Beat the Heat: How to Keep Your House Cool in Summer

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

When temperatures rise outside, the temperature inside raises as well. The hot summer heat can make it difficult to be productive, get a good night’s sleep, and can negatively affect your mood. Let’s explore ways to beat the heat and keep your house cool this summer without the use of an air conditioner.

Control the Humidity

Humidity can make everything feel hotter. With more moisture in the air, it’s harder for your body’s sweat to evaporate. The ideal indoor humidity in the summer is between 40% and 50%. One of the perks of air conditioning units is they use dehumidifiers to remove excess moisture from the air. You can purchase your own dehumidifier to use without air conditioning to reduce your indoor humidity.

It’s also a good idea to limit steam use during the day. Steaming hot showers and boiling water for cooking should be done before sunrise or after sunset to reduce your home’s humidity.

Appliance Use

Appliances and electronics produce a lot of heat. You can use an outdoor grill instead of the stove or oven. That way, the heat stays outside your home, and you still get delicious food! If you must use your stove, be sure you’re running the rangehood fan to draw heat out of your space.

Air Movement

Air movement can make a hot sticky room feel comfortable and cool. For a simple air conditioning-like hack, place a bowl of ice in front of a non-oscillating fan. As the ice begins to melt into cold water, the fan will blow an icy cool breeze.

Many ceiling fans have a switch located on their units that changes fan blade directions. During the summer, be sure your fan is moving counterclockwise to create a down draft. Additionally, cross breezes keep air moving. If you have a set of windows that are in line or diagonal from one another, you can create a cross breeze. Adding fans can enhance this, too. In one window, aim the fan to blow air out of the room and the other to pull air in.

Window Shades

The Department of Energy reports that using window coverings can reduce heat gain by up to 77%. For shades to be effective, hang them as close to the window as possible to create a sealed space and keep them closed during daylight hours. Light colored shades work best at reflecting sunlight, although any type of window covering is better than nothing.

Exterior Shade

The sun feels hotter in the summer because our seasonal planet rotation is closer to the sun than other times of the year, like the winter. Rooms that don’t absorb the sun’s rays are typically the coolest. Have you noticed that certain areas of your home with less windows and sunlight, such as your basement, are usually cool year-round?

By blocking the sun from reaching your home’s windows, you’ll notice a significant drop in interior temperatures. Exterior shade can be achieved by planting trees or thick foliage bushes close to your home. Fencing may also help block the sun from low-level windows. Awnings and covers for our home and patio are also good options for creating shade. According to the United States Department of Energy, awnings can reduce solar heat gain between 65% and 77%.

Keep Your Cool All Summer Long

If your home’s internal temperature continues to rise with no avail, you may benefit from energy efficient upgrades, like additional insulation or new windows. Energy efficient upgrades not only help you regulate your home’s temperature, but also reduce your utility costs. When you’re ready to discuss home financing, contact us today!