If you have a home or are planning to build, there are many natural ways to regulate the temperature of your home without adding air conditioning. Air conditioning systems can sometimes be both costly to install as well as to operate. Below are 10 tips to naturally cool and heat your home without the need for air conditioning, or that will limit the energy use required to air condition your home.
1. Make Your Home Solar Passive - If you are building, by correctly positioning your home on your block, you will get a warming effect from the sun in winter whereas in summer you will get the cooling of shade. A correctly positioned and designed home can save hundreds of dollars a year off cooling bills.
2. Add Curtains - Curtains or blinds can be used to both keep the heat out in summer and to stop the warmth from leaving your home in winter. Curtains and blinds are essential in any home to minimize hvac expenses.
3. Add Window Tint Or Glazing - Window tint and glazing works like curtains by restricting the loss of heat in winter and by preventing the sun from getting through in the summer time.
4. Create A Flow Through Breeze - Design rooms with windows so you can allow the breeze to flow through. For the breeze to flow through and cool your home successfully, you will need a window for the breeze to flow into and an exit point at the opposite end of your home.
5. Use Ceiling Fans - Ceiling fans are a great way to cheaply cool your home. They cost far less than running an air conditioning system, and are all you need for most mild to hot days.
6. Insulation - Insulation is one of the single most affordable things you can add to your home to make a huge difference to the temperature inside your home. Ceiling insulation is a must for all homes. You can also insulate your walls and in between your slab if you have a multiple storey home. Insulation will limit heat from getting through in the summer months and reduce heat loss in the cold of winter.
7. Roof Fan - A roof fan or whirlybird can help reduce the heat that builds up in your roof space. This whirlybird basically spins using the breeze and forms a suction that removes the hot air from your roof space. This helps to minimize the heat from transferring into your home through your ceiling.
8. Choose Appropriate Flooring - Choose appropriate flooring for the area where you live. Flooring selections like tiles are cooler and are therefore better in warmer climates. Carpet on the other hand is warmer and better for cooler climates. Polished concrete is the latest rage as it can stay cool in summer but also warm in winter.
9. Outside Shade - Trees, plants and shade sails can all block the sun to reduce the heat around your home. Similarly, grass has been shown to cool the area surrounding your home especially when compared to brick and concrete pavers. Consider shady options when designing your garden.
10. Close Doors To Trap Temperature - If you want to keep the heat or cool in, close doors to prevent the loss of heating/cooling. Draught seals on doors can also minimize the loss of heating/cooling and can also minimize cold draughts.
These 10 simple home cooling/heating tips can save you hundreds of dollars off your yearly home air conditioning bill. If you don’t have an air conditioning system in your home, these tips can also prevent you from boiling in summer or from freezing in winter.
If you have any further tips you wish to share, please add them to the comments box below.
Tags: Air Conditioner, Air Conditioning, draught stops, Insulation, natural ways to cool your home, natural ways to heat your home, tinting