How Do I Cool a Yurt?

A yurt is a portable, collapsible tent with a wooden frame. For centuries, Asian nomads used yurts for shelter; today a modern variation of the yurt is popular with campers, although some Westerners live in them year-round. The original yurts were made of animal skins or felt effective for keeping its inhabitants warm during the winter. Today yurts are made with lightweight and durable materials, but keeping a yurt cool in hot weather is something of a challenge.

Things You'll Need

  • Window coverings
  • Awning hardware
  • Reflective foil
  • Ceiling fan or air conditioner
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the yurt under a large tree. The leaves on the tree provide shade so the yurt doesn't get as hot.

    • 2

      Open the dome of the yurt if your model allows for this; with an open dome the heat can escape through the top.

    • 3

      Create cross-ventilation by opening two windows across from each other in the yurt. This clearly requires a yurt that has at least two windows.

    • 4

      Turn window coverings into awnings; with the right hardware a covering can provide shade over the window. Another option is to attach reflective foil to the top of the covering to reflect the sun's rays away from the yurt.

    • 5

      Cover the yurt with reflective foil so the yurt doesn't absorb as much heat from the sun.

    • 6

      Place a ceiling fan in the yurt, if your yurt can accommodate such a fan. Some yurts even accommodate portable air conditioners that drain into the ground.