The daytime sun heats many parts of India during the summer. We relentlessly seek relief and comfort from the scorching sun as the temperatures rise. However, with increasing power consumption and energy bills, using an air conditioner for cool interiors is not always feasible. Also, frequent electricity shortages and power outages are concomitant with the extreme weather conditions.
Hence, here, we offer some eco-friendly and practical methods to help you stay cool through the summer. These sustainable tips to keep your house cool this summer help you save on electricity bills and contribute to a greener planet.
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6 Sustainable Tips: How to Keep Your House Cool This Summer Without Increasing Energy Bills
- How to Keep Your House Cool This Summer: Natural Cooling by Optimizing Cross Ventilation
Promoting airflow in the building can help maintain a cool and comfortable environment inside the house. Cross ventilation by opening doors and windows during cooler parts of the day allows cool air to enter the house and hot air to escape.
Installing exhaust fans and ventilators in kitchens, bathrooms, and other areas with high heat and humidity also improves airflow. During summer, it is best to open windows between 5:00 am and 8:00 am and 7:00 pm and 10:00 pm.
Further, some architectural designs promoting ventilation are also part of our 6 sustainable tips to keep your house cool this summer without increasing energy bills. These include mechanical ventilation, natural ventilation, atriums, and courtyards. While natural ventilation improves thermal comfort, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency, mechanical ventilation helps maintain a stable indoor environment irrespective of external conditions.
- How to Keep Your House Cool This Summer: Use Heat-reflective Roof Coatings
Another way to significantly reduce indoor temperature is by insulating walls and roofs. Radiant barrier foil is a helpful product when it comes to insulation. When installed under the roof, it reflects the radiant heat away from the building. These foils have also been observed to reduce thermal loss in buildings.
Using reflective roofing materials like paints, metal roofing, or tiles can also bounce back the sun’s rays. White roofing by coating the terrace floor with a white lime wash or using white ceramic waterproof tiles also reflects heat away from the terrace. Further, green roofs, also known as living roofs, reduce heat inside the house by providing insulation and shade.
- How to Keep Your House Cool This Summer :Install Shading Devices and Outdoor Awnings
Using smart shading techniques is the third on the list of our 6 sustainable tips to keep your house cool this summer without increasing energy bills. These shading techniques block the sun’s rays before they enter the room, reducing indoor temperatures.
Awnings and outdoor blinds are brilliant additions to block out heat while still letting natural light into the room. You can also ensure shade and cool air for the interiors by planting trees and shrubs around your house. Evapotranspiration by plants plays a big role in cooling the air. Reflective window films are also natural ways to cool your home.
- Switch to Energy-Efficient Cooling Systems
Energy-efficient air coolers and fans are designed to use less electricity compared to traditional cooling appliances. These usually come with high-energy star ratings. A programmable thermostat can also help set the air conditioning to run less during cooler parts of the day or when no one is at home.
Strategic use of ceiling fans is another energy-efficient home cooling method. Setting your ceiling fan to rotate counterclockwise during summer will help push down the cool air. Conversely, setting it to rotate clockwise in winter pulls cool air up.
- Choosing the Right Materials for Your Home’s Exterior
Prioritizing exterior materials with ample insulation properties is one of the best sustainable cooling solutions for your home. These materials exhibit high thermal mass and could be used for building well-insulated walls.
Clay bricks or concrete are examples of such materials. Similarly, you can use light-colored clay tiles for the roof to reflect maximum heat during the summer.
Energy-efficient home cooling also includes adding a layer of insulation to the wall using materials such as cellulose, fiberglass, hempcrete, or spray foam, as per your budget and climate. Eco-friendly home cooling techniques can also be incorporated by using renewable and recycled materials such as bamboo, cork, and recycled plastics for different applications.
- Introduce Indoor Plants for Natural Cooling
One of the most significant natural ways to cool your home is by planting indoor plants. These plants, including aloe vera, snake plants, and peace lilies, release moisture into the air through transpiration, making the air in the room cooler.
In addition to the cooling effect, these plants absorb pollutants in the atmosphere to improve air quality. Place the plants in high-footfall areas or near windows to enhance air circulation. For a greater cooling impact, use larger plants with bigger leaf surfaces. Also, consistently watering the plants will optimize the transpiration rates and cooling effect.
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Conclusion:
This blog discusses how to keep your house cool in summer, passive cooling strategies to reduce indoor heat in summer without breaking the bank. From cross ventilation and heat-reflective coatings to smart shading and energy-efficient appliances, these solutions are natural ways to cool your home even during the intense summer heat in India.
We hope this blog helped you learn some of the best sustainable cooling solutions for your home and other spaces. Now embrace these eco-friendly home cooling techniques for cooler and more comfortable interiors throughout summer.
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