The hot and humid weather during summer can be challenging for many homeowners. High temperatures and humidity levels make the indoors feel stuffy and uncomfortable.
Extreme heat is also dangerous, especially for vulnerable age groups like the elderly and infants. Hence, finding ways to keep your home cool is crucial for comfort and safety during summer.
A cooler home provides a welcome respite after a long, hot day and ensures you can get a good night’s sleep. Making your home more comfortable in the summer heat also reduces the need for air conditioning, which is better for the environment and your wallet.
The good news is there are many things you can do to beat the heat without breaking the bank on high electricity bills. With some simple adjustments and smart techniques, you can keep the interior of your house significantly cooler than the sweltering outdoors.
Below are 8 tips to help you keep your home cool during hot summer weather. These practical suggestions will help you chill out all summer long.
1. Optimize Bathroom Ventilation
Bathrooms can become unexpected hotspots in homes, especially during the summer months. Heat generated from showers and baths can seep into other parts of the house, increasing the overall temperature. Enhancing ventilation can significantly help in dissipating this heat. However, a proper ventilation strategy goes beyond just installing an exhaust fan.
Consider seeking advice from your local bathroom remodelling experts. If you want the design and ventilation tailored to your specific bathroom layout, search for remodelers online by using keywords like custom bathroom remodeling experts near me and get connected with professionals in your area. This way, you not only get a cooler home but also a bathroom that’s both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
2. Install Window Awnings
Window awnings are an excellent way to shade the interior from intense sunlight. Awnings prevent the sun’s direct rays from heating up the air and surfaces inside the home. They are available as both DIY kits or can be professionally installed for a permanent fixture.
Focus on installing awnings above windows on the south and west-facing sides of your home, as these get the most sun exposure. Retractable awnings allow you to control when shade is provided. Stationary aluminum versions are particularly durable and provide constant shading. The cooling shade from window awnings can reduce indoor temperatures by up to 20°F.
3. Let Your Landscaping Provide Shade
Carefully designed landscaping around your home can provide significant shade and cooling power. Strategically planted trees, vines, shrubs, and bushes can dramatically reduce the heat transmitted through windows and walls.
Plant deciduous trees like maples, oaks, and honey locusts on the south and west sides of your house to block the summer sun while still allowing winter light. Fast-growing vines like jasmine and grapes grown on trellises create living shade walls. Large shrubs and bushes planted close to the house also provide shade. A well-planned landscape can reduce surface temperatures by up to 45°F.
4. Seal Air Leaks
Air leaks throughout the home let hot outdoor air infiltrate the interior, causing temperatures to rise. Sealing these gaps is one of the most effective ways to prevent heat gain.
Thoroughly caulk and weatherstrip around all windows, doors, electrical outlets, and any crevices in floors or walls. Pay particular attention to areas where different building materials meet. Reducing air leaks makes your home more energy efficient and less prone to heating up.
5. Use a Whole House Fan
Whole house fans are an affordable alternative to air conditioning. These large fans rapidly pull cool outdoor air in through open windows and expel hot indoor air through attic vents. They work best at night when outdoor temperatures drop.
Whole house fans use far less electricity than AC units. Just make sure to close up the house first thing in the morning to keep the cool air inside. Ductless models are easier to install as a DIY project.
6. Install Window Film
Solar window film is specially designed to block heat gain from sunlight. The film uses a thin metallic coating to reflect infrared light and radiation away from your home. Depending on the specific product, window films can reduce indoor temperatures by several degrees.
While DIY window tint films are available in kits for easy application, hiring a professional ensures proper installation without bubbles or creases that can reduce effectiveness. Window film also helps protect furnishings from sun damage.
7. Consider Radiant Barriers
Radiant barriers work by blocking and reflecting heat before it can enter your living spaces. The reflective material prevents up to 97% of radiant heat from penetrating your roof. This can significantly reduce cooling costs.
These barriers are fairly affordable and easy to install above the attic rafters yourself. Make sure the reflective side faces down toward the attic space. Radiant barriers work best with proper attic ventilation to dissipate the reflected heat. When used together, radiant barriers and ventilation can lower attic temperatures by up to 30°F.
8. Use Blackout Curtains
Blackout curtains are made from tightly woven, light-blocking fabrics that completely prevent sunlight from entering a room. Installing blackout curtains over windows is an easy way to minimize solar heat gain.
Close blackout curtains first thing in the morning on hot sunny days before the sun heats up your home’s interior. The darkened rooms will stay cooler than those exposed to direct light.
Conclusion
With high temperatures and humidity, summer can be the most challenging season for keeping your home comfortable. But you don’t need expensive air conditioning to chill out your house. Using smart techniques like exterior shading, insulation, and ventilation protects your home from the summer swelter.
Little improvements like weatherstripping and window coverings go a long way in preventing heat gain indoors. And taking advantage of natural cooling from shade trees, breezes, and nighttime air makes your home more hospitable when things get too hot. With this collection of tips, you can relax in cool comfort this summer without breaking the bank on high electricity bills. A cooler home helps you save money and reduces environmental impact—a win for both your wallet and the planet.