Home cooling tips and efficiency rules spread across Europe and Latin America

Experts and media outlets across Spain, Portugal, Argentina, Ecuador, China and Japan are publishing a wave of advice on how to keep homes comfortable during hot weather while limiting electricity bills. Simple DIY tricks such as hanging a damp towel in an open window, placing ice in front of a fan or using a wet sheet at night are promoted as free or low‑cost ways to lower indoor temperature without air‑conditioners. At the same time, professionals stress that proper placement of split units – avoiding direct sunlight, short airflow paths and poorly inclined condensate pipes – prevents comfort loss and higher power consumption.

Technical guidance also highlights that inverter air‑conditioners and units with high SEER/SCOP ratings consume far less electricity than traditional models, and they are the most efficient option for both cooling in summer and heating in winter. Comparative data show inverter ACs outperform electric heaters, caloventores and radiators. Consumers are urged to check SEER values rather than just energy‑label letters when purchasing.

Legal commentary from Spain notes that tenants generally cannot demand installation of air‑conditioning under habitability law, unless the lease expressly includes it or there are severe building defects. Installing a fixed split requires written landlord consent and, often, approval from the building’s owners’ association.

Additional reports advise that mismatched power contracts can cause repeated outages when ACs run, as seen in an Argentine case where a lower contracted power during off‑peak hours led to automatic cut‑offs.