How to keep your home cool during a heatwave

Summer can drag on in Australia with soaring temps stretching well into autumn. 

This isn’t great news for those of us wanting some respite from the heat. However, you can make your home a blissful retreat by ensuring you follow this practical home cooling advice.

Minor updates for a cooler home

Clean and maintain your air conditioner

Your air conditioning unit needs a bit of love to help it perform at its best. This could mean cleaning the filter every season and clearing the outdoor unit of any debris.

Keep your air con ducts, fans and filters clean and have the system regularly serviced. Picture: Fujitsu

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Other tasks, such as checking system operation, electrical connections and advanced unit cleaning, will require a licensed technician. Kyle Rafter, National Product Manager at Fujitsu General, recommends having your air conditioning system serviced every one to two years to keep it in peak condition.

“Regular maintenance will ensure your air conditioner continues to run as efficiently and effectively as possible,” explains Kyle.

“You can take some simple steps yourself at home, such as cleaning the indoor filters every season to ensure optimal performance,” he adds.

Patch-up any gaps

Ensure any cool air you generate indoors doesn’t escape through gaps in the walls, windows, roof or doors. Caulking around windows and doors can be a simple DIY project to keep your home adequately airtight.

However, don’t seal up your ventilation, which is equally important in keeping the air fresh indoors.

Large scale updates for a cooler home

Have a cooling system to suit your needs

The most effective way to cool a space is with air conditioning.

However, even if you have an air conditioner, you may not be utilising it effectively or have a system that best fits your needs.

Kyle Rafter, of Fujitsu, has these handy suggestions when shopping for an air conditioner.

• Measure up – Before speaking to an air conditioning specialist, it’s a good idea to know the number and size of rooms that require cooling; the direction the building is facing and whether there’s insulation.
• Request a heat load assessment – A heat load assessment is an important component of the quote process conducted by an air conditioning specialist. This is to ensure the correct size and type of air conditioning system is specified and installed, providing the user with the most efficient solution. New residential air conditioning standards ensure there are clear guidelines for air specialists to follow.
• Consider pairing with a ceiling fan – Depending on where you live, you might find you only use your air conditioner as a last resort, or you may use it in conjunction with ceiling fans
• Look for stars – When purchasing a wall mounted system, you can opt for more energy efficient models by picking a model with a high star rating.
• Consider your needs – A ducted system is a great choice if you have available ceiling space and are wanting to air condition the whole home. If you have limited ceiling space but would still like to air condition multiple rooms, a multi system could be the solution for you. A wall mounted split system is suitable if you are planning to air condition one or two rooms in the home.

Double glaze your windows

According to the government’s YourHome website, up to 87% of a home’s heat can be gained through windows. On a hot, sunny day, this means your home could be absorbing all that heat through the glass or frames of your windows. 

Double glazing is like insulation for your windows. It involves having two windowpanes with space in between to minimise heat being directly absorbed into or lost from your home.

Double glazed windows can help improve your energy efficiency and reduce the cost of keeping your home comfortable.

Add some shade outside

Big windows and a lot of light are generally considered positives when it comes to property. However, did you know direct sun can generate the same heat as a single bar radiator over each square meter of a surface? According to YourHome, effective shading outdoors can block up to 90% of this heat.

This property has double glazed windows, greenery and added shade to improve its cooling. Picture: realestate.com.au/buy

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Even if your home is well insulated, insufficient shading can result in roof insulation creating an ‘oven effect’, where it stores the heat coming in.

Ensuring your property has adequate shade is another way to help naturally control the temperature inside. This can be done via your garden, with leafy trees, or by using awnings, louvres or shade cloths.

Consider the aspect of your windows and how the sun will hit them in summer when deciding which shade option and position is best.

Understanding the basics: how to naturally cool your home

What is passive cooling?

Passive heating and cooling refers to working in harmony with the natural elements to control the temperature within your home. Some passive cooling techniques include:

• good insulation
• using cross ventilation, for example using opposing windows or doors to allow cool breezes to enter through one, pushing hot air out the other
• using quality building materials that don’t conduct heat
• ensuring your home is in the optimal aspect to the sun. This tends to be north-facing in Australia

Having said that, rarely can you rely on passive cooling alone to keep you cool in Australia’s extreme heat. Air conditioning can sometimes be your only solution, especially in our hottest climates. To achieve passive cooling in tandem with air conditioning, you will need strong insulation. A tightly insulated home will make the work of your air conditioning system a breeze, pun intended.

How can I achieve passive cooling in my home?

Some elements of passive cooling might only be achieved through a renovation. For instance, achieving the optimal window positioning for sun and light aspect and cross ventilation may require a fundamental redesign. However, some aspects may just require aesthetic or habitual changes.

Passive cooling could refer to the aspect of rooms and windows to the sun. Picture: Unsplash

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Non-invasive changes that can be retrofitted to a home are outlined above. However, passive cooling techniques can be achieved simply by changing your own behavior too.

For instance, keep your blinds down and windows closed whenever a window is in direct sunlight. Similarly, open the windows of an evening if a cool change has occurred. There are even instances where decluttering and repositioning furniture can allow better air movement in the home, creating cooler spaces.

*Information via yourhome.gov.au

https://www.realestate.com.au/advice/how-to-keep-your-home-cool-during-a-heatwave/