How to Keep a Top-Floor Flat Cool Without Running the AC 24/7: Simple DIY Wet-Curtain and Mulching Tricks That Actually Work

Rooftop apartments can get extremely hot during the summer months. Cold-concrete roofs act like an oven, sucking up heat all day, then releasing it slowly to the rooms below. So you may be kept awake long after the sun goes down because a concrete roof is keeping your top floor apartment too warm, but if you have a few low-cost, do-it-yourself cooling options, you won’t have to run the AC unit all day long to keep indoors cooler.

1. Try the Wet-Curtain Method

A very old trick to cool off your indoors is to hang a small curtain (or two) that you have made slightly damp in the windows that get warmed by direct sunlight in the afternoon.

How it works:

• Evaporation of some water from the damp fabric will take some heat out of the air around it.
• When new warm air arrives at your window from outside, it will be slightly cooled down before it enters the room through the curtain.
• The curtain (and a part of the window) serves as a barrier to prevent direct sunlight from coming through.

2. Mulch Rooftop Plants and Containers

If you have a terrace garden or balcony garden, put mulch around the base of your plants.

The best types of mulch are:

• Coconut husks
• Dry leaves
• Wood chips
• Straw

3. Block Roof Heat Before It Enters

Some of the simplest solutions to this are to use:

• White, reflective roof paint
• Shade nets
• Rooftop planters
• Reflective waterproof coatings

4. Create Cross Ventilation

Using cross-ventilation accomplishes three things:

• It provides a means for the warm air to escape your home
• It increases the amount of circulating air
• It reduces the stuffiness (and smell) of your house

5. Use Fans More Efficiently

When using a ceiling fan along with your shade, most people will feel cooler than using just the ceiling fan because of the movement of air, which increases the evaporation of sweat, which will cause the individual to be cooler.

Final Words

You do not have to operate an air conditioner continuously throughout the summer if you live on the top floor of a building. Wetting your curtains, using mulch on your roof, installing reflective coatings on your roof, and having a proper way of ventilating through your windows (ie. opening them) all contribute to enhancing comfort, and minimizing electricity use when done correctly. Combining multiple methods together often yields the most effective results during extended periods of excessive heat and humidity.

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