No air conditioning required: Old-school techniques for cooling down modern houses without spending any money
Temperatures are on the rise and so are energy bills. Here are a few tips to keep you and your house cool in the summer, on a budget.
Energy costs are skyrocketing across the globe. First came the supply‑chain shocks from the Covid-19 pandemic. Then, the war in Ukraine pushed Europe’s gas and oil markets to the breaking point and an already bleak situation has since deepened further with the Middle East conflict and closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The whole world is feeling the squeeze, as energy prices surge with no end in sight and that is producing a knock-on effect, causing electricity and heating costs to multiply.
For most families and businesses, taking measures to save energy is no longer optional — it’s essential. Cutting back isn’t so easy when the weather is extreme - for example, right now as we enter the hottest months of the summer.
Desk fans, ventilator towers. air coolers...
Leaving the air-conditioning running for long periods of time is expensive, and for many, it is not even an option. Cooling towers and desk fans offer low energy consumption (25-30 watts) but used over time, expect to see the difference in your bill.
Fortunately, there are a lot of things you can do to keep your home cool without using more energy. Here are a few tips to keep cool in the summer without breaking the bank.
- Turn off any electrical devices that are not in use. Televisions, computers, laptops, games consoles... etc produce a lot of heat. So if you are not using them, just turn them off.
- Incandescent light bulbs generate a lot more heat and consume more electricity than newer LED ones. By switching over to LED, your home will feel cooler and your energy bill will drop too.
- Spray down your roof tiles with water. Rood tiles absorb heat from the sun’s rays then radiate back down into your house. Cooling the tiles will cool your house.
- Close all curtains and blinds on the south-facing side of your house during the day when the sun is at its hottest. This will stop heat entering the property.
- Leave windows, curtains and blinds open on the north-facing side. This will allow the heat to escape as well as creating a current of fresh air, which will help you ton feel cooler.
- Leave all small windows open or ajar overnight. This will allow your house to fully cool down by letting stale, warm air escape which reduces overheating on particularly hot days.
- Cross-ventilation. Opening windows, vents or doors on opposite sides of your house will generate a current of air to breeze through the building, aiding air circulation while providing passive cooling.
- Cover south-facing windows with white sheets or with one-way tinted window film which will reflect the infrared radiant sunlight back out and stop them heating the inside of your home.
And finally, try not to cook during the day or better still, cook outside if you have a garden. Or save even more on your energy bill by not cooking at all and eat salads and fruit on the hottest days.
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