Power cuts are common during summer season, when the ‘saviour’ air conditioner or fan suddenly stops working, many households turn to simple home remedies to keep indoor spaces cooler. Even otherwise, during the heatwaves, it is not possible to keep the AC on the entire day, sometimes it starts to malfunction or it is too expensive to run for long hours. Then people turn to low-cost hacks for temporary relief.
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One such popular summer hack is placing a bucket or tub of water inside the room, with the belief that it can bring down the temperature and give some respite during a heatwave.
But how much truth is to this summer hack? Let’s find out. We asked Dr Sanjay Verma with over 31 years of clinical experience, associate director, Internal Medicine at Fortis healthcare about the science behind this popular summer remedy.
What is the science water buckets lowering temperatures?
The science behind this is rooted in the concept of evaporation.
The doctor explained, “Water evaporates by absorbing heat from its surroundings, which can create a mild cooling effect. In dry weather conditions, a container filled with water may make the immediate environment feel slightly more comfortable.”
But does this summer hack have any limitations? How much can it actually bring down the temperature, and most importantly how quickly does it work? Normally AC and fans do offer an instant relief, but what about this hack? Where does this remedy stand?
Dr Verma explained that the effect is quite limited and may be insufficient during extreme heat. When temperatures cross a staggering 45°C, then this method can be insufficient during extreme heat, especially as some homes are already poorly ventilated and have rooms with limited airflow, a bucket of water cannot lower room temperature enough to protect body from heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
5 other low-cost practical ways to cool down room heat
Instead of only relying on this bucket water hack, you can also try other low-cost summer hacks, which are easily doable. The doctor suggested these:
1. Keeping buckets or tubs of water indoors
2. Hanging wet curtains near windows
3. Using earthen pots to cool drinking water
4. Creating cross ventilation by opening windows and doors
5. Sprinkling water on rooftops or balconies
Word of caution
The doctor however told us that the bucket of water hack is temporary and should not be believed as the go-to for cooling down, especially in severe heat. Heat-related illnesses should be taken seriously and Dr Verma asserted that after excessive sweating and dehydration, extreme heat can affect multiple organs as well. Heat stroke is a medical emergency and can turn fatal. To stop heat exhaustion from escalating, you need to closely monitor the signs.
Here are some that require immediate attention, especially in heatwaves:
- Persistent headache
- Dizziness or light headedness
- Unusual fatigue or weakness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Muscle cramps
- Rapid pulse
- Excessive sweating followed by dry skin
- Confusion, disorientation, or altered behaviour
There are some groups of people who are very vulnerable. They include: Older adults, young children, pregnant women, outdoor workers, diabetics people, people with heart disease and people with uncontrolled hypertension.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
