Buying
Lifestyle
7 ideas to keep your home cool this summer
30-Oct-2018
With summer only a month away, it’s time to start preparing your home for the balmy days ahead! Save energy and cool down with these handy tips.
Did you know there are some easy ways to keep your home cool this summer without turning on the air con?
Here are some of our favourite ideas to help your home beat the heat.
1. Plant shade trees and other greenery
Plants are a fantastic way to minimise sun coming through windows and heating your home.
Find the windows that are in direct sunlight during the day and plant shade trees just outside them. If you don’t have any garden beds outside these windows, think about placing the trees in pot plants instead to get the same effect.
2. Invest in good ceiling fans
There are a huge range of impressive fans on the market that are stylish, energy efficient and provide premium airflow. For the perfect barbecue or entertaining area consider installing a good-quality fan in your alfresco area to keep you and your guests comfortable as you entertain during the summer months.
Tip: If you’re wondering which way your ceiling fan should spin; a counter-clockwise spin pushes hot air up, cooling you down. The opposite will do the reverse. So in winter, if your fan has the functionality, switch it to spin clockwise to push warmer air down.
3. Add shade sails
Simple shade cloth sails act like a hat for your home and can reduce sunlight and heat significantly in your home. You can purchase shade cloth off the roll from your local hardware store or in awnings and shade sails for a more finished look.
4. Upgrade your curtains and blinds
Invest in good-quality blinds or ‘black out curtains’ to block out direct sunlight and heat as this can make a huge difference to the overall air temperature inside, especially if your home has many windows.
5. Upgrade your window glazing
Install new ‘Low-E window’ films to your existing glazing. It might seem expensive but this is actually a really cost-effective and efficient way to utilise your existing glazing and keep any heat out.
6. Open and close windows at the right time
If you’re out during the day and return while it’s still hot, don’t open your windows. Keep them closed to prevent the hot air outside coming in to your home.
Alternatively, if out all day and returning home in the evening, after the cool change has crept in, consider keeping some windows open if safe to do so. This ensures that, by the time you arrive, you’re stepping into a cool home.
7. Create a rooftop garden
Rooftop gardens act as an excellent source of insulation for your home as the garden keeps the air temperate inside.
Now’s the perfect time to get planting, too. If the prospect of reducing your heating and cooling isn’t enough to entice you, then rally up some friends and promise them a barbecue at the end as a reward for getting their hands dirty.
Source: realestate.com
Did you know there are some easy ways to keep your home cool this summer without turning on the air con?
Here are some of our favourite ideas to help your home beat the heat.
1. Plant shade trees and other greenery
Plants are a fantastic way to minimise sun coming through windows and heating your home.
Find the windows that are in direct sunlight during the day and plant shade trees just outside them. If you don’t have any garden beds outside these windows, think about placing the trees in pot plants instead to get the same effect.
2. Invest in good ceiling fans
There are a huge range of impressive fans on the market that are stylish, energy efficient and provide premium airflow. For the perfect barbecue or entertaining area consider installing a good-quality fan in your alfresco area to keep you and your guests comfortable as you entertain during the summer months.
Tip: If you’re wondering which way your ceiling fan should spin; a counter-clockwise spin pushes hot air up, cooling you down. The opposite will do the reverse. So in winter, if your fan has the functionality, switch it to spin clockwise to push warmer air down.
3. Add shade sails
Simple shade cloth sails act like a hat for your home and can reduce sunlight and heat significantly in your home. You can purchase shade cloth off the roll from your local hardware store or in awnings and shade sails for a more finished look.
4. Upgrade your curtains and blinds
Invest in good-quality blinds or ‘black out curtains’ to block out direct sunlight and heat as this can make a huge difference to the overall air temperature inside, especially if your home has many windows.
5. Upgrade your window glazing
Install new ‘Low-E window’ films to your existing glazing. It might seem expensive but this is actually a really cost-effective and efficient way to utilise your existing glazing and keep any heat out.
6. Open and close windows at the right time
If you’re out during the day and return while it’s still hot, don’t open your windows. Keep them closed to prevent the hot air outside coming in to your home.
Alternatively, if out all day and returning home in the evening, after the cool change has crept in, consider keeping some windows open if safe to do so. This ensures that, by the time you arrive, you’re stepping into a cool home.
7. Create a rooftop garden
Rooftop gardens act as an excellent source of insulation for your home as the garden keeps the air temperate inside.
Now’s the perfect time to get planting, too. If the prospect of reducing your heating and cooling isn’t enough to entice you, then rally up some friends and promise them a barbecue at the end as a reward for getting their hands dirty.
Source: realestate.com