Looking for ways how to cool down your house without using AC?
Residential neighborhoods in metropolitan areas and suburban communities are increasing in temperature. According to climatologists and other experts, cities that are already unbearably hot during the summer can look forward to worse temperatures in the future, say the experts at Climate Central. These areas are known as urban heat islands, and they’re becoming more and more prevalent. (National Geographic)
With summer just a few months around the corner, now is the perfect time to start thinking about how you can manage the temperature of your home.
Below are eight different methods you can use to reduce the heat and stuffiness of your home without resulting in installing expensive air conditioning units.
Block Out the Sun
Solar heat is the cause of most of your indoor heating problems. Sunlight filtering into your windows increases your house’s interior temperature and turns it into a solar-powered oven. The best way to avoid this is by blocking out the sun during the day. You can achieve this by using outdoor solar shades that reflect UV radiation as well as solar heat or by installing retractable awnings on your east, and west-facing windows say the experts at CB Solar Shading. You can also use drapes and similar window coverings to block out the sunlight.
Plant Some Shade
Trees and plants have well-documented cooling effects, not just on the entire planet but on the areas they grow on, explains Earth Observatory. Their cooling abilities come from blocking out the sun with their leaf cover, turning hot carbon dioxide into cool oxygen and releasing moisture into the air. Planting black ash trees or even large shrubs can reduce the heat of your property by a substantial degree say The Dirt Doctors. Plenty of plants around your windows can provide shade and permeate the air with cool moisture.
Learn When to Shut Doors
Controlling the internal airflow of your home during the night and day is essential during the summer. Air is the medium heat that travels through your property, and managing its movements will help cool your house. During the day, close the doors from outlying rooms with windows as the heat from them can raise the temperature of inner rooms. At night, open doors between rooms with windows to let cool airflow through the home. This can help you control the flow of hot and cold air around your property without resulting in expensive air conditioning.
Change Upholstery
Your home may feel stuffy and hot because of the fabrics covering key furniture like sofas and beds. During the cold winter and spring, you may have switched your upholstery to flannel, which is better at retaining heat. However, these fabrics are uncomfortable during the summer. Replace your drapes, bed sheets, and sofa cushion covers with more breathable cloth-like cotton. This will help make you feel more comfortable and cooler.
Strategic Window Opening
Once again, on the topic of managing your home’s airflow, creating effective cross-breezes will help eliminate trapped heat from inside your house. Go around your home and check which windows form X-shaped patterns and open them at night. Open the top half of a window facing the wind and the bottom half of the window opposite. This will create a cross breeze that can bring cool air through your home.
Water the Property Strategically
During the summer, you may have the urge to overwater your garden and yard. However, such practices are detrimental to drought prevention efforts and unnecessarily wasteful of clean water. Instead, you should water your yard with a strategic purpose in mind. Select the timing of your garden watering. If you water during the morning, the water will evaporate and make your home more humid. Instead, water during the late afternoon or early evening will considerably cool down the property at night and give you a good night’s sleep.
Shut Down Lights and Electronics
Electronics like light bulbs and television screens emit subtle heat because of their energy. The small amount of heat these electronics produce can mean the difference between your home feeling bearably warm and uncomfortably hot during the summer. The problem they pose can be solved by turning them off and unplugging them when you want the room to cool down a little. Not to mention this can reduce your electricity bill.
Install an Attic Exhaust
If your home has an attic, it’s probably your property’s greatest heat sink. Thanks to constant sunlight exposure during the day, your attic becomes an oven sitting right above your house. It’s essential that you flush out the heat from your attic to prevent it from warming your entire home. Install an exhaust fan on your attic or get up there at dusk to open the windows. You’d be surprised how quickly the rest of your home can cool down once the attic’s hot air has been expunged.
Summer is a time of sun and fun, and you’ll have an easier time enjoying yourself if you’re not sweating yourself to exhaustion inside your house. These tips will help you keep your home cool without the exorbitant prices associated with air conditioning.