Indeed, most homes can’t make it through the summer or winter without proper cooling and heating system installed. But because we are concerned about the expensive power costs of HVAC systems (ducted air conditioning), this summer, we want to cool the home without powering up the air condition.
On hot days we want a cool home – to feel good, relax and sleep. We provide cool tips on how to cool your rooms properly in summer without connecting an air conditioner. It starts with simple tricks that can be implemented in a flash.
Cool The Home Without Air Conditioning
1. Close the windows during the day Good
This is a tip that sounds strange at first. Opening windows and doors is one of the most natural reactions to heat. But, this is actually a wrong thought. When it’s warmer outside than inside, the heat creeps into the house through the window. So leave the windows closed from temperatures of around 25 ° C and only ventilate when it is cooler again – for example at night or early in the morning.
The best thing to do is to open all the cabinet doors right away because believe it or not, cabinets also store hot air.
2. Darken your rooms
Darkened rooms are one of the oldest ways to keep the heat of the day out. So if you want cool rooms, ventilate well in the morning and then close your shutters and curtains – especially those on the south and west sides of the house.
3. Use your fan properly
Moving air feels cooler. A fan is a good, inexpensive way to cool down hot rooms. Your fan works even cooler with the following hacks:
Hack 1: “DIY” air conditioning.
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- Place the fan on the floor (or as low as possible).
- Place a large bucket or bowl of ice cubes in front of the fan so that the fan blows air over the ice
- Enjoy a cooling effect similar to that of an air conditioner
Hack 2: Blow hot air out of the room
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- Open the windows after sunset
- Place the fan by the window so that it blows out of the room.
- The effect: the hot air goes outside, the room cools down faster.
4. Free up some space
In rooms with lots of free space, we estimate the temperature to be lower – the air feels correspondingly cooler to us too.
5. Turn off your electrical appliances
Electrical devices generate heat, even on standby. Therefore, never leave televisions, computers, chargers, lamps, and the like running unnecessarily. The best thing to do is to treat your oven, stove, tumble dryer, and dishwasher to summer vacation when it’s hot. Instead, sizzle your food on the grill in summer style, hang your laundry outside, and simply air-dry your dishes. In this way, you save energy, keep your room cool – and get that extra helping of “summer feeling” on top of that.
6. Close the refrigerator door
Yes, it’s fun to briefly enjoy a little cool air in the open fridge or freezer when it’s hot outside. But beware: the longer refrigerators are open, the longer they need to run again afterward. That means it generates energy and heat.
7. Buy roller blinds in light colors
Light sun protection reflects the heat. If you are planning to buy new roller blinds, blinds or curtains in the near future, we recommend light colors for cool rooms. They reflect the heat outside and thus automatically keep the room cooler than dark sun protection on the window.
Another decisive factor is the material. The better the material reflects the sun, the less your rooms will heat up. Metallic textiles and blinds with a highly reflective exterior are particularly efficient and therefore recommended.
8. Try window film
Window films stick directly to the window and are a good alternative or addition to roller blinds.
- Your advantage: You reject the sun without completely darkening it. That saves light and electricity.
- Their disadvantage: They darken the windows, which is why you might not want to use them for all rooms in the house.
9. Invest in a range hood
An extractor hood is a kitchen investment that really pays off in the heat. Because of it, the hot air that is created during cooking simply goes outside.
10. Paint the walls light
Wall colors such as beige or white are a tradition in southern countries. Simply because light colors take on less heat than dark ones.
11. Plant plants
Outdoor plants are great for keeping the house and rooms cool from the outside. Large deciduous trees provide pleasant, natural shade in summer – they are best placed on the west and east sides of the house. Vine or ivy on the outside wall acts as a second skin and prevents buildings from overheating.
12. Insulate your windows
In winter the cold, in summer the heat. Leaky windows let in what we would rather have outside. So take a look at what can be better insulated on the window.
But be careful not to overdo it. Windows that are too tight slow down the healthy exchange of air and can thus promote mold.
13. Invest in good insulation
The most costly of all measures for cool rooms are new insulation. If this is an option for you, it is best to seek advice from an insulation specialist.
There are really tons of ways to cool your rooms without connecting an air conditioner. Enjoy the summer!