A lot of people look forward to summer because it’s the perfect season to go on a vacation or get some tan on the beach. It is the perfect time to do some traveling, go camping, or do other outdoor activities that you weren’t able to do for the past few months.
But the summer season also means hot temperatures, both outdoors and indoors. Sometimes the temperature could be so hot that some areas experience intense heatwaves. High temperatures can cause heat-related injuries, such as heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, and heat rash.
Although being out in the sun feels good, you don’t want to bring that heat inside your home. Hence, people are always looking for ways to keep their homes cool during summer. There are several methods to achieve this without ruining your interior design. Let’s check out some of the stylish ways to keep your home cool and comfy despite the sweltering summer heat outside.
Surround yourself with more greens
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Plants not only give off fresh air, it also provides shade for your home that helps a lot during summer. This is especially true for trees. However, trees need time to grow so the best time to start planting them is years ago. If you don’t have trees in your backyard to give you shade, you can opt to bring in some indoor plants for fresher air.
Invest in a quality air conditioning system
The best way to cool down your home this coming summer is by investing in a quality air conditioning system. Air conditioning is no longer a luxury but a necessity, especially during hot weather. You can choose between ducted, split, and multi-split systems, depending on which part of the property you want to cool down.
Ducted systems are the most convenient and effective way of air conditioning your whole house while the split system is great for air conditioning your rooms. Multi Split Air Conditioning systems, on the other hand, are good way for air conditioning your whole house or part of your house when you either don’t have ceiling space for a ducted system, or you only want 2 or 3 rooms air-conditioned.
It is also important to keep your exiting aircon units maintained by experts to prevent emergency breakdowns.
Keep your windows and blinds closed
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During summer, your tendency is to open all windows to let the air in. But what you don’t realize is that the air you are letting inside your home is hot, contributing to the higher temperature inside your home. According to studies, up to 30% of unwanted heat actually comes from your windows. Keeping the hot air out by closing your windows, curtains and blinds can save you up to 7% on energy consumption and reduce indoor temperatures by up to 20 degrees.
Closing the windows and blinds prevents your home from becoming a mini greenhouse, which is true for south- and west-facing windows. If your air conditioning system is on, closing the windows ensures that the cool temperature stays inside the house.
Use a blackout curtain
Another way of ensuring that your home remains cool is by using blackout curtains. Blackout curtains are designed to block sunlight, providing natural insulation for the rooms in which they are installed. Blackout curtains also reduce energy consumption by cutting the amount of sunlight and UV rays that enters the room. Consumer Reports suggests choosing neutral-colored blackout curtains with white plastic backings to lower heat gain by up to 33 percent.
Change your sheets
Seasonally switching your bedding not only freshes a up a room, it is also a great way to keep your indoor cool. Though textiles like flannel sheets and fleece blankets are great for insulation, switching to cotton is a smarter move during because it allows air to pass through easier and feels cooler to the touch.
witch off unused appliances
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A surprising amount of heat comes from appliances around the house, even though they are not running. Switch them off to help prevent internal heat gains. Don’t just leave them on standby. If you’re not using them, turn them off completely and unplug from the socket. For example, don’t leave your TV on when no one’s watching and make sure to turn off lights when there’s no one in the room. This also helps you save money on your bills. Check also the backs of fridges and freezers to make sure they have plenty of ventilation space. These appliances can pump a lot of unnecessary heat into a room.
It is also a good idea to switch to low energy light bulbs to reduce overheating. Conventional incandescent light bulbs give off up to 90% of their energy as waste heat in the process, adding to the heat inside the room.
Make some long-term improvements
If you’re really want to keep your home cooler for the seasons to come, you can make a couple changes to your home such as installing insulated window films. You can also have awnings and plant trees near light-facing windows to shield your home from the sun’s rays. These will lower the amount of heat your home absorbs and make your home even more comfortable.
Wrapping Up
You don’t have to crank up your AC just to stay cool and comfy. Keeping your home cool this summer should be easy by following the tips at The Architecture Designs.
