The warmer months of the year offer the perfect environment for sunny pool days, trips to the beach and a vast array of other leisurely outdoor activities. But inside a house without aircon, the summer heat creates muggy sleepless nights and sweltering, sweaty days. Here are our top six ways to keep your home as cool as can be this summer without air conditioning. Consider fitting blackout curtains Blackout curtains and blinds are not only a fantastic way to sleep soundly beyond the crack of dawn, but they also offer respite from the hot sunshine. The curtains drastically reduce the transmission of outside heat through the windows, creating a cooler space. What’s more, these curtains help in winter by retaining heat. They’re an investment you’ll be grateful for all year-round! Plant shady trees outside sunny windows While this one takes some time to reap the rewards from, it’s still a fantastic method to reduce heat which you’ll thank yourself for in the future. By planting shady trees and bushes outside windows that catch the sun, you’ll block the direct sun rays out and help keep the house much cooler. Use the barbecue over the oven The oven’s job is to create scorching heat, so when it’s already sweltering inside, the oven makes things worse. Instead, try and use the barbecue outside for cooking up meals to avoid creating more heat inside. Besides, barbecues are an iconic Aussie summer tradition, so it’s a great time of year to fire up the barbie! Check the direction of your ceiling fan As weird as it may sound, your ceiling fan may actually be making you hotter, not cooler. Your fan should be spinning in an anti-clockwise direction to optimally project cool air downwards. In winter, clockwise is ideal for circulating the air without projecting the cool air down (which is what you want in summer). To check which direction your fan’s spinning, turn it on and stand underneath it. If it’s not going the right way, there is almost always a switch on the base of the fan that will change the direction. Leave windows open at night It may seem overly intuitive, but leaving your windows open at night is your best bet at getting a good night’s sleep and prepping your house to remain cool the next day. The cooler outside temperature combined with the breeze will significantly help drop the inside temperature. The only thing to be mindful of when leaving your windows open is the compromise in security, so it’s worth looking into installing security screens that allow the breeze in, but keep intruders out. Invest in security screens Sometimes a security screen is so much more than just a security screen. Crimsafe security screens won’t just protect your home and family from unwanted intruders; they will also help to improve the energy efficiency of your home. The stainless-steel woven mesh blocks up to 53% of solar heat gain, keeping your home cooler in summer, and warmer in winter. It also blocks up to 62% of harmful UVs, meaning that your family will be protected from the harsh sun during the day. From the front door to your windows, Crimsafe’s leading security screens can help you keep it cool at home this summer.
