As the years tick on by we’re finding a steady increase in summer temperatures around the globe. Even with the inviting bright days and braai weather, the heat could make for quite an uncomfortable season.
Here are some quick and easy tips on how to cool your home down this summer.
Throw some shade in your Landscaping
- A few quick changes to your outdoor greenery in your garden can make a huge difference in your indoor temperature.
- By planting trees next to prime windows that receive the most sunlight, this will decrease your heat indoors by providing shade from the direct rays of the sun.
- Another way to easily cool down your home is to have a body of water near your windows or doors such as a bird bath. When the water evaporates, this will result in a cooling effect through your home.
- Sometimes heat enters your home indirectly through the sunlight’s reflection off the ground outside. To prevent this you can simply add a form of ground cover or mulch to the areas with the brightest reflection.
Shed some new light
- A simple task such as changing your light bulbs can make a difference to the temperature of your home.
- A normal incandescent bulb will convert most of the electric current into heat and only about 10% of the current into light.
- Fluorescent lights emit less heat and LED bulbs are the best option for reducing heat.
Dress up those windows
- The most simple option to decrease heat in your home is to dress up your windows with curtains or blinds. Window film can be another option to shade your home from the striking sun.
- Awnings are a great alternative as they not only provide a great deal of shade but also pick up your home aesthetically.
Choose a position and stick to it
- If you are constructing a new home make sure you position your house in the right direction according to your needs.
- In South Africa, properties that face North or North East receive the sun’s rays from the morning right through to the evening.
- If your home faces East it will mainly receive sunshine during the morning.
- South facing homes will not be that sunny at all. You might actually face a problem with dampness. A South facing garden would not be too happy as it will receive minimal sunshine.
- Finally West facing homes will receive most of their sunshine in the afternoon, however this sunlight will tend to be low.
Cool as Concrete
- Concrete has the ability to act as a “thermal mass” in your home. Thermal masses are heavy material that tend to absorb heat during the daytime and release this heat at night when the temperature is cooler.
- Concrete blocks, concrete floors and concrete walls are good thermal masses and will keep the temperature in your home constant.
Info sourced from: www.finder.com.au; www.greenbuildingadvisor.com; www.discovery.co.za;
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