5 Uncommon Ways To Keep Your Home Cool

The way British houses are built is fantastic at keeping the heat in during winter, but this benefit comes back to bite us in summer. As hotter summers are becoming more common, get clued up on how to keep your house cool so that you can be one of the comfortable few during the hottest months.

1.    Close the blinds

The effect of a powerful sun on a window are undeniable. Prevent this heat from getting into your home unnecessarily by keeping your blinds closed during the day.

You can double down on the effect of closing your blinds by planting large trees or bushes around your home to stop the sun from heating you from the outside. However, this is of course a large scale change that may take some time to take effect.

2.    Keep windows closed

Despite popular opinion, keeping the windows and doors shut prevents hot air entering your home. This helps to keep rooms cool better than cracking open a window. That said, if you can create a cross-breeze, where air can flow through your room or home, this is a great way to create a cooling breeze.

If having the windows open is causing your closed blinds to rattle, consider opening them slightly to let the breeze pass.

3.    Avoid using big devices

Big devices in your home like your oven, dishwasher, tumble dryer, and washing machine can have a large heat output. If you’re looking to keep the heat in your home to a minimum, try to avoid using these appliances as much as possible.

Switch a big cooked meal for a salad or the classic British summertime ‘nibbly bits’, and do your washing in the evening/overnight when temperatures are lower.

4.    Change your lightbulbs

It sounds silly, but if you still have a lot of incandescent bulbs in your home they might be to blame for excess heat. Incandescent bulbs waste a lot of energy by creating heat as well as light, so if you’re looking for a quick way to lower the temperature by a few degrees, this may be the key.

What’s more, LED bulbs can also save you money on your energy bills!

5.    Invest in an air conditioner

If you’ve tried everything and your home is still too warm, it might be time to consider investing in an air conditioner or air cooling unit. You can pick up a powerful air cooler for cheaper than you might think. For example, the MasterKool iKOOL 1.3L Green Mini Evaporative Cooler is less than £50.

A good quality air conditioner or cooler will last you for years to come, and some units even have a heat pump so they can be used all year round.