HOW TO KEEP YOUR HOME COOL IN SUMMER

Sunlit skies and flower-laden trees, group hiking and mountain biking, icy mojitos and pool parties – Ah! Summer is all about having fun! We love our summers but only until the AC goes on a strike or sends the power bills shooting up to the sky. If you’re looking for ways to keep your home cool in summer and to lower the burden on your cooling system, this blog is for you. 

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Apply Heat-Resistant Films

Resist the heat from pushing its way in through the glazed walls, doors and windows. Apply heat-resistant window films on your glass panes so the sun rays get deflected when they hit the surface. Films are available in various types and qualities, some of which are capable of blocking as much as 95% of infrared rays and over 70% of heat. Depending on whether you like a clear glass or tinted view or a mirror-like reflective look from the outside, you can choose from among a wide array. 

Close the Curtains/Shades

Cutting sunlight’s entry into the home at its most incredible intensity is key to cooling the home. North and west-facing windows will get the most heat, so be mindful of closing them before the sun is high. Close all the curtains and blinds before noon and keep them so until the evening when the air has started to cool. And if you haven’t installed your window treatments yet, go for a blackout variety for higher insulation from heat. 

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Mount Awnings 

Shading the windows and doors helps to reduce the volume and intensity of the incoming heat. If your house does not have structural overhangs above the vents, install window awnings. Wood, glass, or tiled awning shades are permanent additions recommended for hot locales. But if your winter also goes to extremes, it is better to opt for easily installable retractable shades to avoid snow piling and to draw in more light. 

Insulate the huge patio doors by shading the patio entryway with fabric awnings. Cover the patio area adjacent to the house with a huge portable umbrella canopy. Not only will it give you a shaded area for hanging out in the evening, but also reduce heat exposure for the windows and doors facing the canopy. 

READ MORE: WAYS TO KEEP YOUR HOME WARM IN WINTER

About-Turn the Fans

If your AC is doing a great job, use your fans to spread the cooling. Tap the reset button of your fan to make the blades move counterclockwise. This will serve to push the cool air down toward you and the hot air upward.

Give the Hob a Break

Cooking meals in the house raises the temperatures in the house by a few degrees. So, here’s what you can do. Avoid cooking in the kitchen when the sun is high. Use the hob in the early mornings with open doors and windows so that the heat gets vented out promptly. Use your outdoor cooking area and consider cooking your dinner outdoors so that the heat doesn’t keep the house warm during the night. Give your hob a break and go alfresco dining with your priced barbeque griller.

Switch to LED Lights

Incandescent bulbs warm up as they produce light, adding significantly to the room’s temperature. In fact, 90% of the energy they produce is just heat. See them off and install energy-saving LED lights instead – invite light, not heat. And save on your bills too!

Give Time Off to Electrical Appliances 

Give a holiday to all the electrical gadgets and appliances that are not in use because any device that is powered on, especially television and computer, is generating much heat and adding to the malady of the ambient heat. Turn off unnecessary lights or at least dim them. Cut down the use of the dryer and string-dry your clothes in the sun. Taking these steps will substantially lower the heat in the room as well as your power bills.

Upgrade to a Smart Thermostat

Whether you have an excellently working HVAC or an old tired one, upgrading to a smart thermostat is like providing it with a new brain. It can memorize your temperature level preferences for different seasons of the year at different times of the day, create schedules based on them and fully automate the cold airflow. Coming back after a long draining day to an already-cooled home makes a world of difference. Smart thermostats are desirable especially if you don’t have smart ACs as they will automatically switch off the AC after the desired temperature has been achieved, resulting in energy savings and reduced power bills. 

Maintain your Cooling System

Everything can be automated with gadgets, but maintenance is still done the old-fashioned way. The AC does need to be shown some love from time to time. Clean the air filters fortnightly and replace them at least twice a year. If they are clogged, not only will that affect their performance, but also their longevity. Besides, it will also reflect in the overwhelming power bills.

Try Cooling Curtains

If you have curtains at your open windows, moisten them so that the hot air will cool down when they come into contact with the moisture. Keep a floor fan right in front to spread that chilled air and you have your very own DIY air cooler. 

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Shift to Cooling Textiles

Textile elements, from bedding to clothing, must ideally be inherently cooling to beat the summer heat. Tuck away the wool and polyester duvets and sheets and your crepe, chiffon and nylon outfits. Switch over to natural fabrics such as linen and cotton which are breathing, lightweight and moisture-wicking. They are comfortable both to wear as well as to sleep in during hot summers.

Employ Strategic Landscaping

The greener the surrounding, the cooler the house. For an expeditious arrangement, consider surrounding your house with potted plants that have dense foliage. If you’re ready for the long haul, you can enjoy a cooler home, summer after summer. 

Plant fast-growing trees on the west side that will level up to the roof to provide shade from the dreadful noon heat. Line trees that crown higher up on the south side to curtain the evening sun. Prefer deciduous trees so that the autumn shedding will prevent light-blockage during winter. Provide a lattice structure at the patio and driveway for vines to climb up to form a canopy. Similarly, plant smaller trees, shrubs, hedge bushes, and garden turf around the house. Apartments must make the most of the terrace with vertical garden planters and succulent vines draping the balustrade. 

Introduce Cool Roofing

‘Cool roofing’ is an umbrella term for various techniques of roof construction to allow more sunlight to reflect, thereby absorbing less solar energy than a conventional roof. Various materials may be used such as polyurethane foam, bitumen membranes, asphalt, wood or polymer shingles, clay tiles, concrete tiles and so on. Ballasted roofs and green roofs are other methods of cool roofing.  Cool roofing keeps the temperatures of the house significantly cooler than conventional roofs and can cut your AC power bills by almost a third. 

Action Time

We hope you’ve found this blog handy to cool your home this summer while giving some rest to your AC. With a combination of heat-repelling and coolness-sustaining strategies listed above, you will not only be able to keep your home cool without running up your energy bills, but also find it easier to sell your house should you so decide in the future.

Start your summer prep with us and shop for summer loving window treatments made of soft natural fibers like cottons and linens, and give your home a fresh airy look along with functional benefits of such fabric window treatments.

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