Nowadays, we’re so lucky that it’s no longer hard to find relief in hot summer months. With just a switch, the cool air is immediately blowing to make you feel comfortable. But right before air conditioners were invented, do you have any idea how people of the past keep themselves cool?

Here’s how they survived the heatwave before air conditioners:

They used damped sheets

Evaporating water absorbs the heat from the air and creates a cooling effect. Cooling many homes was based on this idea before air conditioners. They would hang wet cloths in doorways to remove the heat from rooms and create a cool breeze. Amazing, right?

They built homes with high ceiling

With the arrival of air conditioners, modern homes lowered their ceilings to reduce cooling costs. This was not the case with many homeowners in the past. Their ceilings were high to allow the hot air to rise during the day.

They stayed under shades of trees

It’s no secret that staying under the shade of a tree makes us feel relaxed and cooler. That is why many people build their homes with trees around it or plant trees in the front and backyard. When the weather gets extremely hot, the shade of trees serves as comfort and relief from the heat.

They used bricks and mud as building materials

Baked bricks and dry mud can absorb heat. That is why many people used these materials for building homes, as it would help keep the indoors cool and comfortable during summer.

They created long, covered porches

Porches are designed for sitting, but they can also serve a different purpose. The long porch would help prevent the direct sunlight from getting inside the house and keep the air that comes in cool. That is why most old homes have long porches to make the afternoon and family time cooler and more comfortable.

People from the past have different ways of keeping themselves cool. They remind us that in today’s hot summer, we’re lucky enough to have air conditioners to save the day.

If you have thoughts or ideas about how people stayed cool before air conditioners, feel free to share them with us. Find this post on All Weather Temperature Control’s Facebook Page and leave your comments. We’ll be happy to hear your ideas.