Tips to Beat the Summer Heat

Summer has officially arrived and the temperatures are starting to soar. Those scorching triple digits can be hard on our bodies, moods and our electric bills, but you don’t have to let the soaring temperature get you down.  While I would love to spend our days lounging by the pool to keep cool, it’s just not possible, and if you are like me you can’t spend all summer poolside either.  Here are my favorite tips to beat the summer heat at home, without sending your energy bill through the roof.

1.  Stay Hydrated

Hydrate, hydrate and hydrate some more. You should be drinking at least 15 to 20 glasses of water throughout the day. Not only will this help keep you cool it will also help keep your skin moisturized and prevent it from drying out.  If the idea of drinking that much water in a day is a challenge for you consider using a motivational water bottle or making fruit infused ice cubes to help keep you hydrated.

2. Keep Your Home Cool with a Smart Thermostat

Staying cool this summer doesn’t mean you have to pay a fortune to keep the air-conditioning running day and night.  A smart thermostat lets you preset temperatures so the air-conditioning is working only when you are home, and they have been shown to help you lower energy cost by about 15-20%. If you don’t already have one I would highly recommend that you consider installing a smart thermostat.  We recently upgraded our old manual thermostat to a newer, more energy efficient Reliant Smart Thermostat and it’s amazing the difference it makes. This new smart thermostat is just one of the parts of the Security by Reliant system package that we recently had installed. Security by Reliant is more than just security, and over the next few months I will be discussing and showing you all the benefits of this around-the-clock, total home protection and automation system.

The new thermostat allows us to control the temperature from a mobile device and program it to change depending on our location, time of day or schedule.  Experts recommend that while you are away from home you set your thermostat to 80 degrees or higher. The Reliant Connect App allows you to create scenes for when you are home, away and at night. For example, while my kids are away at summer camp during the day I can keep the upstairs thermostat set a little higher and then while I am out running errands, before I pick them up I can use the mobile app to lower the temperature back to a comfortable temperature before we arrive home. The smart thermostat has helped us beat the heat, and the fact that everything can be controlled from anywhere, at anytime with the mobile app definitely fits into our busy lifestyle.

3. Give Your Oven a Summer Vacation

Using your oven heats up your home. Instead of baking meals in the oven, try preparing your food with a slow cooker or on the grill outside. Make dishes that don’t require the oven, like this tasty Asparagus and Artichoke Orzo Pasta, Grilled Mexican Street Corn or Ice Cream Cone Fruit Cups.  By keeping your oven off you aren’t adding any extra heat to your home that your air-conditioner has to work to cool off.

4. Enjoy a Dip in the Pool

As I mentioned lounging by the pool all day long isn’t really an option, but it’s always nice to take an afternoon dip in the pool from time to time to cool off. Everyone else is probably melting in this sweltering heat too, so why not make it a party. Invite your friends and neighbors over for a Popsicle Pool Party and a quick, refreshing break from the summer heat.  Grab your towels, pack some snacks, make sure you have plenty of water, and don’t forget the sunscreen and head out for an afternoon of fun. After a quick dip in the pool you’ll be cool in no time!

5. Treat Yourself to Cool Treats

A helpful and tasty tip for staying cool in this hot Texas heat is to eat cool treats.  Stock your freezer with Popsicles, ice cream and frozen fruit to enjoy when you are feeling a little too hot. Indulging in something cold, like a Popsicle, not only tastes good it will help cool down your body temperature.  So go ahead, make some homemade Peach Ice Cream or try one of these 15 Homemade Popsicle Recipes to help you beat the summer heat.

What are your favorite ways to beat the summer heat?

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Reliant through my partnership with Security by Reliant. While I was compensated to write a post about my experience with Reliant Security and automation, all opinions are my own.