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A cool home to retreat to is one of the joys of summer, but with temperatures and energy costs on the rise, keeping cool in summer with cost-effective ideas is key. Regulating the temperature of your home boils down to two strategies: keeping heat from entering in the first place; and cooling it down once heat and hot air builds up.
If building or renovating a house, you can incorporate passive design strategies (such as cross ventilation, eaves and optimal orientation) to address temperature spikes from the outset and help keep your space cool in summer. Older homes and rental properties can also be made more comfortable in the summer heat with a few prudent updates and room cooling tips. Here are nine ways to keep your home cool, without breaking the bank.
Elham Monavari from the Green Building Council of Australia says deflecting the sun is the first step to keeping your home cool throughout summer. “Installing awnings around the house is an effective way to minimise heat gain, as are external and internal shading devices,” she says. For west-facing windows and doors, Elham recommends external shutters and shading.
Strategic positioning of trees and shrubs is another way to reduce heat into a home. “Planting around the house helps cool air flowing in – and native plants use less water and help local fauna,” says Elham. “Deciduous trees, planted around north, northeast and north-west facing windows, let sun in during winter and provide shade in the summer, so act as natural cooling devices for a home.” Be aware of potentially invasive tree roots when planting trees.
Air conditioning for outdoors? Yes, please! A misting system basically works the same as an evaporative cooler, emitting a super-fine mist of water that cools the air as it evaporates. You can pick up a misting kit for less than $100 to DIY install – it includes fittings to attach the pipe to the outside of your patio area. Then, you simply turn on the tap and enjoy the instant cooling. Or, you can convert an outdoor fan – wall, floor or pedestal – with a misting ring to get an evaporative cooling effect. (Indoors, use a misting pedestal fan.)
Hard surfaces can absorb and radiate heat in the garden, so reducing hardscaped areas in favour of garden beds and vegetation, or shading with trees or structures such as pergolas, awnings or awning blinds, umbrellas or shade cloths is also advised. You can also soften the effect with greenery. “If you have a large expanse of dark fencing, look at planting hedging along it – pear or olive trees pop beautifully against a dark background – or large-leaf foliage,” says Landscape architect Matt Leacy of Landart (landart.com.au). “If space is tight, try something like a creeping fig climbing across fences or, for a pop of colour, bougainvillea can also be a great option.” If you’re putting down new pavers, bear in mind lighter colours absorb less heat. When considering turf, real grass is cooler, says Matt. So save faux grass for shady areas.
A fountain won’t do much to lower the temperature of your entire backyard, but tinkling water features can create a localised pocket of cool. “You’ll feel the coolness from the water – and the sound of running water is lovely and soothing,” says Matt. “If you live in an inner-city area, a water feature can provide a lovely ambient background sound that helps mask urban noises beyond your garden.”
The material your home is built from affects its performance in hot and cold weather. The thicker the walls and the better the seals around windows and doors, the cooler in summer (or warmer in winter) you will be. Insulation between external and internal walls and packed into the roof cavity can dramatically improve temperature regulation, and insulating strips used around doors and windows will also keep heat from creeping in. Minimum insulation criteria has applied to new dwellings for many years now but, if you live in an older home, a DIY retrofit is achievable and worthwhile.
To further reduce heat transfer through windows, curtains and blinds are essential. The most effective material for these is block-out fabric, says Bunnings home furnishings buyer Hannah Ahtuam. Sheers are useful if you want natural light without the full searing heat of the sun, but their ability to block heat is limited, so stick to a more heavy duty solution for rooms that bear the full brunt of the afternoon sun. Look at how window furnishings are fixed, too, says Hannah. “Face fixing roller blinds [covering the whole window] can help to minimise sunlight coming in over the top and sides; hang curtains above the frame. And close coverings before the sun reaches peak temperature to help prevent heat entering the home.”
Windows can be both the problem and the solution for keeping a home cool. Heat passes through glass into your home (double glazing helps to reduce thermal transfer) but, when the temperature drops, an open window is just like free air conditioning. To make your windows work for you, keep them closed when it’s hotter outside than inside. Then open them when the temperature drops; if there’s a breeze, open windows on opposite sides of the house so hot air can escape.
Pedestal, tower and ceiling fans all move air around, creating a cooling effect. Ceiling fans should be set to rotate anticlockwise in summer, to push air directly down.
Most homes will wilt after a run of hot days but when air conditioning can account for around 40 per cent of household energy use* it pays to use it wisely. Do your research to make sure the aircon you choose is right for your home and needs, and get nerdy about the settings – experts advise setting the thermostat to 8°C cooler than the outside temperature for maximum efficiency*. And use fans to help circulate the cooler air around your home.
Renters can consider portable air conditioner options. Bunnings national electrical buyer John Campbell says, “Portable air conditioners are suitable for cooling specific rooms and offer more energy-efficient cooling than central AC, if used sparingly.” If you’re kicking off a building project, it’s worth consulting the Green Building Council of Australia website. “It’s a great guide for turning your home into the most efficient and resilient home it can be,” says Elham.
No air conditioning? Here’s a hack to keep your cool: hang a damp towel on a rack in front of a desktop or floor fan (not over the fan). Or put a bowl of ice in front of the fan.
*Sources: choice.com.au, energyrating.gov.au, yourhome.gov.au
Check out more handy tips on heating and cooling in your home.
Photo Credit: GAP Photos/Tomek Ciesielski
Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.
When following our advice in our D.I.Y. videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.
