How To Keep Cool At Home in Summer

Arriving home to a really warm house after being out and about can be draining. In Summer, it’s nice to be out enjoying the sun at the beach, by the pool or playing sport. But when you come home, you want to cool down and cool down quickly.

Reaching for the air conditioning remote is our first instinct, but it can also drive up our electricity bill, not to mention how it affects global warming. So how can we influence the temperature of our home without negatively impacting our bills or the environment?

In this article, we outline how to keep cool in summer at home, saving you money, cooling your house, adding shade and being kind to mother earth. Read on to find out more about how you can keep cool this summer.

Closing the blinds

Blinds are a crucial part of keeping the home cool. Unwanted heat comes through the window panes so blinds can block the heat from penetrating the home. By investing in good quality light and heat blocking blinds, you’ll be contributing significantly to reducing the heat load of the home.

Blockout blinds are particularly effective. Ensure the blinds are closed from late morning to early evening. However, avoid dark synthetic drapes because they absorb a lot of heat. What you need is a light or white coloured fabric, one with a white blockout backing is most efficient.

Opening the blinds at certain times

Opening the windows at certain times of the day help to keep airflow and cross-ventilation on point without allowing heat in. Keep windows open in the morning and late afternoon as these are the cooler times of the day, all other hours, keep the windows firmly shut. Open your windows between 5 am and 8 pm, or 8 pm and 10 pm. During these times, the natural breeze is pleasantly cool.

Note that temperature significantly drops during the summer evenings. Having windows open at night will, therefore, help you keep cool during this time. However, do not open your windows during the afternoons or mid-morning.

Adjust ceiling fans

Ensuring your ceiling fans are travelling in the right direction is important to ensure the temperature moves in the right direction.

Sometimes, the ceiling fans only push hot air around the house. Your home will, therefore, not get cool enough during these times. It will help if you ensure that your fan is rotating in a counter-clockwise manner.

In warm weather, ensure you set the fan speed to high. Doing this will push air down and help create a cooling effect. Only pre-set your fan to rotate clockwise during the winter. Doing this will push all the cool air up rather than down.

Install external shade

External shade significantly reduces the heat of a home by using effective materials to block harsh sunlight from reaching glazed areas and entering the home. By completely blocking the sunlight and heat, the home stays cooler and reduces the need for the air conditioning to be working all day long.

Effective shade control systems could be anything from retractable awnings that can be automated, external blinds, and external venetians. All are retractable and offer heat and sun-blocking to make your home so much more comfortable in the summer months.

If you’re looking to keep cool in summer, then start right and get shading your home. Helioscreen is a leading producer of high-end blinds and outdoor shading that can help you keep your home cool during the summer. Contact us today for all the best sun control solutions.