Last updated on March 13th, 2025
Summers can be relentless, but your home doesn’t have to suffer. Implementing smart cooling strategies can make your living spaces comfortable without driving up energy costs.
From roof treatments to effective shading, here are some essential tips to keep your home cool this summer.
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1. Paint Your Roof and Terraces White
A significant amount of heat enters homes through the roof. Painting your roof and terraces with a sun-reflective white paint can reduce heat absorption by over 60%. This simple yet effective measure can keep the interiors significantly cooler. Hydrated lime, or traditional chuna, is also an excellent and easily available alternative for this purpose.
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2. Install a Green Roof
Installing a green roof is an effective way to insulate your home and block heat from entering through the roof. Green roofs consist of vegetation that absorbs heat, keeps the roof cool, and provides an extra layer of insulation, making the indoors more comfortable.
3. Use Strategic Shading
Strategically shading your home can lower indoor temperatures by up to 4°C. Use exterior overhangs for south-facing windows and canopies for doorways to block direct sunlight. Vertical fins and louvres can also be effective for apartments and homes where traditional overhangs are not feasible. Additionally, consider shading east and west-facing windows from the low-angle morning and evening sun using vertical or egg-crate shading devices.
4. Add Texture to Sunlit Walls
Texturing the walls that receive direct sunlight can help keep your home cool. The increased surface area provided by the texture creates self-shading and allows for better re-radiation of absorbed heat. White or light-colored textured walls can further enhance this cooling effect.
5. Upgrade to Double-Glazed Windows
Heat entering through glass windows and doors can significantly raise indoor temperatures. Double-glazed windows, doors, and skylights have two layers of glass with a gap between them, which reduces heat ingress. Tinted or toned glass with a low solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) can further minimize heat absorption.
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6. Utilize the Stack Effect
The stack effect, or chimney effect, involves the natural rising of hot air within a space. By installing operable skylights or louvres in double-height areas and staircase wells, you can allow warm air to escape, leaving cooler air behind. This natural ventilation method helps in maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures.
7. Ensure Proper Insulation
Proper insulation of walls, floors, and ceilings is crucial in preventing heat conduction into your home. Insulation reduces the need for air conditioning, thereby saving energy. Ensure your home is insulated to the required standards, and retrofit existing structures with materials like spray foam or silicone where needed. Seal cracks and crevices to prevent heat from entering through drafts.
Last Words
Keeping your home cool during the summer doesn’t have to mean skyrocketing energy bills. By implementing these strategies, you can maintain a comfortable indoor environment while being energy-efficient and eco-friendly. For more tips and inspiration on home improvement, visit our blog at Homebliss and discover a wealth of ideas to make your home a sanctuary all year round. Stay cool!
