Best Way to Keep House Cool During Summer
blog
18 easy ways to keep your house cool this summertime
07 June 2022 | OVO Energy
Hither in the UK, our weather is notoriously fickle. Frequently after seemingly endless weeks or months of dreary winter weather, we'll suddenly have a glorious heatwave.
The thing is, as happy as we are to run across blazing sunshine, we Brits aren't that well prepared for hot conditions (even though it'south happening more often). Almost of our homes are designed to keep us warm, not common cold – and information technology's rare for us Brits to beat out out for air conditioning!
So, we've been busy thinking up some tips to help yous stay cool this summer: from how to cool downwards your room quickly, to how to sleep during a heatwave. What's more than, some of these tips will mean you lot don't take to rely on energy-guzzling electronics that do zero favours for your energy bills, or your carbon footprint. Lower bills to go with your lower temperature? Sounds similar a good deal to usa!
How to cool down a room without air-conditioning: viii tips for cooling down fast
1. Shut the windows and draw the curtains
Tempting as it is to fling open the windows at the commencement sign of estrus, it could backlash on you. To go along your house cool, you lot need to keep the hot air out, and so this means keeping windows – particularly southward-facing windows – closed and covered with blinds or curtains during the day. Then at night fourth dimension, when the temperature has dropped, you tin can open up everything up, to give your house a good airing.
two. Create a cross-breeze through the business firm
Okay, we know nosotros just said you demand to continue your windows closed. But sometimes, you simply need to feel a breeze on your skin. If you must throw the windows open, practise it strategically, and then you lot get a catamenia of air moving through the house.
This means opening windows at contrary sides of the house and keeping doors open up so the air can move through freely. You could also position a fan towards a window, and then that information technology's pushing the hot air outside. If you can, go along curtains and blinds closed, to deflect any directly sunlight.
Pro-tip for those with sash windows: make sure both the peak and bottom are open up equal amounts. The theory (well according to the Victorians, anyway), is that cool comes in through the lower opening, and warm air is pushed out through the top.
3. Place some bowls of water around the house
Leaving bowls of water lying effectually might wait a little untidy, just doing so can help cool hot air. Any hot cats or dogs that live with you lot will probably also be grateful!
Similarly, trees and plants human activity as natural air-conditioners and pump moisture into the atmosphere, so consider investing in a overnice houseplant to help your efforts. Just remember to water it!
four. Unplug and switch off your devices
A surprising amount of estrus is generated from appliances around the business firm. Switching them off tin can assist avoid internal estrus gains. Turn them off when they're not being used (don't just leave them on standby), and make sure the backs of fridges and freezers have plenty of ventilation space. As these appliances in particular tin pump a lot of unnecessary heat into a room.
If y'all can, hang your clothes up to dry, rather than using a tumble dryer, and mitt-wash any dishes. These steps might take a bit longer, but they'll stop electrical appliances from heating upwardly the house even more (not to mention, chop a bit of money off your free energy bills). Find out more about how to wash your dishes in an eco-friendly fashion.
v. Alter your lightbulbs
Conventional incandescent lite bulbs are surprisingly inefficient. In fact, they give off upwardly to 90% of their energy as waste heatane. Switch to low-energy light bulbs to reduce overheating (not to mention save money).
six. Don't use the oven
Nosotros all know the saying: can't stand up the heat? Become out of the kitchen!
Cooking hot meals can, of course, estrus things upwards in your dwelling house. Try swapping to cold meals like salads and sandwiches, to proceed temperatures down. Once again, this volition accept the added benefit of using less energy, so it'southward a win-win for you and the environment!
seven. Invest in a fan (and use information technology wisely)
Fans can prove a summertime godsend, but they tend to consume a lot of free energy (fifty-fifty when on standby) so it'southward of import to make sure y'all're making the most of them.
Since heat rises, the coolest air in your business firm is going to be at floor level – so fix your fan on the floor, and signal it upwards. Position it so that it points outwards towards the opposite wall, unobstructed by large objects. This volition bounce libation air off the wall and dorsum into the room, where it mixes with warm air, to assist cool the temperature.
It's also a skilful idea to set a timer on your fan, to make sure you lot're beingness as energy-efficient as you can.
8. Even better: attempt an ice fan
Need to get libation faster? Endeavour placing a bowl of ice and cold water in front of your fan'southward blades, so the air blows beyond it.
This will send icy h2o droplets all around the room, which should feel similar a relief on your parched skin. Voila: a homemade, DIY air-conditioner!
How to sleep in the rut
Staying absurd at night is vital for a adept night'south sleep. We've all been in that location, tossing and turning during an endless night, and it'south non a keen feeling. So here are 6 ways to continue your bedroom (and yourself!) cool this summer.
1. Take a cold shower earlier bed
Sometimes the best manner to fight the heat is to fox your body into thinking information technology's cooler. One way to exercise this is to have a quick common cold shower right earlier you hitting the pillow for the dark.
Remember not to brand the water as well cold, and don't do this right after you've come in from intense heat. A sudden change in trunk temperature can be unsafe!
two. Swap your duvet for a sheet
Lite, breezy cotton sheets trap less oestrus than the thick duvets nosotros usually have on our beds. And then to go prepped for summertime, swap your bedding for something thinner.
three. Put your pyjamas in the freezer – yep, really!
Information technology might sound a chip lightheaded, just hear us out. You can brand your bed experience squeamish and cool past putting your sheets and PJs in the freezer for merely a few minutes earlier bedtime.
Though information technology won't terminal all night, this should create a cooling effect for merely long enough for you to autumn asleep. Just don't overdo it, or you'll accept hardened icicles for bed sheets!
4. Turn your hot h2o bottle into an water ice pack
Did you know that yous can use a hot water bottle to cool downward? It sounds counter-intuitive, but it's true. Just stick a hot water bottle full of h2o into the freezer a few hours earlier bed.
Once frozen, it'll emit common cold in the same style that information technology warms you upwardly if you employ hot water. Stash your water ice pack in the bed before you go far, or place it under your anxiety, to help you lot regulate your temperature equally you migrate off.
5. Sleep close to the floor
Heat rises – and then common sense tells us that if y'all stay closer to the floor, you lot'll be less hot. You could try using a Japanese futon, or an air mattress, to slumber lower downwardly. Bonus points if you can slumber on the ground floor, or in the basement.
If yous have i, you could too try sleeping in a hammock. Past suspending yourself above the ground, you'll have air flowing all around you.
6. Get bed sheets fabricated from natural fibres
Synthetic materials don't blot as much moisture as natural ones, so they'll go out you feeling sweaty. Getting a cotton fiber sheet, or i fabricated of natural fibres, will assist you stay drier.
Buckwheat pillows are also splendid for hot nights. They encourage air flow, unlike traditional cotton pillows, and don't hold onto heat.
How to proceed a room cool that faces the sunday
Got a s-facing window with sunlight streaming in? It might look pretty, but it could also be heating up the air in your domicile. Also as all the tips to a higher place, try these 3 slightly more involved ideas to go along your room cool all summertime long.
1. Get some energy-efficient windows
The biggest upwards-side to energy-efficient windows is commonly that they go along the heat inside your home. So when you lot have the heating on during winter, you're not losing energy to the outside world. But during summer, they're also improve at keeping the sun's oestrus outside!
Interested? Check out our consummate guide to free energy-efficient windows and doors.
2. Plant some leafy shade outside your window
Trees and plants aren't just lush to look at. They're not fifty-fifty just good for the wellness of the planet. They're also excellent at keeping you cool.
If y'all've got green fingers, retrieve nearly planting some trees, or tall, wide plants outside your due south-facing window. The shade should help to protect yous from some of the sun's heat. Discover out more than about the best trees to institute at dwelling.
three. Install an awning or window cover
To maximise the shade over your window, recollect about getting an awning, or some shutters. This will give you even more protection against the sun's harsh rays.
Insulate your dwelling properly, to keep it the right temperature all year round
These tips all offer quick solutions to proceed your firm cool – but sometimes it's worth thinking more long-term. Especially as heatwaves are becoming more than common in the UK, with climate change leading to hotter summers in the near-future.
Most people associate edifice insulation with cold weather condition, and keeping heat in – simply it'due south simply every bit good at keeping the heat out, too. Check out our straightforward guides to roof and loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, and solid wall insulation, and you'll exist reaping the rewards all year round!
Choose OVO Energy to power your home the green way
Desire to ability your home with 100% renewable electricity 2, support tree-planting around the UK, and find out more about how to fight the climate crisis?
Choose OVO as your energy supplier and you'll go:
- A tree planted in your proper noun every unmarried yr you're with united states3
- Access to OVO Greenlight for free energy-saving tips
- An laurels-winning smart meter experience (Uswitch 2020)
- A £50 souvenir card every fourth dimension you innovate a friend to us
Check our range of plans and see how much you could save now.
Sources and references:
one https://www.mrsec.psu.edu/content/light-seedling-efficiency#:~:text=Merely%2010%25%20of%20the%20energy,ninety%25%20is%20lost%20as%20heat.
2 100% of the renewable electricity we sell is backed past renewable certificates (Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin certificates (REGOs)). See here for details on Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin certificates and how these piece of work. A proportion of the electricity nosotros sell is also purchased directly from renewable generators in the UK.
3 Each year, OVO plants 1 tree for every fellow member in partnership with the Woodland Trust. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, so tree-planting helps to slow down climate change.
View more from these categories
stapletonexciation91.blogspot.com
Source: https://www.ovoenergy.com/blog/lifestyle/how-to-keep-your-house-cool-this-summer
0 Response to "Best Way to Keep House Cool During Summer"
Post a Comment