Australian summers are often one of the hardest times of the year, the current UK heatwave has nothing on Australia. Day to day tasks become harder and living in constant high temperatures can be draining. Having a cool home to stay comfortable in during the summer months is essential to ensuring a good summer. Read on to see how you can prepare your home in time for summer.
Prepare your Air Conditioner
Your air conditioning unit is the surest way to combat the heat. As summer approaches, call in a professional to service your air conditioner to ensure it’s in good condition. A dirty air filter would cause the air conditioner to work harder and cost more. It is recommended to change your air filter every 2 to 4 months. If you need to upgrade it too, do so before summer comes. This way you are sure to have a unit that is in top working order before the heat hits. You can go even further and invest in a portable air conditioner from Kitchen Home, that will keep you cool wherever you go.
Natural Cooling Methods
These methods are simple but very effective. Protect your room from the heat on sunny days by using solid blinds or thick curtains. Roller shutters and plantation shutters are also a great option to keep your home cool. This will help keep out the hot sun during the day. Opening windows at night will help to cool down your home as the temperature drops. This will help you sleep better during the night and wake up ready to take another hot day. Taking the time to invest in a good block out blind or reflective window coating before summer comes will mean you are prepared.
Good Insulation
Use of insulation is an effective cost-saving method. It can save up to 45% on energy. Though expensive, it’s a worthwhile investment as it reduces your energy bills. Insulation keeps hot air out of your home and makes the room cooler. Insulating your roof would help keep the temperature in the home low. If you already use insulation, adding extra is not bad. Just get a professional to install it. Don’t forget about your roof itself! Your roof is the first point of contact with the sun, in some cases, a full roof restoration may be needed. If this is the case you should notice a difference during the hot months as your home is properly protected from the sun.
Ceiling Fans
If you have none, you should consider purchasing ceiling fans. They are a good alternative and can even help you save some money on bills. The rotation of most ceiling fans is adjustable. Set them to rotate anticlockwise during the summer. If installing ceiling fans would damage the aesthetics of your home, free-standing fans are good too. And for your study, you may only need a desk fan.
Keep Bugs Away
Summer seems to come with bugs and insects and it’s not nice to have these little animals crawling around your home. Solution? Pest Control. Use pesticides to keep them away and close gaps around windows and doors through which they may enter the house. Spring is a great time to call in the pest experts so you know your home is protected before insects start to roll in. If pest control isn’t an option then try citronella candles and coils that will help keep bugs at bay.
Professional Assessment
Having a professional energy assessment done will show you what methods are best for energy and cost savings at home. You should be able to handle most of the preparation yourself but you can make your home more energy efficient by calling in professionals. An energy assessment would show you what to do to make your home more energy-efficient.
Preparing your home for summer doesn’t have to be a big task. Spacing these recommendations out over the year will ensure you are ready to tackle the summer sun. Contact your nearest roofing specialist, roller shutter and plantation shutter specialist to see how they can help keep you cool this summer.
Speaking of Summer, if you are looking to get away from it all this year, don’t forget your Travel Insurance. Rachel explains it all for you in this post xx