Poland has been flooded by a heat wave. When the temperature outside significantly exceeds 30°C, staying indoors becomes unbearable. The simplest solution is air conditioning, but not everyone can afford it. So what are other ways to deal with hot weather at home?
Heat-resistant design
Glass and sunscreen films
It's a good idea to think about combating the heat already at the stage of building a house or renovating an apartment. It is best to give up large windows on the south and west sides. We can also install anti-sun glazing. There are also special window films available on the market, which reduce the amount of solar energy entering the house and reduce the impact of UV rays. They are installed on the inside or outside of the windows. However, they are more effective in the latter case. The films are usually made of polyester. You can choose from shading or transparent models.
Ceiling cooling
It is also worth considering the installation of ceiling cooling. It is formed by a system of panels with tubes through which cold water flows. Operation is based on continuous air circulation. Hot, lighter air is cooled under the ceiling, making it move downward. The system is controlled by a thermostat.
Thermal insulation of the walls
Keeping the house cool will also help... insulation. Buildings with insulation are more thermally constant. The temperature outside, therefore, does not affect the conditions inside so much. The building remains warm in winter and cool in summer.
"Cool" materials
Finally, we should choose "cooling" finishing materials such as stone and ceramic. Instead of laminate, let's choose flooring. A cool floor will be extremely pleasant in summer. We can also put tiles on the walls. Outside, on the other hand, a pergola, a sail or a terraceola will bring us relief. We can also create a shady corner by planting trees in the garden.
In hot weather, a tile floor will perform much better than parquet flooring
Photo by Steven Ungermann © UNSPLASH
Ventilation first and foremost
Ventilation... not on demand
Paradoxically, making a draft during the day is a mistake. By doing so, we only let heated air inside. We should open the windows in the evening, when the air cools down. For the best effect, open windows located on the lower floors on the cooler side of the house and those installed on the first floor on the warmer side.
Fans or air conditioning?
Fansare an alternative to air conditioning. Admittedly, they do not cool the air, but set it in motion. The resulting wind, gives a feeling of cold. To increase the cooling effect, you can place a bowl of ice or frozen water bottles in front of the fan. However, keep in mind that the fan can sometimes be dangerous for pets, as a whiff of cold air can make them sick.
Humidifier air purifiers
Another device that will bring us relief on hot days is an air purifier. This is because some models have a humidifier function. If we add ice cubes to the water container, the room will cool down pleasantly.
The most popular way to cool a room is with a fan
Photo Call me Fred © UNSPLASH
Anti-sun barrier
Thermal blinds
The most effective way, however, is not to cool the air, but to keep the sun out of the room. This is where exterior roller shutters come to the rescue. They protect both us and the building from overheating. They not only shade the interior, but also shield from the wind and quiet the room. Special heat-insulating roller blinds are covered on the glass side with a silver coating that reflects the sun's rays. As a result, interiors do not heat up as much as with traditional roller blinds. In this way, the room can be cooled by up to 5-8 degrees. Blinds located on the eastern side of the building, it is best to lower them already in the evening. This way, from the morning, heat will not pour into the rooms. Then, close the blinds so that the sun moving across the horizon does not overheat the house.
Smart home and control of the interior microclimate
It will be much easier to choose models controlled by remote control or mobile application. These are available, for example, in the assortment of VELUX or Fakro. This solution allows you to program the opening and closing of windows and blinds at a selected time. It also gives you the ability to intelligently control the quality and temperature of the air in your home based on internal climate sensors and the current weather forecast.
External blinds will effectively protect the building from overheating
© VELUX
To the rescue - water
It cools, promotes relaxation and enhances temperature reduction. Water is absolutely crucial during hot weather. First and foremost, we should make sure that the body is properly hydrated. When it is hot, the body overheats. This results in greater perspiration, and therefore water loss. The minimum amount of fluids we should drink during the day is 2.5 liters. However, during hot weather this value increases up to 4 liters per day. We should also remember that dehydration is even more dangerous for children and the elderly.
We can, however, use water for cooling in other ways as well. The room temperature can be lowered by hanging up wet laundry in the room. Evaporating water will slightly cool the air. Another solution is to hang wet curtains or drapes in the windows. They will stretch nicely by the way, while providing a slight cooling. We can also borrow a way to deal with the heat from the Egyptians. Sleeping under a dampened sheet acts as a cold compress. It is important, however, that the cover not drip water. It is enough to keep it moist.
Wet laundry will cool the air in the room
© Westwing
