How To Stay Cool
How To Work With Your Landlord and Stay Chill
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How To Stay Cool
Simple Tips To Keep Your House Cool
People living in hot places have been using smart ways to stay cool for a long time. If summer heat has you looking for a break, check out these easy tips to cool down!
Take advantage of cooler evenings and open your windows to promote a cross-breeze. The cooler air will circulate all night, and you’ll start fresh with a cool home in the morning.
The sun can heat your home through the windows in summer. A simple and cheap way to cool your home naturally is to close shades or blinds during the hottest parts of the day. Medium-colored curtains with white backing work well, and blackout curtains can block even more sunlight.
Avoid baking or running large appliances on extreme heat days if you can. Even using them at night can heat up your home. If needed, wait until evening to use the oven, range, dishwasher, or clothes washer when temperatures are lower. Hanging laundry outside instead of using the dryer also helps reduce indoor heat and moisture—and saves energy.
If you can, take your cooking outside. Grilling instead of using the oven can help keep your home cooler—but always check with your landlord first to make sure it’s allowed. Also, be aware that some areas have fire restrictions in place. Check local rules and the fire danger rating to see if it’s safe to grill outdoors.
Fans don’t cool the air—they just move it around. To feel cooler, point a fan directly at yourself. You can also use fans to bring in cooler air from outside (when it’s cooler out) or from shady rooms. For the best results, create a cross-breeze: Place one fan near a cool window and point it toward the hottest part of your home to push the warm air out.
Kitchen and bathroom fans help get rid of hot air before it spreads through your home. Turn on these fans when you cook or take a shower to keep the air cooler. When you’re done, remember to turn the fan off within 20 minutes.
In the summer, set your ceiling fan to spin counterclockwise so it pushes air down. Use a higher speed on really hot days. Turn on ceiling or portable fans when you’re in the room to help move the air around. Fans don’t cool the room, but they make you feel cooler by helping your sweat dry faster.
Try not to use things that create heat. Older light bulbs (incandescent) waste 90% of their energy as heat. Switch to LED bulbs to help keep your home cooler. These bulbs also use less electricity, which can save you money.
These tips might not cool your home like AC does, but they’ll help you feel more comfortable. Even if you have AC, using fans, shade, and cross-breezes can help cool your space so you can run your AC less helping you save energy and money.
Sources: Efficiency Vermont, U.S. DOE, C2ES, Realtor.com, NFPA
Safe Maximum Indoor Temperature Thresholds
for Residential Dwelling Units
A proposed ordinance is expected to go before the Board of Supervisors in early August, which, if approved by the Board, would require all rental dwellings in unincorporated Los Angeles County to maintain safe indoor temperatures—no higher than 82°F. This measure aims to protect tenants during extreme heat. If approved, the ordinance would go into effect 30 days after Board adoption, enforcement would begin in January 2027, providing landlords with time to prepare.
Tenants are allowed to install their own portable cooling devices—such as plug-in air conditioners or fans—without being evicted, charged extra, or punished. Tenants must notify their landlord in writing, at least five days before installing the unit, so their landlord is aware of the additional electrical demand. Landlords may not pass along the cost of installing a portable cooling device to tenants, but they may be eligible for other capital improvements required to comply.
While the ordinance doesn’t require landlords to upgrade electrical systems, it’s strongly recommended that units be equipped to safely support standard cooling devices. Ensuring electrical systems are up to code and able to handle plug-in air conditioners or fans can help avoid safety issues and make compliance easier for everyone. Tenants can add a portable cooling device or utilize other non-mechanical cooling methods at their own cost, and landlords cannot raise the rent or charge extra fees under the new rule.
Get Help Paying for Cooling Upgrades
It can be expensive to run air conditioning, especially during extreme heat. There are lots of programs that can help with the cost of keeping rental dwellings cooler.
Whether you’re a landlord making upgrades or a tenant trying to stay comfortable, you may qualify for:
- Financial support for low-income renters
- Utility rebates and discounts
- Energy efficiency financing
- Federal tax credits and incentives
- Weatherization and retrofit funds
- Contractor and installation support
- Programs for low-income households
These resources can help with things like electrical updates, cooling devices, and lower energy bills. Let’s keep homes safe and comfortable—for everyone.
Need Help Figuring Out Cooling Upgrades?
You don’t have to figure it all out on your own. Whether you’re a landlord starting to upgrade your property or a tenant trying to stay safe in the heat, there are trusted experts and programs ready to help.
Here’s what you can access:
- A list of trusted contractors for electrical work, HVAC, and energy audits
- Virtual workshops and trainings to help you learn the basics
- Help from programs like SoCalREN, DOE Weatherization Assistance Program, and LIHEAP
These tools can help make sure upgrades are safe, affordable, and up to code.
Get Heat Alerts and Stay Safe
Hot days aren’t just uncomfortable. They can actually be dangerous. Heat waves are getting longer and happening more often, and spending too much time in high temperatures can make you really sick. While anyone can be affected, older adults, young children, pregnant people, outdoor workers, unhoused individuals, athletes, and people with chronic health conditions are most at risk.
Check out these helpful resources from the County of Los Angeles Department of Health.
Sign up online for LA County heat alerts.
Sources: County of Los Angeles Public Health, Los Angeles Office of Climate Emergency Mobilization, LADWP
Safe Maximum Indoor Temperature Thresholds
for Residential Dwelling Units
A proposed ordinance is expected to go before the Board of Supervisors in early August, which, if approved by the Board, would require all rental dwellings in unincorporated Los Angeles County to maintain safe indoor temperatures—no higher than 82°F. This measure aims to protect tenants during extreme heat. If approved, the ordinance would go into effect 30 days after Board adoption, enforcement would begin in January 2027, providing landlords with time to prepare.
Tenants are allowed to install their own portable cooling devices—such as plug-in air conditioners or fans—without being evicted, charged extra, or punished. Tenants must notify their landlord in writing, at least five days before installing the unit, so their landlord is aware of the additional electrical demand. Landlords may not pass along the cost of installing a portable cooling device to tenants, but they may be eligible for other capital improvements required to comply.
While the ordinance doesn’t require landlords to upgrade electrical systems, it’s strongly recommended that units be equipped to safely support standard cooling devices. Ensuring electrical systems are up to code and able to handle plug-in air conditioners or fans can help avoid safety issues and make compliance easier for everyone. Tenants can add a portable cooling device or utilize other non-mechanical cooling methods at their own cost, and landlords cannot raise the rent or charge extra fees under the new rule.
Get Help Paying for Cooling Upgrades
It can be expensive to run air conditioning, especially during extreme heat. There are lots of programs that can help with the cost of keeping rental dwellings cooler.
Whether you’re a landlord making upgrades or a tenant trying to stay comfortable, you may qualify for:
- Financial support for low-income renters
- Utility rebates and discounts
- Energy efficiency financing
- Federal tax credits and incentives
- Weatherization and retrofit funds
- Contractor and installation support
- Programs for low-income households
These resources can help with things like electrical updates, cooling devices, and lower energy bills. Let’s keep homes safe and comfortable—for everyone.
Need Help Figuring Out Cooling Upgrades?
You don’t have to figure it all out on your own. Whether you’re a landlord starting to upgrade your property or a tenant trying to stay safe in the heat, there are trusted experts and programs ready to help.
Here’s what you can access:
- A list of trusted contractors for electrical work, HVAC, and energy audits
- Virtual workshops and trainings to help you learn the basics
- Help from programs like SoCalREN, DOE Weatherization Assistance Program, and LIHEAP
These tools can help make sure upgrades are safe, affordable, and up to code.
Get Heat Alerts and Stay Safe
Hot days aren’t just uncomfortable. They can actually be dangerous. Heat waves are getting longer and happening more often, and spending too much time in high temperatures can make you really sick. While anyone can be affected, older adults, young children, pregnant people, outdoor workers, unhoused individuals, athletes, and people with chronic health conditions are most at risk.
Check out these helpful resources from the County of Los Angeles Department of Health.
Sign up online for LA County heat alerts.
Sources: County of Los Angeles Public Health, Los Angeles Office of Climate Emergency Mobilization, LADWP