A video showcasing a woman’s innovative way of keeping her home cool during a heat wave has gone viral on TikTok, igniting a spirited debate and drawing some sympathetic suggestions from users.
The video, posted by user @natacatack on July 24, shows her covering her glass doors with tin foil in a bid to reflect heat and lower the temperature inside her home. The footage, captured at Lake Tahoe in South Lake Tahoe, California, highlights the challenges of staying cool in areas with no air-conditioning.
The clip, which has garnered over a million views, opens with the woman methodically taping large sheets of tin foil over her glass doors. A message overlaid on the video reads: “POV [point of view]: It’s a heat wave and you don’t have AC so you cover your literal million dollar view with tin foil to keep the house cool.” It then cuts to reveal the view she’s covering—a scenic panorama of a lake and wooded landscape.
While unconventional, the tin foil method appeared to be effective, as the poster shared in a caption: “It actually worked really well.”
The viral post comes as July 2024 was reported to be the hottest month California has ever seen, with temperatures reaching 129 degrees Fahrenheit in Death Valley in southern California on July 7.
Excessive heat warnings and advisories have been issued across much of California, with excessive heat forecast to impact the Southwestern region of the U.S., according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
The NWS said on Wednesday: “Forecast highs today (Wednesday) range from the upper 100s [Fahrenheit] to mid-110s in the Desert Southwest, the mid-90s to low 100s for southern and central California, and the mid-90s to low 100s for portions of the Pacific Northwest.”
Temperatures are expected to soar even higher on Thursday, with “highs into the 110s for the Desert Southwest, the 100s to near 110 in southern California, the mid-100s for the central California Valleys, and the low 100s for portions of the Pacific Northwest,” the NWS noted.
“Widespread heat-related warnings and advisories are in place as the threat for heat-related illness and impacts will increase today and especially on Thursday. This heat will be dangerous to anyone without effective air conditioning or sufficient hydration,” the NWS warned.
‘No A/C in California?’
The viral clip prompted a flurry of mixed reactions from TikTok users, ranging from confusion over the lack of air-conditioning to additional suggestions on how to tackle the heat more effectively.
Some users were baffled that a high-priced home would lack a basic air-conditioning system. “Maybe don’t buy a million dollar house if it doesn’t have basic and standardized central heating/cooling?…” commented a user named A Trusty Pinecone.
Another user, naya papaya, added “No A/C in California??? It’s not southern but like….cali gets SUNNNN.”
Others, like peeperonipeepza, suggested that air-conditioning is affordable and should be a priority in such a hot climate, remarking: “You can get AC, it’s not expensive, this is America.”
However, others offered a more empathetic take, pointing out that homes in the Lake Tahoe area often lack air-conditioning due to its typically cooler climate.
Feliciamarina explained: “A lot of houses in Tahoe don’t have AC,” while Moons agreed, adding: “The amount of people that don’t know about no AC in Tahoe.”
Others joined the conversation by sharing their own tips for staying cool.
User @grlontop_co suggested: “Spray window with water. Foil will stick directly,” while another commenter, mourningglory, advised: “Do it on the outside so you’re not cooking your windows.”
Amy.Jo.Mac.12 recommended a more advanced approach: “Get mirrored window film instead, it blocks UV rays and you can still see out your windows.”
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.
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