Keeping your home cool this summer

Summer is a fantastic time of year, the sunshine lifts people’s moods and the culture here on the northern beaches is to relax on the sand and swim in the beautiful ocean. This is the perfect way to spend a summers day but what about those days when it’s too hot? Summer has only just begun but already we have been hit with heat waves and you can expect that the sweltering heat will be here to stay. Nobody wants to be sweating all day long or suffer from dehydration or heat stroke so how do you prevent this and keep your house cool this summer? Here are some simple tips on how to keep your home cool so that you can stay relaxed and feel comfortable on these boiling hot days.

Cover your windows

By closing all curtains, blinds, shutters you repel the heat, it rebounds and is diverted from entering your home. If you kept them open the strength of the sun would bore through the glass windows. The thicker the curtains the less heat will stream through, definitely a worthy investment!

By day shut, by night open

By shutting windows and doors during the day you prevent the heat streaming through and lingering in your home. By night open the windows to let the cool air recirculate and air out your home, filling your home with cool air for the next hot day.

Insulation

Insulation is great in the summer time too; it’s not just for wintertime. Just like it locks in heat in the winter, preventing the warm energy from escaping it does the same in summer but with cool energy, it locks the cool energy inside.

Fans

Avoid paying a fortune on your energy bills by pumping the air conditioning, instead resort to using fans. Fans circulate the air around you and cost a lot less than air conditioners.

Reflective colours

Painting your roof and the exterior walls of your home in lighter colours such as white, yellow helps reflect the heat. In comparison, darker colours absorb the heat, which in turn will cause your home to heat up.

Turn off machines

Put doing chores on hold during the day, using appliances such as ovens, dishwashers and washing machines causes them to omit heat which in turn keeps your house a higher temperature than is comfortable. Leave the chores for at night when it is cooler and won’t make as much of an impact on the room temperature. Also turn off unnecessary lights and televisions.

Air conditioning

Installing an air conditioning unit in your home is a great way to keep the home cool on boiling hot days. However, it is not the first recommendation because often people become too reliable on air conditioning and pump it all day long, which in turn is going to put your energy bill through the roof. It is a fantastic modern convenience but if you can avoid it by using the other suggestions that’s great!

Other ways to stay cool is to ensure you stay hydrated by drinking plenty of cold water throughout the day. Another great idea is to have some cold washers and place them on your forehead or even have an ice bucket to put your feet in. Choose to wear lightweight cotton clothing in light colours, as they will keep you cooler than synthetic fabrics. Another important thing to remember on hot days is that your pets keep cool too because they will definitely feel the heat. Ensure they have a full bowl of water at all times.

Summer is a beautiful time of year and should be enjoyed, not dreaded. By implementing these strategies they will help you to stay cool so that you will be feeling your best and loving summer!