Oh summer, how hot are thee!

Last year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that summer 2020 in the Northern Hemisphere came in as the hottest ever recorded.

Within the U.S., seven states had record-breaking temperatures in July. Temperatures like this bring about a plethora of issues from intensified droughts to extreme wildfire seasons.

Unfortunately, though, it's not just in the Northern Hemisphere heating up. Across the globe, temperatures keep climbing. 2020 ended up tying with 2016 as the hottest year ever on record.

As we face a warming world, it's more important now more than ever before to know how to keep cool during the hottest part of the year.

Easy tips for keeping your apartment cool

Sometimes coming inside isn't always enough to get actual relief from the summer heat. Houses and apartments often trap heat really well. It's up to you to find ways to cool down a room when the summer sun has warmed up too much.

Here are some tips on how to keep your apartment cool.

1. Block out the sun during the hottest parts of the day

So you want to keep your blinds and curtains closed around noon and throughout the afternoon — usually during the peak times of day for temperature, which is between 2 and 7 p.m.

“By closing the blinds, you keep direct sunlight out of your home and reduce unwanted solar heat gain," said Cora Wilder from hunker.

Also, focus on the part of the apartment you're going to use the most. Closing off other parts of the apartment cuts down on air circulation.

Using lighter-colored or neutral curtains or blinds will help reflect heat out. You can also invest in black-out curtains. They're good for more than blocking out light so you can sleep — their tight weave bounces off heat.

Once the sun goes down, you can open your blinds a little to allow some of the trapped heat to escape. This is one of the easiest and most effective ways to keep your apartment cool.

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