Summer is around the corner, and weather predictions say that we can expect an increase in global average temperatures of over 1 degree Centigrade. Air conditioners can make your electricity bills skyrocket, and what’s more the cooling fluids in AC units are bad for the environment as they impact the ozone layer.

With the mercury soaring, what else can we do to cool down our homes? Here are some ways to naturally cool down your homes and keep the summer sizzle at bay!

Switch To Cotton Bed Linen

Put those winter quilts into storage for the summer! Cool, cotton sheets in whites and pastels can keep you from sweating on the most sweltering night.

how to reduce home temperature this summer

Keep Those Windows And Doors Open

Open the doors and windows on the opposite sides of your home for some cross-ventilation. Of course, if the outside temperatures are much higher than indoors, you should resort to closing the doors and windows and pulling the blinds down to keep the room as dark as possible.keep the windows and doors open

Ice It

Here’s a tip that’s time-tested and proven to reduce temperatures in a trice! Fill a large bowl with ice, and direct a fan to blow across the surface of the bowl. As the ice melts, it takes heat from the air above the bowl, which becomes cooler. The fan will blow this cool air across to where you’re sitting.

tips to keep your room cool

 

 

Invest In Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans keep the air constantly moving and cool your home. If they aren’t helping enough, get a floor-mounted fan that’s focused directly on you.ceiling fans

The Early Riser Gets The Chill

The outside air is usually cool in the early mornings, so if you’re an early riser, you can open the windows in the morning and shut them when the sun comes up.

open the windows in the morning

Have A Green Thumb?

Create a rooftop terrace garden with a lawn; a great way to cut the temperature by several degrees! Do keep in mind that the terrace will need to be checked to see if it can bear the extra weight, and the slab will need extra layers of waterproofing before you can start installing the lawn.

green area in terrace

Get Some Pots

Even without a lawn, having potted plants on the terrace and in your balconies can bring down the temperatures a notch or two.

potted plants on the terrace

Get The Right Lamps

Swap out all the incandescent lamps in your home to CFLs or LEDs. Not only do you save on energy, but these lamps will also give off less heat. Use as few lights as possible at night, and definitely keep them switched off during the day.

get the right lamps

Be Mindful Of When You Use Your Appliances

Your dishwasher, washing machine and drier generate a lot of heat. Whenever possible, use them at night or during the cooler part of the day.

use your appliances at night

Switch To Summer Foods

Reduce the use of your hob, grill and oven as they are high heat generators. All the more reason to switch to no-cook salads and juices in the summer!

summer foods and drinks

Press The Off Button

Guilty of leaving your laptops switched on even when it’s not being used? It’s a common heat generator, so try and remember to shut it down.

Design Your Home For The Summers

design your home for the summers

If you’re on the top floor, a false ceiling can significantly reduce the temperature in your room. A pocket of air between the roof and the ceiling will serve as insulation, preventing the radiant heat from the terrace from coming into the room.

Get Some Sun Control Film

sun control film
image credit Lady Rhino

You could consider covering the glass on your windows with sun control film, which keeps the temperatures inside lower as it reduces ambient heat transfer. High-quality films can reduce up to 79 per cent of solar heat. However, these are dark and will block your outdoor views permanently, so use them with caution.

Get Some Shade

If your balcony or terrace is unprotected from the sun, adding an awning or a pergola roof will filter the sun’s rays and provide some much-needed shade.

summer shade

Try A DIY Cooler

Wet a sheet and hang it over an open window (or a window that’s covered by a mesh). The breeze blowing in through the wet sheet will cool down your room.

Go Heavy On The Drapes

Protect your windows with heavy drapes that can block out the harsh sunlight. You can also try bamboo chick blinds that will filter the light in and tone down the sun’s rays.

heavy drapes

DIY Ice Pack

This tip may sound a bit bizarre, but it actually works! Fill an old sock with uncooked rice and freeze it for a couple of hours. When you go to bed, you can use this as a DIY ice pack. The rice will stay cool for several hours, by which time you will hopefully be fast asleep.

Open Vents Help

open vents high on the walls

Those who are building new homes could consider vernacular ways of keeping the house cool. Traditional homes used to have open vents high on the walls that would let the heat escape from the room, lowering temperatures. Hot air rises, as we all know, and gets replaced by cooler air blowing in through the windows at a lower level. This system sets up a natural convection current that cools your home down by several degrees.

Indoor Water Bodies

Indoor water bodies can also result in lower temperatures. If you have space, create a small indoor garden with a waterfall that recycles the water. The flowing water will keep the room cool. Add plants to lower the temperatures further.

indoor water bodies

‘Green’ Air Conditioners

If nothing else works, install a split air conditioner that is certified ‘green’ and rated as being environmentally safe. As a thumb rule, a 1.5-tonne unit will work well for a room that is around 120 to 150 square feet in areas.

Do you have any more tips that you could share with our readers? Do add your ideas to the comments below. And if you are in the process of setting up your own home in a hotter part of the country, talk to HomeLane’s design experts for ideas that are guaranteed to make your home cool. Let’s look forward to staying cool this summer!

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