As temperatures across the country start to rise, it’s time to consider how you will keep your house cool this summer. Most of us equate cooling a home with exponentially high power bills. However, by adopting a few smart strategies, keeping a home cool this summer won’t be so much of a strain on your hip pocket.
The key to affordably cooling a home is diagnosing why the building is hot. While not the only culprit, one of the biggest causes behind a house getting hot in summer is due to poor window shading. So, this summer, the aim is to keep the sun off the windows by adopting five simple window changes.
Ways to Keep Your House Cool in the Summer
There are numerous ways to keep a house cool without having to run the air conditioner. By employing smart yet simple tips, your house can remain cool in the summer.
Using alternative cooking methods is a great place to start when it comes to trying to keep a house cool. Instead of using an oven or the stove stop, try using a toaster oven or slow cooker. This way, energy usage can be reduced while also preventing the oven from generating additional and unnecessary heat into your home.
Another great tip for keeping cool is to make use of fans. These appliances are a great way to artificially circulate fresh air throughout the home. The key to using a fan effectively is placement. The ideal position for a fan is for the head to face up towards the ceiling. This is because hot air rises while cool air sinks.
Ceiling fans provide another means for effectively cooling a home. The base of the ceiling fan has a small switch which changes the direction of airflow. In the summer, fans should blow in a counterclockwise direction, forcing air down to make you feel cooler. However, in winter, ceiling fans should blow in a clockwise direction so that air can be circulated without directly falling onto you.
There is much debate around what to do with the doors in your home. Even though you may not be using a room, you shouldn’t close the door. It will effectively become a hotbox during the summer heat and once opened, the trapped air will filter throughout the rest of the home. In the summer you want all doors open so that air can flow freely throughout the rooms.
However, all these efforts will be futile if your windows are not effectively covered and shaded. This is because windows are a major source of heat gain into a home. Therefore, making sure your windows are ready for summer is the best first step towards keeping the heat out.
How to Keep the Heat Out
The importance of windows in the heat is highlighted by the statistic that 30% of unwanted heat comes from your windows. In order to stop heat from entering your home, here are 5 simple window changes to consider.
1. Close your windows during the hottest parts of the day
This first tip may seem like a no brainer, however, some people like to keep their windows open because of the idea that this will improve airflow. During the day, however, leaving windows open in the summer is like offering an open invitation for the heat to come in and invade your home. Close the windows so that hot air can’t come in.
2. Cover your windows
Heat can easily enter your home through the windows, which means that while a great first step, closing your windows won’t prevent heat from entering altogether. Instead, you need to cover the windows as well. Covering windows means that the heat rebounds and is diverted from entering the room.
3. Install outdoor sun shades
Everything from awnings to outdoor blinds will help keep the heat out of your home. External coverage means that heat is prevented from building up inside the solid materials or the foundation of your home. Once the heat builds up, it takes days to be released, resulting in a hot home even after the heatwave has passed.
4. Frames and glazing treatments
The strength of windows frames, along with the glazing component can greatly affect the energy efficiency of your windows. Consider switching window frames to something energy efficient like UPVC or combination frames (which typically use both aluminum frames on the outside of the house, and timber frames inside for the best of both worlds). These materials won’t transfer heat or cold.
5. Breeze proof your windows
Heat can be both gained and lost from existing houses due to air leakage or draughts. So, before summer hits, seal gaps around your doors and windows in order to draught-proof your home. This exercise will save energy and money and keep your house cool in summer and warm in winter.
Enjoy a comfortable summer with Artilux
There are many ways to effectively and affordably keep a house cool during the summer months. However, these means are almost useless if your windows aren’t properly looked after. When it’s time to keep a house cool in summer, the first port of call is your windows.
When it comes time to open the house up during the mellow mornings or to enjoy those cool summer night breezes, look no further than Artilux. Our range of retractable fly screens for windows and doors will cool your house down without opening your home up to all insects great and small. Schedule your free on-site consultation today.
