Global temperatures are rising every year, leading us to an inevitable climate crisis. In these times, switching on that AC to beat the heat can feel criminal. Not only are you burning exhaustible fossil fuels, but you are also contributing to the rising temperatures. That said, the ever-increasing heat is no joke. The summers can be uncomfortable with no respite, affecting not just our motivation but consequently our productivity too. With temperatures touching the 40s throughout the country, there needs to be something to efficiently mitigate it. Some tried and tested hacks can go a long way in keeping your home cool without you having to switch on the AC. Here are some simple, yet effective ways to keep your home cool this summer:

Keep Your Living Spaces Dark

Greenhouses are made of glass to allow the entering of light and heat for the plants in nurseries. Glass, just like dark surfaces, absorbs and traps heat. To avoid your homes from heating up, cover your windows with blinds, curtains in cotton, sheers, jute screens, or bamboo shades. Avoid dark synthetic drapes and instead, go for light colours that will easily reflect the heat. Another way to retain shade and lower your home’s temperature is by installing insulating films. A reflective heat-reducing film on all your glass windows can work wonders in keeping the heat out. It’s super easy to install and can help keep your home warmer during winters as well. In doing so, you’re cutting down on electricity required to further cool your house by preventing it from becoming a mini greenhouse.

Have Large Indoor/Outdoor Plants to Create Shade

Plants are nature’s air conditioner. Another efficient way of creating shade while lowering the temperatures within your home is by adding more plants. Window planters, for instance, can help cool the air that’s entering through your windows. Apart from that, introducing strategically placed indoor plants such as vines over staircase balustrades, window grills and even balconies can really go a long way in cooling your home. Ferns and aloe vera are known for their high transpiration rates which can help cool the air around by humidifying it. You can also add larger plants outside your windows and in your balconies to help create more shade.

Check Your Sheets

The kind of sheets you use over your mattresses can also affect the temperatures of your room. Again, cotton or linen is the best way to go since they breathe easy, promote airflow in the room and remain comparatively cooler. Even though silk, polyester and satin sheets might seem light, they trap heat easily and can make for uncomfortable summer bedding.

Ceiling Fan Tricks

Ceiling fans can be life-savers in summer. The first thing would be to get them checked and spruced up for the summer to come. One of the most important things to do is fix them up so they rotate counter-clockwise. This way the cold air is pushed down and the hot air is pulled up helping you keep your home cooler. Apart from that, ensure that the fans are cleaned and oiled regularly to retain their efficiency.

Revamp Your Lighting System

Incandescent bulbs are your worst enemies during summers. Not only do they consume excess energy, but they also increase the temperature of your home. Switching to no-heat light bulbs can really help accelerate the cooling process of your home. One example of a no-heat lightbulb is the compact fluorescent lightbulb (CFL).

Try Using Insulating Films

A reflective heat-reducing film on all your glass windows can work wonders in keeping the heat out. It’s super easy to install and can help keep your home warmer during winters as well. Modern solar films last for as long as 10-12 years and block as much as 55% of the sun’s heat. Furthermore, they have been modified to reflect almost 99% of the sun’s UV rays that can damage both, your skin and your precious furniture. 

Use an Air Cooler, or Better Make One

Air coolers, as opposed to air conditioners, don’t really emit a significant amount of greenhouse gases. They are considered harmless and can provide relief from the heat in their own small ways. Once you understand how basic air coolers work, you can even go ahead and make a makeshift one of your own. The simplest way is to place a bag of ice right in front of a table fan, et voila! You have a DIY air cooler at your disposal. 

Rely on the Good-Ol’ Cross Ventilation

Leaving the windows closed during the hottest part of the day is a good idea. However, letting the air in as the day starts to cool can prevent your home from feeling like an oven. Open up all the doors and windows and let cross-ventilation mitigate the rising temperatures within your living spaces.

Redo Your Ceiling

This is more of a long-term option if you are looking to invest in one. Homes with concrete roofs and apartments on the highest floors of buildings can heat up faster and take longer to cool. Adding a false gypsum ceiling can help you fix that. The material is known for its thermal insulation properties due to which cool air stays trapped within the room. Added to that, the gap between the original ceiling and the false ceiling further helps cool the warm air down. 

Go for Tiled Roofs and Mud Walls

Another way to permanently heat proof your home is to opt for tiled roofs. Their curved shapes allow for better air and water circulation whilst preventing heat from getting trapped in the tiles. Moreover, the tiles are made of terracotta – a material that significantly helps reflect the heat that falls on it. This is because the baking of clay that makes terracotta results in decreasing the final product’s porosity.

Watch What You Eat

Sometimes, the heat that you feel isn’t entirely dependent on your home. Rather, it could be a direct consequence of the kind of food you are eating. The primary reason for discomfort during summer could be due to dehydration. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and consuming summer fruits and vegetables such as watermelons, muskmelons and cucumbers.

Kasu designs and builds second homes in Goa, and given the hot, humid summers that span many months of the year, we make a continued and conscious effort to use natural materials throughout our homes. Bricks, laterite, wood, Kota, natural stones, clay tile roofs, basalt have been a part of traditional Indian architecture for centuries, and it is ever so important to return to these natural elements for their durability, elegance and ability to help you stay cool through the summer.