Cool it: 7 ways to keep your house cool in the summer

It’s official, Melbourne: we are leaving La Niña. Yes, those of cooler summer temps are on their way out, potentially making way for a resurgence in those gnarly 40 degree days that keep us locked inside out of fear of breathing in nothing but thick, unpleasant air!

And, if we are once again blessed with some of these exorbitantly hot arvos, the kind of which do keep us inside, just how are we going to keep the home cool, especially if we don’t have access to a world class cooling system?

Let’s find out a few tips and tricks below:

1. Keep the blinds closed

The first thing you have to do is keep your blinds closed to block out that intense summer sun. But you shouldn’t just have any design - you should consider investing in the best cafe blinds Melbourne has, just to ensure you’re really blocking out the brightness of a 43 degree sun!

2. Block out the heat, too

Keep the heat out of the home and spend far less on cooling systems. Walls using external coverings with everything from awnings to shades and potted plants do a great job in cooling the home. What’s more, deciduous trees can cast even more shade over the home on the hotter days of the year. What’s more, you can invest in ceiling insulation and window tinting to better insulate the home.

3. Setting the temp

If you do have access to a proper cooling device, set the thermostat between the 24/27 degree mark. Increasing it just one degree can greatly reduce your cooling bill, as well as investing in a system with a high quality energy rating.

4. Work the fans properly

You need to ensure that your fans are running counter-clockwise, as this pushes the air straight down and creates a cooling effect. Conversely, having your fans run clockwise only works to circulate the hot air around the room, thus making your place warmer than it really has to be!

Finally, when it really is quite ghastly out, be sure to set the fan speed higher, as this once again adds to the fan’s ability to cool the room as opposed to producing more warm, unpleasant air!

5. Seal gaps & close doors

Keep the doors closed to rooms you aren’t using to ensure the cool air is where you need it to be. Seal gaps around windows and doors so as to not allow warm air to enter the home whilst allowing cool air (from the likes of a cooling system) to escape.

6. Open up the space when the evening rolls around

Why? Because if a cool change comes rolling through in the evening then the last thing you will want to do is stop some of that lovely, refreshing air from entering your home. This is truly one of summer’s simple joys: the moment you realise a cool wind is coming on, there may be a little rain and you can be sure your home will cool right down.

7. Stay hydrated

This one’s more about the home itself, but by staying hydrated you will be able to keep your body temperature lower, thus ensuring you will be a lot cooler than if you were to languish there, all dehydrated and extra toasty!

Be sure to follow these seven imperative tips for keeping cool even when the sun is like, “nup, not today - I’m going to make you so toasty!” You won’t regret implementing them…

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