For many people, summer denotes many exciting activities, but with the progression of global warming over the last decade, we’ve seen the summer heat approaches new extremes every year. When the heat gets unbearable, most of us resort to our air conditioners and other cooling devices, but we must remember that excessive energy use adds directly to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. Not to worry though, as there are tons of ways you can keep your house cool without excessive energy usage. This not only saves you money, but it also helps you be more environmentally conscious. Here are some basic summertime tricks to keep your home cool.
- Keep The Heat Out
If you manage to keep the summer heat out in the first place, you won’t have to turn towards cooling units at all. There are several ways you can heat-proof your house. By covering windows and walls from the outside of your house, you can effectively block heat from entering. You can also opt for heat-insulating window tints to keep your home cool. Another great option is investing in blackout curtains, as they are designed primarily to insulate rooms. Since most of these options don’t permanently block outside factors, you can easily let the cool wind flow through your house at night.
- Invest In Window Blinds
About 30% of unwanted heat enters your house through windows, so if you manage to cover your windows and block sunlight from entering there, you’ll effectively reduce the heat entering your home. Window blinds are an excellent way to do this; in fact, many blinds are designed specifically for this purpose. The south and west-facing windows and spaces such orangeries in your home are especially prone to letting in excessive heat, and therefore, should be covered with suitable blinds. By keeping your blinds closed, you’ll be able to save considerable electricity and reduce your home’s temperature by up to 20 degrees.
- Adjust Your Ceiling Fans
Instances where you feel that the ceiling fan is further warming your room rather than cooling it down, aren’t your imagination. Sure, the heat makes people go crazy, but your ceiling fan may really be blowing warm instead of cool air. This can be due to your fan rotating clockwise, which instead of creating a cool downward airflow, pulls the cool air up and heats your room further. So, ensure that you adjust the setting on your ceiling fan to counterclockwise when summer starts.
- Change Your Sheets
Switching your bed sheets will not only help you freshen your room but will also make sure it stays cool. While flannel and fleece sheets are great for winters, it’s a good idea to use cotton sheets during summer. Cotton sheets are comparatively more breathable and stay cooler. Additionally, you can get yourself buckwheat pillows to further reduce the heat in your rooms. Since buckwheat has hulls with naturally occurring space between them, they won’t conserve your body heat as normal pillows do.
- Switch To Cooler Lighting
Although incandescent bulbs have been long phased out from most homes, many people still haven’t switched to more innovative and environmentally sound lighting. If you’re one of these people, it may be time to make a change. Lightbulbs consume a considerable amount of energy and produce, or rather waste, 90% of this energy into producing heat. By replacing them with energy savers, you’ll notice quite a difference, not just in your home’s temperature but also in your electricity bill.
- Plant Trees Outside Your Home
Trees are the most natural and economical way to provide shade to your house and significantly reduce heat. Although growing a tree takes time, effort, and patience, and it’s not an overnight hack, with a little bit of planning and some time, you’ll observe significant results. A fully bloomed tree can block more than 70% of heat and solar radiation from entering your house, making it considerably cooler during the summer. Make sure you plant trees in front of the windows through which the most sunlight comes.
The scorching heat during the peak of summer can take all the fun out of your summer activities. It becomes challenging to stay at home without an AC system; however, that option isn’t always economically viable or environmentally friendly. Whether you’re trying to save energy or your environment, there are many alternatives you can use to keep your home cool during the blazing summer heat while also cutting back on energy consumption. From using insulating material to planting shady trees outside your house, you can try many solutions to cool your house down.
