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The temperature drops after the sun goes down and stays low until morning. Open your windows in the early morning, Belavus suggests, before the sun gets high. This will allow the cool morning breeze to refresh your home. He says to open the windows again after the sun sets.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Victor Belavus
Air Conditioning Specialist

Expert Interview}
- Caution: Keep your windows closed when using air conditioning. Opening the windows allows cold air to escape and hot air to enter your room.
Meet the wikiHow Experts

Victor Belavus is an air conditioning specialist. He installs HVAC and air conditioning units, repairs furnaces, and cleans ducts.

Alberto DeJesus is a construction expert with over 6 years of experience. He specializes in high-end real estate development and construction.

2

Close blinds and curtains while the sun is out.

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Your south and west-facing windows receive the most heat throughout the day, so keep them closed while the sun is out. This could decrease your room's temperature by up to 20 degrees!^{[2]
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3

Bake, cook, and do laundry at night.

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If possible, use your high-energy appliances, like your oven, stovetop, washer, and dryer, after the sun goes down. At night, your home will naturally cool down, and the heat these appliances generate won't be as oppressive.^{[3]
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4

Turn on the exhaust fan after you cook.

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If you’re trying to cool down your kitchen or a room connected to your kitchen, turn on the exhaust fan (if you have one). This will suck the hot air out of the room and expel it outside. Find the switch or button for it on your stovetop, or on the vent or microwave above it.^{[4]
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5

Install or set up a fan.

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Purchase stationary fans or install ceiling fans in your house. Fans circulate air throughout a room, which can help keep it cool. Ceiling fans are the most effective way to cool down a room, but box fans and tower fans are usually cheaper and don't require a long installation process.
- If you don't have tons of space, consider a portable desk fan, a box fan, or a slim tower fan. To cool multiple people or pets, consider an oscillating fan.
- Pro tip: Set your ceiling fans to spin counterclockwise. This will create a downdraft and can cool down your room by up to 4 degrees!^{[5]
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6

Set ice in front of a blowing fan.

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The air blowing across the ice cubes can make a cool breeze. If you place a shallow bowl of ice cubes or an ice pack in front of a fan, it will create a refreshing breeze and help cool down that part of the room. This is a quick and easy hack if you don’t have air conditioning!^{[6]
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- Replace the ice as it melts.

7

Create a cross-breeze with 2 fans.

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Use one fan to push hot air out and another to draw cooler air inside. This hack requires 2 fans and at least 2 windows. First, open a window and point one of the fans facing away from it and into the room. Position another fan in front of a different window facing toward it, so that it pushes hot air out of the room. This will increase airflow and create a breeze that will (hopefully) make the room cooler.^{[7]
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- Pro tip: If possible, remove any obstructions (e.g., ladders, climbing vines, or overgrown bushes) in the path of the 2 windows to improve airflow.

8

Close off spaces you're not occupying.

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Fans and other cooling methods are more effective in small spaces. If you aren’t occupying other rooms in your house, close the doors to those rooms to trap more cool air in the room you’re in. You can also tape a sheet over the doorway to enclose an area without a door. This method works best if the fan or A/C unit is in the room you’re currently occupying.^{[8]
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- Caution: Keep all doors and vents open if you're using central air. Closing your ducts or doors could damage your air ducts or central air unit.^{[9]
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9

Run a dehumidifier.

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A dehumidifier reduces the humidity in a room and could cool it down. Drier air feels more comfortable, says Belavus. He advises running the dehumidifier in your bedroom (or whatever room you're occupying) with the doors closed at night.^{[10]
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Victor Belavus
Air Conditioning Specialist

Expert Interview}
- Note: If you're unsure of whether the humidity in your room is high, use a humidistat to measure it. The average humidity in a room should be between 40%-60%.^{[11]
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10

Install low-E window film or insulated curtains.

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Low-E film (or low-emissivity film) helps block out heat and UV rays from the sun.^{[12]
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11

Insulate your home and replace old windows.

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Put spray foam insulation in your exterior walls and get new windows with better seals. Construction specialist Alberto DeJesus says the best way to cool down your home is to focus on insulation and sealing. Specifically, he suggests replacing old windows with new ones that will seal cool air in (and hot air out) better. If you have the budget, add spray foam insulation to your exterior walls for the same purpose.^{[13]
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Alberto DeJesus
Construction Specialist

Expert Interview}

12

Install an A/C unit.

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An A/C unit cools down a room the fastest, and it doesn't have to be expensive. Whether it’s a window unit, central air, or a stationary unit, air conditioning is the easiest way to keep a room cool. Look on the product detail sheet or the packaging of a stationary or window unit to make sure it’s optimized for the size of the room you want to cool. Then, once you have air conditioning, turn down the thermostat to reduce the temperature of the room.
- Central A/C is the most effective type, but it's very expensive to install in the U.S. It costs an average of $6,000-$11,500!^{[14]
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- Stationary or portable units are the least energy-efficient types of air conditioning units, but they're cheaper. Window A/C units, for example, cost anywhere from $180-$900, depending on their size and output.

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How can I cool down my body before bed?

Victor Belavus
Air Conditioning Specialist
Victor Belavus is an Air Conditioning Specialist and the Owner of 212 HVAC, an air condition repair and installation company based in Brooklyn, New York. In addition to HVAC and air conditioning units, Victor also specializes in furnace repair and air duct cleaning. He has over 10 years of experience working with HVAC systems.

Victor Belavus

Air Conditioning Specialist

Expert Answer

Try taking a cold shower right before you lay down in bed. This can lower your body temperature and help you feel cool.

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What should I look for in an energy-efficient air conditioner?

Victor Belavus
Air Conditioning Specialist
Victor Belavus is an Air Conditioning Specialist and the Owner of 212 HVAC, an air condition repair and installation company based in Brooklyn, New York. In addition to HVAC and air conditioning units, Victor also specializes in furnace repair and air duct cleaning. He has over 10 years of experience working with HVAC systems.

Victor Belavus

Air Conditioning Specialist

Expert Answer

The most efficient AC units are ductless, wall-mounted units, because there's less energy consumption due to air leaks. Just make sure you choose the proper size air conditioner for your space. Also, look for higher EER and SEER ratings. Equipment with 13 SEER is considered less energy efficient, while a unit with 20-22 SEER is a high-efficiency unit.

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Take a cold shower before bed, says Belavus. This tip will lower your body temperature and make the room feel cooler.^{[15]
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