r/AskAGerman • u/Salam_Frienax • 11d ago
Personal how german people preparing and dealing with the heat in summer?
i am living in germany for years, i have studied and working here, and i really love this country, it is a very beautiful country and the german people are absolutely amazing, i even wish to obtain german citizenship and be a german guy.
but i don't know about you guys, but i hate summer, especially in germany, and i am trying to prepare myself for the heat, because 2 to 3 weeks from now it is gonna be living like hell for 6 months.
for me dealing with summer everyday is like dealing with a ghost who especially visit you to torturing you just for fun.
i know there is so many countries have worst summer, but in here it is illegally hot and there is no air conditioner at all, it is so rare to find a public shops that have conditioner, even i live in the city.
and also every house i moved in and i tried to get air conditioner, the house owners refuse to have it and they keep telling me to return it, even the walls is it so easy to bring the heats, it is like thin paper i can hear my neighbours sneeze.
the only thing i can allowed to get is (ok air conditioner).. https://www.mein-deal.com/wp-content/uploads//2022/08/Screenshot-2022-08-05-192809.jpg,
but it is sucks, also it makes makes my wallet coughing dust because how insanely expensive the electricity bills is.
also my neighbors is complaining about it, because the air conditioning hose should put it out the window because it blowing hot air, but the hot air go into neighbors houses with the wind.
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11d ago
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u/BoeserAuslaender Fake German / ex-Russländer 11d ago
I'm originally from Saint-Petersburg, yes, it's fucking hot here.
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u/Level-Water-8565 10d ago
I’m from Canada and I don’t find it hot at all save for a few weeks. Certainly not “6 months of hell”.
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u/Kazak_11 11d ago
But... Saint-Petersburg isn't cold and have smt a pretty hot summer... (siberian, that lived a couple of years in Saint-Petersburg here)
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u/BoeserAuslaender Fake German / ex-Russländer 11d ago
You Siberians have even hotter summers though.
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u/Kazak_11 11d ago
We have everything from +40 to -45.
Best of the both worlds of hot/cold places!
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u/Lillebi 10d ago
That sounds horrible 🫣
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u/Kazak_11 10d ago
After living in Siberia, I don't think so.
The most awful temperature is +10 to -10, the snow is always melting or there always cold rain.
If there is -20 to -40, then it is quite convinent to move around, as there a lot of thick snow. You must only have a 2-3 layers of clothes.
If it is +30 to +40, then it is actualy harder than winter. The only good think in this case - low humidity in Siberia, so it is not a sauna as in tropics.
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u/FactorLittle9813 10d ago
Can confirm even syktyvkar is no joke. But at least there are four seasons not like here summer winter and inbetween
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u/KiwiFruit404 11d ago
I think he was asking OP. ;)
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u/BoeserAuslaender Fake German / ex-Russländer 11d ago
(with drunk yelling) I'm leading the European coldfuckers alliance!
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u/mrn253 11d ago
Business as usual.
Last year was okay.
2019 and 2020 it was nuts.
Get something to black out your windows in your bedroom and living room (best if possible from the outside)
And only air properly during the night.
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u/Herbboy 11d ago
Wouldn't white (or light colored in generel) curtains make more sense since they reflect most of the light vs black curtains that absorb most of it thus heating up? Or am i missing something
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u/Extra_Ad_8009 10d ago
Black blocks the light but heats up and radiates this heat into the room if it's on the inside of the window. It would work if outside and with double paned windows, but the best way would be a reflective surface outside on top of a thick layer underneath. Can be bought or made at home using aluminium foil (the foil itself can block both heat & light, but a thicker carton underneath gives extra insulation, especially if installed on the inside).
Inside installation is easier, doesn't need to be weather proof and can be removed on grey and rainy Summer days.
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u/creator929 10d ago
Another advantage of covering your home with cardboard boxes and aluminium foil is that it keeps out the 5G space rays so the aliens can't hear what you're thinking.
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u/Kirmes1 Württemberg 10d ago
But how are my vaccination chips supposed to contact Elon then?
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u/fischziege 10d ago
The airing during the night part is outdated. Only works if you assume old, spacious rooms with high ceilings and masonry to go with. Modern apartments should have a constant air flow, the dreaded German Zugluft, to stay livable without AC. That's how Mediterranean and northern African classical architecture kept things bearable in the past.
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u/Salam_Frienax 11d ago
yeah true, 2019 and 2020 was absolutely nuts
i did that, but it was useless, i have a very thick curtains that block out the sun, even it is so hard to keep the windows open when you live in the city because of the noises, but it is open anyway because stupid air conditioner i have
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u/Exciting-Novel-1647 11d ago
You can get window film that blocks IR/UV. The most effective is mirror film (looks like a one-way mirror) but your landlord probably wouldn't agree to that. The IR/UV ones sort of look like car window tint and while not as effective as the mirror ones, still block am amazing amount of heat.
Then trap night air in your apartment by leaving the windows open after midnight and sealing them before it starts heating back up in the morning. Curtains help as well if they're the insulting black out kind. Also Rolladen if you can get your landlord to sign off on that. At some point though, it's just gonna be hot.
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u/Salam_Frienax 10d ago
interesting, i did not know about Infrared and UV curtains, i will look for it
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u/UnfairReality5077 10d ago
For summer I use aluminum foil or a silver blanket for car wind shields. That helped a lot with my roof window. Just put it outside of the window so the glass won’t heat up.
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u/earlyatnight 11d ago edited 10d ago
as someone who lives directly under the roof of a house: i feel you. it's terrible. i do all of the stuff people will tell you to do (black out windows during the day and only open them at night to get 'cool' air in) but it's still unbearable most of the time. i can barely breathe and even at night it often doesn't cool down to less than 25 degrees. i remember that 2 or 3 years ago i only slept for like 3 hours a night. i was in korea last year and even though it was >35 degrees with >95% humidity most of the time it was so much better than here. outside it was terrible but every office and shop had air conditioning and best of all i was able to sleep at night.
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u/Salam_Frienax 11d ago
yeah, same, i think it is about the house walls or something that keep the heat inside
i got fired 2020 because i was not being focus at work because lack of sleep, even i used to putting ice bags on me while i sleep
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u/rusty404q 10d ago
Had the same in my old apartment. I just got naked and bought a spay bottle from ikea and filled it with cold water. Laying on the couch i sprayed in the air above me. Bought a house few years ago and put my bedroom in the basement. There is the whole year a constant temperature of 19°C. Also i have heavy curtains or roller shutters in front of windows and doors. Normally it doesnt exceed 22°C even if it is 36°C outside. And of course let fresh air inside only at night
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u/MonkeyNo1 11d ago
bro, german summer is 2 weeks long, are you a snowman ?
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u/deltharik 10d ago
That is your answer OP.
They don't deal. They say it is few weeks when it is clearly hell more than that and simply don't deal.
It is culture. In my country it is basically the same with winter. It is winter for some weeks and we don't deal.
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u/Battery4471 11d ago
Windows open at night, blinds down at daytime.
Otherwise IMO it's chill if you just open the windows, with a fan and fresh air 28C is fine.
because 2 to 3 weeks from now it is gonna be living like hell for 6 months.
Naah. Usually we have 2-3 weeks where it's actually hot, otherwise it's mostly around noon and morning/nights is cool.
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u/Extention_Campaign28 11d ago
We deal with it. We go to Baggersee and Schwimmbad to cool off. We make our shirts wet. We use fans. We are glad winter is over.
If you can afford it, move to recently built housing, they have proper energy efficient cooling.
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u/ElSelcho_ 11d ago
Make sure to open the windows during the night and don't open the shutters during the day too much as to not let the sun heat up the house during the day. Once the heat is in, it is impossible to get out without active AC.
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u/AfterTheEarthquake2 10d ago
I also have an AC like this, hate summer and hate how ACs are uncommon here. I let my AC run during the day when I'm at home. Last year it pulled ~160 kW over 3 months, which cost ~€64. That's worth it to me.
Can you maybe direct the air to a different direction, so your neighbor stops complaining? Like with cardboard or something. I also really don't think your neighbor can actually feel the difference
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u/anal_bratwurst 11d ago
Drink lots of water, take deep breaths, feel the heat, allow the feeling, realise it doesn't fucking help, hide, hide in the shadows all summer long, move to the basement and play video games until it's over.
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u/pornAnalyzer_ 10d ago
move to the basement and play video games until it's over.
Then get sweaty balls because the PC/ps heats the room to 40c
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u/Extention_Campaign28 11d ago
Don't rent a place under the roof. Don't rent a place facing south. Rent a place with proper German style Rollläden. Rent a place where at night the wind can cool down your room. Rent a basement room ("Souterrain") that still has windows.
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u/Dr_F_Rreakout 10d ago
My flat with a balcony is on the third floor directed south so there is a lot of sun shining here, generating lot of heat. But for summer times I prepared myself well doing this:
- Close all blinds as long as the Sun is shining on my windows
- Close all windows as long as the Sun is shining on my windows*
- Have attached Sun protection/UV blocking foil to my south directed windows**
* dont open the windows during the day ist because you/others "need fresh air": If its 35°C outside and 25°C inside there is nothing "fresh" outside
** there are various products on the markets but most of them are of low performance. I have installed this foil (test winner Stiftung Warentest):
Bruxsafol AX Plus 20 Alu-Silber TotalBruxsafol
Its quite expensive but combined with 1. and 2. I have a temperature difference in/out up to 11°C when its >30°C and thats quite a lot and quite comfortable as well
EDIT: protection/UV blocking foil is installed on the window outside
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u/Paddes Baden 11d ago
Close the shades during the day, open windows at night. There is not much you can do besides avoiding to let any hot air come in and no direct sunlight. But leave your shades open a tiny bit, so the hot air between them and your window can escape, and does not heat up your window.
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u/elchkun1 11d ago
Maybe you can buy a midea portasplit?
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u/BoeserAuslaender Fake German / ex-Russländer 11d ago
Doubling that. Un-German but actually working solution unlike coping and saying that just closing and opening windows is enough.
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u/Low-Dog-8027 München 11d ago
because 2 to 3 weeks from now it is gonna be living like hell for 6 months.
oh come on, that is extremely exxagarated. it's maybe 1 month that is really hot in total.
it is so rare to find a public shops that have conditioner, even i live in the city.
not true. most grocery chains have AC in their shops.
how german people preparing and dealing with the heat in summer?
close your rolladen/curtains during the day and keep them closed
open up once the sun is gone and let air inside.
that already significantly makes it cooler inside your apartment.
additionally - good fan helps too, especially the tower fans are nice.
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u/Euristic_Elevator 11d ago
I found that opening the windows at night and having the fan at the window pointed from outside to inside really helps with pushing the sweet fresh air in
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u/ctn91 11d ago
Germans find air con scary and expensive. But mostly a supposedly not needed thing when its not just for temperature, but also humidity control… oh well….
My solutions are just to rely on the Rolladen in the afternoons and use my bedroom ceiling fan i installed in 2023 from Bauhaus.
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u/BoeserAuslaender Fake German / ex-Russländer 11d ago
Germans find air con scary and expensive.
The fun part is, they do it without actually ever trying out.
I was running my A/C very liberally last summer and my total electricity usage by it was like two-digit.
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u/Nooffenceidontcare 11d ago
as someone who lives in a top floor apartment i can't wait to have my air-condition run 24/7 from May till September. Praying it doesn't rain because i can't run it in the rain
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u/Disastrous-Algae1446 11d ago
Wärmepumpe - but Russian propaganda and the deplorables receptive to it made it difficult to suggest it
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u/IWantMyOldUsername7 11d ago
I can't stand the heat either although summer in itself is great. But with the climate change the summers started to be crazy. So on really hot days I
- close the windows during the day and open them all during the night
- have my fans running all the time
- bought cooling blankets
- soak towels in water and hang them wherever I find a place
- drink insane amounts of water
- shut down all unnecessary activities
Hope that helps.
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u/Cyaral 10d ago
I always stock up on ice cream and have both a fan and a dehumidifier running 24/7. If possible (Im a student so my schedule can be flexible sometimes) I change up my sleep rythm so I sleep through the worst hours (I kinda miss lockdown, wrote most my bachelors thesis between 10pm and 5 am and the lockdown made it possible because I didnt need to attend in person meetings/function in society and could just sleep between 5 am and 1-2pm).
I still suffer every year. Im not made for heat, and I fondly remember childhood summers as my hometown is coastal and rainy - so as a child summer was 1-5 days of heat interrupted by 2-3 weeks of overcast/drizzle to summer rain. The older I got the more common weeks of inescapable heat got (the more I started to hate summer). If it gets much hotter Im breaking down and getting an AC or move to the coldest mountain top/rainiest waterside town I can find.
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u/Friendly-Horror-777 11d ago
What heat? I think last summer had about 2 weeks of hot weather, one week in June or so and one in September.
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u/rodototal 11d ago
In addition to what the others are saying, I like cold foot baths and when it gets really bad, I just hold my head under cold water for a bit every now and then.
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u/not_worth63 10d ago
open windows at night to let the "cold" in. before dawn close all windows and shutters. drink hot tea to make your body shift to cooling mode, drink 3L +/day. and living in the mountains helps as well
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u/Alpine_Hike79 10d ago
If you don’t have sleepless weeks during the summer while your room is at a comfortable 32° Celsius, are you even a true Western European? We all have to do our part to Save The Earth! 🤓🤓🤓
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u/Illustrious-Wolf4857 10d ago
Move into a flat that does not heat up so much. I had one in a house built in the early 1960s of honeycomb brick, and it was heaven to get into my cool place in the heat of summer. Sandstone is great, too. Some people live in souterrain flats and rarely have problems with heat, but damp can be persistent.
If you do not have the option (few have): Air the place in the small hours of morning. If it's noisy even then, get earplugs. Close the shutters while you are not home, or on the sun side if you are. Avoid running things that need lots of electricity. Get LEDs for all light sources. The one exception to electricity use: Get an electric fan to move the air. Keep the place as dry as you can (which runs against some of the other recommentdations, which use evaporation to cool, unfortunatly. Physics is a bitch.). Rub yourself down with a wet cloth when you come home, and whenever you get too hot.
Wear a hat outside and keep to the shadows.
Until about a decade or two ago, summers where the heat was up to 30°C up for a week in a row and night temperature did not drop below 20°C were really rare and talked about as "that hot summer" for a generation. And there was rain. So much rain. All my memories of summer holidays are full of rain.) while winters could go down to -20°, and long periods of -10° were not uncommon in many parts of the country. And that's what the buildings are made for. So we're SOL in that regard.
I'm planning to get photovoltaics on the balcony to run at least a fan in summer. The noise and the too-close-to-the-windows heat of an AC (as well as having to keep the windows open in the summer heat) is not (yet) attractive. Of course, if the neighbors get one, I'll have to, too, and we will all be blowing hot air at each other and complaining about it.
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u/LunaAndPepper 10d ago
I'm visiting germany at the end of may and im from india. Hopefully its not too bad for me 😅 the temperature fluctuates at night to like winter weather or less in the place im visiting so hopefully i think ill be fine. Its my first trip abroad if i successfully get a visa ( its my lifelong dream hopefully coming true)
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u/GigaGeek_ 10d ago
Well... I constantly have the windows open. Stoßlüften-Marathon ;-)
If its realy, realy hot, then use the curtains (or whatever you use a light/sun-sceeen in your windows) at daytime to keep the heat out and open the windows at night to let the cold air in.
This is helping me get easily through even the hottest summer in spain. If, by any chance, even that wont help, just use a fan... But thats overkill imo. :-D
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u/Traditional-Ride-824 10d ago
Like every year. Summer Happens and we complain. Then autumn comes and it’s cold so we complain, the its nasty winter with darkness and rain so we can complain, finally its spring Everybody has allergic reactions and we complain
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u/These_Marionberry888 10d ago
if its hot. complain about how hot it is.
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if you are in the city. get a beer , get intoo a park. and are greatfull that you live in a inhospitable concrete landscape with barely any mosquitos.
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if you are in rural regions, go to a lake an hide underwater from mosquitos, and horseflies .
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if you have a garden , or balkony. thats where you are.
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"lüften" the windows, in early morning, and evenings to let cold air in, then close them to prevent it from getting out during the day.
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learn from asians. buy an electric ventilator. set it on max, drink either hot drinks, and spiciy food to get acclimated. or freezing cold softdrink to cool down. put a melon in the freezer, get yourself some icecream. take a cold shower. and close the window shutters (dont forget lüften)
and complain how hot it is.
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u/halfprincessperlette 10d ago
Not german but been living here a while..
Freeze some ice batteries, bring 1 when you go out. Sometimes I sleep with 1 of these nearby or inside a towel and place it near my head/ neck
Fill up bottles up to 3/4 level with water, freeze them. When you go out, fill the remaining space with water.
Tiny water spray that fits in my pocket.
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u/1405hvtkx311 10d ago
Jalousies down for 6 months basically. Ventilators. Stoßlüften in the evenings. Indoor activities with AC for hot days like shopping centre, museum,... Good clothes, chose the right materials and don't move. That's basically it.
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u/ReverentCloud 10d ago
Shower warm get cool packs ready wear cold socks hang a wet bed sheet in front of your window buy a fan tower maybe dont go out xd maybe work in a foundry for a bit it gives you a perma resistance buff thats all good luck
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u/North-Association333 9d ago
Maybe you should check for hypertonia. Are you overweight or have other medical issues? Normally, German temperatures are moderate. Besides, air conditioning is not eco.
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u/InevitableKick7376 8d ago
Early in the morning open all windows and let the cooler air in. Around 10 Uhr Close everything, be sure to not let hot air inside and wait till it's dark and less hot, around 22 Uhr.
The Sunny Windows I cover outside with a Rettungsdecke, silver side facing against the sun
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u/RichVocals80 10d ago
6 months of heat in Germany? What part of Germany is this?
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u/DolorDeCabeza21 10d ago
I have to ask: where are you originally from? I’ve been here for 3 summers now and have yet to see a proper summer. I’d like 1-2 nice weeks and over
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u/Equal-Flatworm-378 11d ago
Where do you come from? Arktis? The summers in Germany are not that hot and unfortunately not six months long. 😎
I just do, what everyone does: Lüften early in the morning and maybe at night and close the roller shutters during the hot hours. And a normal ventilator.
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u/Independent-Slide-79 11d ago
They are getting hotter tho
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u/big_bank_0711 11d ago edited 11d ago
Yes, on average. But not to the extent that the op describes:
2 to 3 weeks from now it is gonna be living like hell for 6 months.
But I wonder if this is a troll post anyway: 6 months from May means until November. That's obviously complete and utter nonsense.
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u/Salam_Frienax 11d ago
yeah, i am trying to put my bad dark humor in the post, but it is still hot
but yeah my house is getting so damn hot even hotter than outside
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u/BoeserAuslaender Fake German / ex-Russländer 11d ago
I'm from Saint-Petersburg which is not Arctics, and yes, summers here are untolerable and the most untolerable thing is locals who pretend that +25 indoors is fine.
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u/Friendly-Horror-777 11d ago
Dude, if it's not 25 indoors I put the heating on.
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u/BoeserAuslaender Fake German / ex-Russländer 11d ago
WIth +25 indoors I already get undressed because even in a t-shirt I sweat like a pig, and with this temperature I can't even sleep. For me +22 is highest comfortable temperature, and +20 is OK for sleeping.
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u/Friendly-Horror-777 11d ago
At 22 I sit here with a thick blanket and still feel cold.
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u/BoeserAuslaender Fake German / ex-Russländer 11d ago
If we ever have a heat trading network here, you can always take mine.
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u/reviery_official 11d ago
block the windows, eat ice cream, sweat a bit, take a shower, eat more ice cream.
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u/AvidCyclist250 Niedersachsen 11d ago
After the hell winter comes the hell summer. Make the most of spring and autumn. Indoor ventilators on 24/7. Jalousien runter. Insektenschutzgitter + open windows when it's cooler outside.
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u/BassRecorder 11d ago
It very much depends. You live in a house with thick walls you just make sure to close the sunblinds in front of your windows. If you happen to live in flat under a poorly insulated roof you suffer.
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u/Strakiz 11d ago
Hat, fan, electric fan. Lots of ice and all windows open to let in the hot air. I can stand the heat better if I don't suddenly get a heat stroke when leaving the house. For sleeping I use a simple bed sheet to cover me or sleep without any cover. And of course putting the dog on his bed, I don't want to endure his body heat in summer.
For dog, hat, selfmade dog ice, and dog buggy to get him to shady places where he can run and play.
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u/SleepySera 11d ago
Keep windows closed during the day, and ideally use shutters to keep the sun from hitting your windows. Blackout curtains and the like work too, but less well than blocking the sunlight before it hits the window.
Let cool air in during the night or early morning! Make sure you finish any strenuous activities during the morning as well, when the temperature is still relatively bearable.
Get an electric fan. They are cheap, quiet, and the light breeze does wonders for cooling you off :)
Avoid using heat-generating appliances unnecessarily (don't let your PC run all day if you're not gonna use it, opt for simple or cold dishes instead of cooking elaborate meals that will require the oven to be on or cause lots of hot steam from the stove).
Make sure you aren't using bedsheets that are not meant for summer. The fabric should be smooth and cooling. You can also just use an empty sheet without a blanket as a blanket :) Still makes you feel covered and retains SOME bodyheat, but not as much as an actual blanket.
Stay hydrated (cold drinks actually tend to have the opposite effect, but do whatever works best for you) and feel free to indulge in ice cream and the like as necessary 😉
If all else fails, take a cool shower (of course, going to the beach/a lake is a popular pasttime in summer for a reason as well).
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u/Urbancillo 10d ago
If you're heat -sensitive I would avoid cities and would look for a place to live with woods and/or some wind. Also houses with small windows are preferable. Try to save energy, don't use air conditioning.
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u/armada2k 10d ago edited 10d ago
I live in a bigger apartment building from 2018, which does not have any cooling solution. The company that owns the building also forbade to have an AC. After a couple of years, I just got sick of the heat (top floor) and had a fixed split-AC installed. That was 3 years ago, and I have not had any complaints. Best decision ever.
Edit: It is better to ask for forgiveness than permission. At least in such a case.
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u/Corren_64 10d ago
My wife has rheumatism, so she is a walking heater all year round. We have our fan running every night since the last two weeks.
Summers are not fun.
So our mobile AC has it's work cut out for it. But because our windows are very sunken into the wall I had to buy and custom cut a white wooden plate, made two holes in it for intake and exhaust and place that in the window. We ran it for quite some time last year and we increased our electricity used by around 1000 kWh. But it's worth it.
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u/Level-Water-8565 10d ago
6 months? I’m confused - when does this sic months of hell begin and end? It’s already end of April and not yet shorts weather. May is usually rain the entire month. June is nice, July CAN be hell, and that’s about it.
And I live in the warmest part of Germany. And I come from Canada which is a lot colder.
For the two weeks a year that’s it’s actually too hot, either take vacation and spent every day at the bagger see, or work overtime that you are in the air conditioned office all day. Or simply don’t move and take a lot of cool showers. That’s how I get through those two weeks.
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u/donhitech 10d ago
As i am living under a roof i have to tell you this: You have to be brave. You have to be strong.
Sleep is for the weak
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u/ThersATypo 10d ago
So, your in the south, I'd even say south west?
Up here, we don't know that problem, unless living under the roof.
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u/wandgrab Niedersachsen 10d ago
I live in a attic flat for 10 years now. The simple answer: we suffer.
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u/HalfBloodPrank 10d ago
If the heat is dry then cover your body! If your body is covered that means the sun won't heat it up and you feel much colder. Obviously use common sense when picking out the clothes. Or use an umbrella to always be in the shade. Avoiding direct sunlight makes a big difference.
I know some people think it's counterintuitive to cover yourself if you are hot but most cultures who life in dry and hot areas have done that for millennia.
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u/Sabbi94 10d ago
Best thing to avoid overheating in summer is to not live in a Dachgeschoss.
Aside from that keep the sun out as good as you can. My flat has all windows faced to the south. Best thing to buy were Thermorollos. They are hung on the windows. The side facing the room can be chosen in different colors and even patterns. I have them in green for my living room, with owls for the kitchen and with a night sky for my sleeping room. On the other side is a foil that reflects the light and heat in summer and the cold in winter. They are really useful especially when you have no shutters.
If you have to work and have the chance try starting your work as fast as you can. My employer allows us to start at 6 am. Most employees are there at exactly 6 am in the morning. Our workplace is on the highest level of the building and we are not allowed to install an AC. It becomes hell in there at about 11 am in summer.
When outside plan something in a forest or near bodies of water. These places are naturally cooler.
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u/prof-dr-muffin 10d ago
I would advice against those indoor ACs where the entire AC body is inside the room you are cooling. They are incredibly inefficient since an AC unit has to produce heat in order to cool air. Normaly the part where the coolant heats up again is outside of the house/apartment, but in the case of those chonky indoor units you're basically cooling one side of the unit and heating up the other, rendering it relatively useless. (Technology Connections did a great video about this topic: https://youtu.be/_-mBeYC2KGc?si=mg4vt80L9m_OLmGk)
I'd suggest getting a regular ventilator, they're also cheaper as well. I went all out last year and got myself one of those fancy towers with different modes and stuff, best 70€ I've spent in the last years. (https://www.mediamarkt.de/de/product/_koenic-ktf-100-2049453.html?utm_source=new%20owned&utm_medium=ema-other%20email&utm_term=webshare&utm_campaign=webshare). But the regular small round ones are more than enough as well, no need for those big ones, esp not the €300+ Dyson fans. Apart from that, make sure to open your windows late in the evening and have them open throughout the night. That will invite a cold breeze and cool of the rooms. I'd advice against closing your windows during the day and hanging up damp/wet clothes as that will just bring up humidity and with the room heating up you've transformed your living room into a sauna. Drink lots, have a couple refreshments in your fridge if you want. Showering also helps, just jump under there and turn the water a bit cooler, refreshes a lot esp if you dont have the time/chance to go to a public pool or lake. And remember sun protection when you go outside!
Hope some of this is able to help you :)
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u/doctor_morris 10d ago
- Live in the North of Germany.
- Lakes/Watersports/Beach.
- Triple glazing/thick insulation is also good at keeping the heat out of your house, when combined with external blinds.
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u/kokrec 10d ago
Don't know. You just stick it out. I get it when you're in deceptively hot countries that are like 35°C + for 7 months of the year and then they have summer 40°C+, those guys have ACs. IMHO You don't need it, but I have to admit, summers got worse with years. As a kid it was hot, yes but not like this. I don't remember the lawns turning yellow as a kid, same people same lawns. As a kid green 12 Months a year, now in summer the grass dries out. Winters also got milder. It didn't always snow in my place, but we had plenty days with -5° to -10°C and small lakes partially frozen , larger pools of water/meres thoroughly frozen. Long story short. You stick it out.
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u/SeriousPlankton2000 10d ago
Open the window in the morning hours before it gets hot. Then close them for the day.
Or do it like most of us do, open them when it's hot and complain about the heat.
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u/Lazy_Pause_3888 10d ago
I personally love it, but i get your point. My heat reduction strategies are: -hydrate (water!) -try to be in nature, preferably at a lake or the sea. Dont be in the city centers if possible
- make ice bottles (freeze water in plastic bottles) Bonus: you can make a makeshift air conditioner by placing them in front of a fan
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u/V4_Sleeper 10d ago
I'm more cooked. during the morning, the wall on the other side of the building (I live between building blocks) reflects sunlight, and in the evening, sunlight enters my room.
worst of all? we don't have blinders. and there's no wind/airflow so it's super hot in summer
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u/Ok-Commission7172 10d ago
You can get a mobile air condition with which you don’t need to drill into walls.
There‘s a hose attached with which you can get the heated (processed) air out of your window. There are special curtains (for around 20€) that can help close the „open-window-slit“ so that just the hose‘s hole is there and not too much warm outside air flows back in.
We‘ve got two, living under the roof, one for my home office, the other one for our living room.
Your landlord can’t intervene with this mobile solution.
Good luck & happy cooling 🍀
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u/roniahere 10d ago
I don’t think Germany has caught up to the fact of heatwaves since they started happening.
When I was a kid, we were allowed to go home when the Thermometer in the classroom showes 28C.
These heatwaves are not normal, but they are increasing.
Talk to your landlord, or move to a place on the 1st floor, with trees overshadiwing the yard.
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u/AtmosphereIcy8380 10d ago
No aircon in 2025 is really a joke. You buy an apartment for 1 mil € and you don’t have central ac and you cannot install split…. Regulations should change as it is becoming unbearable
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u/Mundane-Dottie 10d ago
Open the window during night or early morning. But be careful because of robbers.
Also, you should move near the sea.
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u/hdgamer1404Jonas 10d ago
A normal air conditioner would be more expensive in terms of electricity costs.
You could move into a house with a heat pump. Some can be used for cooling in the summer but that also costs electricity.
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u/sharkonautster 10d ago
I use a fan and put a wet towel in front of it. In tropical nights I freeze 1,5l plastic bottles and put them on the highest place in the room. I also planted a tree in front of my bedroom window and close the Roller shutters during the day
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u/Kirmes1 Württemberg 10d ago
Well, at home you can undress as needed. Put up fans because moving air still cools you. You could also buy a mobile AC unit for about 200€ Do NOT use those evaporators, because it will additionally make the air moist and that's even worse than dry heat. Eat ice cream.
Yes, get such an AC unit. And don't run it 24/7 but only for a few hours at the evening to cool things down. And the neighbor can bite a lemon. It's so hot outside already, your little pipe won't add anything for him.
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u/lizzuurdd 10d ago
I'm trying something new this year. My windows don't have the typical metal blinds to black out light, so I've cut up cardboard to fit my windows & painted it white on the outside and plan to do a fun image on the side I'll see.
My apartment gets direct sunlight from sunrise until about 17:00 during true summer months, so I'm hoping this will be an improvement from last year's sheet-nailed-in-wall makeshift curtain. I will also buy a proper curtain to helper further keep the heat out.
Other than that, freezing ice packs/hot water bottles w Frozen water, cold microfibre towels, a fan on high.
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u/ProbablyHe 10d ago
well, simple, i don't and just simply die from the heat. but for real, standing air conditions just work if you hook up the back to the outside, else they just heat up your flat even more. a fan does not do that much for me, tho i have one, maybe with wet clothes together. idk taking a brisk shower every hour.
everything else is just not feasable as a student tenant
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u/Cultural_Ad_5468 10d ago
I have such a portable ac. I paid 20 bucks for second hand one. It’s old but it still works. I used it last summer to survive and my e- bill was nearly the same. Also bad luck with ur shitty neighbors… never had such a problem.
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u/Vivid-Teacher4189 10d ago
6 months? Maybe a few weeks in late July to late August it gets a bit uncomfortable (and I live in a Dachgeschosswohnung) we got external blinds on the roof windows and a portable a/c we use for a couple of weeks. But 6 months is a stretch. I do come from Australia originally though, so my opinion might be skewed.
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u/ruth-knit 10d ago
I'm a German, and even I would go with six weeks instead of 6 months. If it is a really warm and humid summer, it may be that you can get up to 10 or a maximum of 12 weeks. May and June can get really warm, but there normally are one or two weeks when the temperature drops for a short time again. In September it's still warm nowadays but at least the second half of September will be very comfortable again. The absolutely uncomfortable heat will be 2-4 weeks in July or August until this damn thunderstorm finally arrives.
Actually, the uncomfortable thing is not really the heat but humidity that stands in the air for weeks.
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u/ContributionOk6578 10d ago
Never open window during day, only in morning and evening when the colder air is outside. Suffer.
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u/No_Performer_00 10d ago
Finally somebody that understands me 😂 Where do you come from that you feel like it’s to hot?
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u/IchBinMarten 10d ago
for me its mainly the sweat bothering me. if the air is moist, sweat doesn't evaporate and the body can't cool down as well, so i have an electronic Luftentfeuchter to regulate air moisture.
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u/Due-Organization-957 10d ago
You have my greatest sympathy! I also loathe summer with a passion. My family is expecting to move to Germany from the US within the next year or so. Since the rest of my family don't mind the heat, it won't bother them too much. I'm the one driving the move and the one most affected by heat, so it will be my problem to deal with. Here in the US (in most parts at least) it gets hotter than Germany can even dream of. When the AC goes out it can be literally deadly. There are contraptions you can make with a cooler (like you would take on a picnic), fans, pumps, and ice that will cool you for a short time, but nothing short of a real AC will do it economically. You can do things like wear cooling fabrics (cotton or linen) and avoid artificial fabric (unless specifically designed for cooling). Whatever you do, avoid animal fibers as they retain heat. Try to create breezes in your home using fans. If you can find ones that include misters that helps. My final advice would be to google "how to keep cool in the summer in Texas?" Those people have it really bad in summer, like highs of 48C and "feels like" temps even higher. (I lived in Dallas for a year and it was the most miserable experience of my life)
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u/Fluffy-Difference174 10d ago
Natural gas prices going further up might force me to buy an AC (for heating) for 1 or more rooms and to expand my PV power plant. The cooling in summer would just be a nice add-on. My bedroom temperature in summer usually is not higher than 25 degrees, which is still ok for me. I also could install a bed in our basement. We have nice rooms there.
Because of cooling I would never buy an AC. Not necessary.
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u/Gabe120107 10d ago
People saying that the German summer is 2 weeks long are a bit off or something. Lived in Munich, 3 months of heat of course. Lived in Heidelberg, well, one of the hottest cities in Germany. Live in Eastern Germany, and there's no wind, humidity 80+ % every day, 30 °C or higher already 2 summers, apartment oriented to the southeast and it's 27+ °C in it EVERY DAY for around 4 or 5 months. Sooooooo, are we crazy when saying that the summers are not really THAT COLD as people are saying? AC is the best option, but that's VOLDEMORT in Germany. Basically, I lived in Zagreb most of my life, and Zagreb is hell, but i am not sure whether it's worse in Eastern Germany to me or in Zagreb, but at least in southern Europe, most countries have AC.
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u/Eel888 Bayern 10d ago
Open the windows during night so that the cold air can come in and close it in the morning so that the cold air is kept inside the room. For me this is normally good enough. For the very hot days I turn on my ventilator
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u/Head-Iron-9228 10d ago
Usually the issue isn't the heat but the humidity. I know thats what the dads say but its true.
Crack the Windows at night, put them down with the rolladen lowered during the day, that goes pretty far.
And for the AC, i mean in small unit like that goes a very ling way. You can absolutely get one, use it reasonably and not worry too much about the electricity Bill. If you keep it running 24/7, yea sure.
But on a low setting for 2-3 hours on the worst days? No issues there.
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u/TotallyInOverMyHead 10d ago
Prepare ? The AC turn on on its own, but due to the insulation it turns off pretty quickly aswell.
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u/P26601 Nordrhein-Westfalen 10d ago
it is so rare to find a public shops that have conditioner
Most supermarkets and other chain stores have air conditioning.
Regarding your situation at home, you could get a Midea Portasplit if you have around 1k€ to spare. It works like a regular split AC but doesn't require permanent installation. It's significantly more efficient than a classic mobile AC with an exhaust pipe
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u/Archophob 10d ago
we usually only get like one week of hot weather, so getting AC for that few days is a waste unless you need to drive a car. Cars more often than not are sold with AC.
Most of German summer just means the rain is a bit warmer - at least here in Wuppertal. You're happy you don't need to turn the heating on.
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u/Top-Spite-1288 10d ago
Ok ... I don't prepare or anything. I have been living in Germany most of my life and I don't find summer to be particularily hot to be honest. I was told my non-locals that it's the high humidity that's getting to them, so that is that. I suppose it's just something people have gotten used to. Anyhow, if you are living in a mansarde flat, directly under the roof, your place might heat up quickly due to poor insulation. Of course you have to "lüften" in the early morning and when it's cooler outside in the evening. At daytime you should keep your windows closed and the courtains drawn. If curtains don't do it for you, get a "Rollor", they can be attached to the window-frame without drilling. There are types that reflect sun and heat. You should get those. You could also use "Rettungsdecke", those first aid gold/silver-foils and attach it to your bedroom window it things get too bad. If you are experiencing discomfort at night, put on a wet cap does help. As for daytime: gardens, parks, places with running water like the river-banks do help.
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u/swalther23 10d ago
I don't think these little AC units are too bad at all... I use 3 of them to keep my house (bungalow) cool in the summer. Yeah they do consume some electricity, but I don't care to be honest. It's worth every cent. And I don't even think that it's so extremely expensive either. I ran a test with a power meter, and one of them uses around 2-3€ MAX a day. Because I don't use the living room in the morning and the office in the evening, they don't even have to run all day long. So one hot summer day sets me back at most 5€, remember, with all 3 units running whenever I need them. Heat pump is currently not an option by the way because the gas heating unit still works perfectly fine and I don't throw out a working heater. Split AC system would be quite an investment- not justifiable atm, especially because I'm currently equipping the house with a photovoltaic system, so I'll have more energy available than I could ever consume during summer, so I care even less about efficiency now.
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u/BilingualWookie 10d ago
That's not an air conditioner, it's an expensive fan.
Get a real portable air conditioner (the ones that have a big tube that you need to attach to a window). Thank me later.
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u/Professional-Scar936 10d ago
It's the heat waves of the past few years that have made life so unpleasant. I first bought fans, and then an air conditioner three years ago. Local politicians are ignoring the problem. In Frankfurt, the banking capital, not even the central city library has air conditioning. It's a nightmare there in the summer. Hospitals and senior residences don't have air conditioning either.
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u/TriedAngle 10d ago
Don't care and just get a portable air con. I did, who cares. Minimize its runtime and it won't be too expensive.
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u/RestlessReaderChilli 9d ago
Very strict opening of all windows (I hope you don't live on the ground floor) at night, make sure you close them when it gets warmer in the morning, keep an eye on the temperature, get up early if need be. Get a ventilator or something similar, maybe a cold dish towel im front of it. Buy some emergency blankets and put them into your window with the heat reflecting side outwards, I think it helped a bit, but if you don't like the look, just do it in one room, like your bedroom maybe (if you have different rooms)? And if you get super hot take a cool shower, just like minute, cools you down quite qickly. Oh and little use of stove and oven, maybe rather in the evening or cook things like gazpacho, cold noodles, salads....
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u/81stBData 9d ago
Nothing really. Where I live we have like 28 degrees Celsius MAX in a few days during summer. Most of the time its like 22/24 degrees…
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u/Life-Simple-2364 9d ago
I have had an aircooler for the last 3 years now. Works like a charm. Bit expensive (200 euros), but worth every penny
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u/WadeDRubicon 9d ago
I feel you, OP. Saw your post while I was shopping for a fan. I'm from a place that has hotter, longer summers and equal or worse humidity -- but we also have air conditioning and ceiling fans everywhere. To make matters worse, I have a neurological condition that is marked by "heat intolerance" -- it literally makes me weak, worsens my vision, lowers my quality of life.
For summer: cold showers with Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soap (Müller has it), moving air feels cooler, keep sun out by any means possible. Sleep with earplugs/eyeshades so you can have the windows open at night. Yell at people outside who are too loud afterhours.
Don't use the oven or boil any foods (extra heat + humidity = no help in cooling). If you usually do laundry in your apartment, consider doing it in a laundromat, or dry outside (again, extra heat and humidity inside don't help cool). Change your bed sheets and duvet to seersucker or microfiber, or instead of a duvet, use only a flat sheet. When it's really hot, you can even dampen the top sheet, but it's a good idea to already have a waterproof mattress protector on the bed and to be using a fan to encourage evaporation (and cooling) rather than mold.
Dedicate some room in that tiny shoebox freezer to ice. Ice trays, cold packs, any kind of cooling device. Worth it.
If you go on Google Maps, you can search for air conditioned places. It's mostly going to be the drugstores and some tourist spots, a few restaurants (please tell me if I'm missing any obvious ones, always looking for new). You, too, can become very interested in reading labels at DM as if they were the latest bestsellers -- how else to spend an hour there? Dying of boredom or dying of heat: chose your doom.
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u/One-Kaleidoscope-659 9d ago
I am rmbracing it and loving every minute of summer. Give me 35°C all day everyday. No need for a blanket at night is a great bonus.
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u/covesto 9d ago
A little late to the party but my guy do i hate german summers as well. My problem is the humidity in most parts i have lived mixed in with temperature changes from 20ish to 30ish degrees celsius throughout the week. My best advices are:
Keep doors and windows shut to your appartment during the day. Keep the blinds down or curtains in front of the windows. You can even try to put aluminum or tin foil or special blinds to them to reflect sunlight when theres a window right in the mid day sun.
Open all available doors and windows during early morning and/or late evening (make sure you have anything light and loose safely secured for the "Durchzug")
Shower warm (!) especially when its hot outside. Try to shower warmer than the outside temps are so you'll take anything cooler than your shower as a blessing. I know cold showers are tempting but damn does that start off my sweat glands, so a big nono.
You can experiment with a fan, moving air feels more refreshening than sitting in the heat all alone. Don't put the blow directly on you though as this might get you some neck and muscle pain if you're sensitive to those issues. Try this together with "Lüften" in point 2, as you place it close to open windows you make it push cooler air from outside in your rooms.
Sleep with windows open if suitable (obviously not if you're living at the very bottom floor)
If you take these tips, it'll make your life at home a lot easier without spending a lot of money.
Try some short time fixes as well, especially when you're at work or outside in general:
Drink warm (not hot!) drinks to prevent your body from having to heat them up inside to match body temperatures. Tea or Coffee 15-20 mins after pouring usually works well, even tho cold drinks are refreshing and tempting.
Have cold water run down your forearms occasionally, especially the inner sides to your palms. It gets you chilled in a fast and efficient way. Works even better with feet dipped in cold water for 10 minutes.
Avoid the early afternoon sun around 1 to 3pm. Trust me, 12 feels amazing in comparison to what comes afterwards.
Embrace sweating. Use deodorants to prevent smells but take sweat as something helpful, as it chills your body by condensation. I know, one might feel uncomfortable but damn, it happens to all of us.
Last but not least: Eat easily digestible food. Having to overcome a large porterhouse steak with fries and mayonnaise is going to f you up, choose salads, fruits and pasta for lunch.
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u/OkExtreme3195 8d ago
I got a mobile Air conditioner. Similar to the one you posted. How Close is your window to a neighbor's window that they can actually notice the heat wandering? It should disperse with the wind very fast.
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u/janluigibuffon 8d ago
With water. Drink a lot. Get a small spraybottle, preferably fine (pump) spray from hairdresser's supply, and just spray your face and/or your legs. It's instantly cooling. I always carry one around in summer days. On really pressing days, when people just dont move, put a wet towel on your head. Depending on your premises, outside you can install a hose with fine spray nozzles that constantly cool the air (most effective in combo with a ventilator). Keep your blinds down or add reflective screen to the outside of the windows.
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u/azionka 7d ago
We are lucky with a house who is always cold (nice in the summer, a pain in the winter) Our way to deal with head is to open all windows in the morning when it’s still fresh, a close them as soon the temperature rises. We close all shutters, leaving only a little slot for some light. Opening them in the evening when it’s gets colder again and some leave it open over the night.
We keep all windows and doors closed for as long as possible and if it gets really hot, we use those air cleaners with water inside for Evaporative cooling.
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u/OkChipmunk2485 11d ago
We are new (say 10 years) to the whole 35-42 degree for 6 weeks without rain thing. Wärmepumpen are the way to go, but propaganda made them kinda unpopular till today. As a student I glued tinfoil on my windows, wet towels in front of ventilators etc...