Much of the summer season is likely to be spent revelling in the sunshine with friends, drinking refreshing beverages, and working on one’s tan. However, there is a lesser enjoyed aspect of the warmth, which is the discomfort it can bring to the home.

Many issues seasonal heat brings to the home are avoided with clever design or a change of practices. Electric fans are, for example, a common defence against an overheating room, however, they are not often used correctly. So, to ensure that your home is made as comfortable as possible this summer, here are five tips for surviving the summer season!

Switch Off

Our devices may seem individually insignificant but, on a hot day, they each contribute to a room’s warmth. Take a moment to listen to the whirring of a home computer or feel the heat of a charging device. By using electronic devices only when necessary, we can help to reduce a home’s heat and our energy bills too. The same is true for light bulbs and older designs tend to leak a greater amount of heat, which is why LED bulbs are recommended for both environmental sustainability and keeping a home cool. Kitchen devices should be scrutinised during the summer and it is best to switch to uncooked meals too, those that use the oven and hobs less intensively since they allow the home to maintain a lower temperature.

Garden Design

Our gardens are a great asset on a summer’s day. In addition to the brilliant respite offered by a summer house, gardens can also be ideal environments for dining and relaxing during the hottest parts of the day. Their comfort can be improved with the addition of trees, as well as artificial shaders, keeping the ground cool and shaded throughout the day.

Fan Organisation

It is often our inclination to face electric fans toward ourselves, enjoying the brief moment of cooling as the breeze hits our body. However, their effect is much less cooling than if they are pointed toward the window, pushing warm air out of the room. While ceiling fans are less common in the UK than in North America, they should also be adjusted to operate correctly, and anti-clockwise, during the summer.

Install Shades

As the sun shines, we can feel the impulse to open windows and curtains, welcoming the sunshine into our homes. On excessively hot days, however, this will heat up the home and potentially make it uncomfortable. Shades, blinds, and thin curtains can deter the heat with a degree of shade while still allowing a home to be filled with light.

Use Water

There are a number of ways ice can help to keep a home and its residents cool during summer. Placing a container of ice beside your desk fan will enable it to blow cool air across the room, for example. And filling an ice pack, or even partially filling a hot water bottle, with water and freezing it can be a great way to cool furniture or a room before it is occupied.

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