Nine genius ways to beat the heat without air conditioning

Although it might be tempting to blast your AC to Arctic temps, or angle series of fans directly into your face, during this round of summer's never-ending heatwaves, there's a surprising number of ways to keep your place cool without running up your electric bill. Here's nine of the best: 

1.Shut your windows and curtains 
Sounds counter-intuitive, however keeping your windows and curtains shut on hot days, then opening everything up when the sun goes down will cool down your place in no time. The key is to go for solid blinds or block out backing. 

2.Isolate hot rooms 
Have a room that always feel 10 degrees muggier than the rest of your home? Close off this room to stop the air permeating into cooler rooms of the house. 

3.Be creative
Position two fans so one is blowing air out the window and the other is blowing in. Genius right? By doing this you'll suck hot air out through one window to draw fresh air in all the others.  

4. Use a compress while you sleep
If sleep and heat are two words that don't enter into your vocabulary try the Chillow. It slips over your existing pillow. Through the night, heat fully absorbs into the pillow's foam core to create a soft surface that will continuously absorb heat from your body and release it into the air.

5. Reset your ceiling fans  
We bet you'd didn't know that your ceiling fan needs to be adjusted seasonally. In summer it should be set to counter-clockwise and at a higher speed. This will make the room feel cooler by creating a wind-chill breeze effect. 

6.Switch to LED lights 
LEDs are not only energy efficient they also admit significantly less heat than iridescent bulbs. Double win.

7.Pulse points 
Can't wait for the fan to start doing its magic? Apply ice packs or cold compresses to pulse points at the wrists and neck. 

8.Unplug 
Make sure to unplug any electronic equipment when not in use or invest in a smart power strip which will completely shut them down. Plugged-in electronics generate heat even when they are turned off.

9.Invest in insulation 
Bulk insulation with foil sheets will keep your house warm in winter and cool in summer. According to the Environment Victoria, ceiling insulation can also cut your energy use by 45 percent, which it basically pays for itself in the long run.