How to stay cool and save energy this summer
Keep cool this summer and save energy costs by following these simple tips around the house.
1. You don’t have to forgo air-conditioning completely to save on energy bills. Setting your air-con one degree warmer than you normally world can cut costs by 10 per cent. The optimal temperature is between 24 and 25 degrees.
2. Drapes and roller blinds that cover the entire window can reduce heat exchange by almost half. For sun-facing windows, choose light-coloured backings for blinds as they deflect sun heat.
3. Before the heat sets in on a hot day, close windows, draw blinds and close off rooms that are not in use. This will help reduce heating inside.
4. Consider planting trees, wall vines and thick shrubs to provide shade to the house – not just for the windows but walls and roofs as well. A shaded house can cool the home by up to 12 degrees.
5. If planting is not an option, add exterior shades or awnings. This can decrease temperature inside the home by up to three degrees.
6. Open windows or doors on both sides of the home to allow the breeze to flow through. Do this at night if the day is particularly humid and hot.
7. Better insulate your house’s walls and ceilings. Good insulation means cool air is more likely to stay in the house.
8. Skip using the dryer, which will heat up the house, to hang dry clothes.
9. Use a fan instead of the aircon where possible. It goes without saying that it’s a much cheaper than an air-conditioning system.
10. Cook outdoors on the BBQ. The indoor stove or oven can raise kitchen temperatures by up to 10 degrees.