Staying Cool in the Summer: It’s Easy When You Know How!
As the summer is going to be kicking into high gear pretty soon, we decided it might be a good idea to discuss staying cool as it becomes your top priority. Whether you’re working from home or you’re understanding guests or the kids are off school and you just want to make sure that everybody’s comfortable, that rising heat can make things very uncomfortable very quickly. It doesn’t have to be, though. With a few smart choices and some easy upgrades to your current HVAC unit, you can keep your cool all season long.
One of the smartest ways that you can beat the heat, especially if you want comfort and energy efficiency, is considering a heat pump installation. The name might sound more like a winter solution, and it is kind of, But modern heat pumps work year round in summer, they reverse the process to provide powerful and efficient cooling of your home, and it’s a quiet and clean and cost effective way to regulate your temperature without you having to spend that too much on the electricity bills.
Best of all, though, many systems are eligible for energy rebates, which makes them a very good long-term investment. Even if a new system isn’t on the cards for you yet, there are still plenty of ways that you could stay comfortable when the temperature starts to spike.
- Keep the house dark. This doesn’t sound like something you want to do to stay cool in the summer when the sun is in the sky, but natural light keeps those rays streaming in. When the sun’s rays hit your windows, they’re heating up your home more than you realize. By keeping your blinds or your curtains closed during the hottest parts of the day, especially on the windows facing where the sun rises, blackout curtains or thermal drapes can make a surprisingly big difference in the temperature.
- Swap your bedding over. If you want to stay cool in the summer, then you need not have a winter tog duvet over you. Summer is not the season for heavy quilts and flannel sheets. Swap them out for lighter and breathable fabrics like cotton or linens. These materials will allow your skin to breathe and won’t trap the heat the way the synthetics do.
- Fans are your friend. Having fans around the house is a great idea, but they only work best when you use them strategically. Ceiling fans should rotate counterclockwise in the summer to push the cooler air down, and box fans can be placed in the windows of the evening to draw in the cooler air. If you want to be creative, place a bowl of ice in front of a fan for a DIY air conditioning effect.
- Don’t forget to cool yourself down. Staying hydrated, wearing loose fitting clothes and avoiding heavy meals during the hottest parts of the day will help you to stay cool. A quick and cold shower or even just running your wrists under cold water can bring your body temperature down in no time.
