Global warming is affecting the climate all over the world, especially here in Australia. The summers are getting hotter, and the winters are getting warmer. For this reason, Australians are always looking for ways to cool themselves off throughout the year. The country is positioned in a vulnerable position under the ozone layer, where more dangerous UV rays are able to make their way to the continent. That is why Australia gets so unbearably hot in the summertime.
Fortunately, most of the newer properties in Australia are designed to adapt to this changing climate. However, there are always new technological advances to help people stay even cooler. All you need to do is develop strategies that can save you money and stress over staying cool and comfortable in the increasingly hot weather.
When it comes to making your home more heat-proof, you can do the following:
– Use a passive design on your home. This accommodates the overall design of your home to ensure that it can sustain a comfortable temperature all the time.
– Use an envelope design on your home. The main focus of this design is the indoor climate. It integrates your home’s materials and formation to provide power savings and better comfort.
– The material of your home must have thermal mass. This will ensure that it can capture the heat energy and then store it.
– Your home can stay much cooler if your windows are properly shaded. See where your windows are currently located around your home. Take note of any existing shadings or overhangs if they exist. Based on your review, you may want to add new shade materials to block heat and sunlight from entering through the windows.
– The ventilation and movement of air in your home is essential for interior coolness. Look at the positions of your windows, doorways, walls, and doors. They should all accommodate each other for better and complete airflow in your home. Roof ventilation should exist, too, because then hot air can easily get out.
– Insulation is the key to trapping air in your home when you have an air conditioner. That way, you don’t need to overstress the air conditioner and rack up your power bill at the same time.
– Remember that when air is hot, it rises. You need to have roof space available so that this rising hot air can leave your home.
There are many ways in which you can bring more coolness to your home. The methods you choose will depend on your budget more than anything else. From there, you can choose to conduct an extensive renovation or a mere standard renovation of your home, at Men Behaving Handy, our renovation experts can assist you with your renovation project no matter the scale, and our skilled handyman and builders can get the job done so you don’t have to.
Below we list some very obvious and some not-so-obvious things you can do to cool your home this summer.
The most affordable way to stay cool in your home is to use fans. These could be pedestal fans or floor fans that you put in every room of your home. Even if you only purchase a few fans, you can still move them around in your home where they’re needed. The best part is that fans like these will only cost around $10 to $40 each.
Most people think of air conditioners as wall units or central air systems. But there are actually portable air conditioners which make it easy to place them in different rooms of your home. However, a window is still needed to absorb hot air from a ductway. The good news is that portable air conditioners are more affordable and easier to install than regular air conditioners. Just be prepared for the loud sounds they make. Also, they don’t have good energy efficiency. There are different types of portable air conditioners on the market that have various functions, brands, and sizes. These are the factors that will ultimately determine the price. In most cases, you can expect to pay anywhere between $200 and $500 for a portable air conditioner unit.
The light bulbs in your home produce vast amounts of heat. Traditional incandescent light bulbs are the worst because around 90% of its energy emits heat. To give you a real-world example, let’s say you have a light bulb like this that is 75 watts. This means that 68 watts of it will give off heat.
Alternatively, you could replace your incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent light bulbs because the latter only gives off 60% heat from its energy. Therefore, if you have a fluorescent light bulb that is 70 watts, the amount of heat produced is a low 45 watts. Not only that, the heat spreads to the point where you won’t feel it so much. These light bulbs are very energy efficient too.
The only option that is even better than a fluorescent light bulb is a light-emitting diode bulb, also known as an LED bulb. This generates less heat than the other two bulbs and are just as easy to install, the only drawback is the initial cost is a little higher than your average bulb.
Windows are the main areas that let heat into your home from the outside. To reduce this problem, focus on your blinds and curtains. Our Handymen have put up more blinds and curtains than they can count, so if you need blinds installed, let us know, and we’ll get them up in no time.
Blinds – Blinds can do a good job of blocking sunlight from the outside, which, in turn, blocks heat. There are many options for blinds available, such as honeycomb blinds, Venetian blinds, roller blinds, and Roman blinds. The appearance of the blinds and their affordability will be the biggest factors that you’ll need to weigh.
Curtains – Curtains can block heat from getting into your home. You can choose from sturdy double-layer curtains or softer single-layer curtains. The cost of curtains depends on their fabric, style, and whether they were customized or pre-made. If they are customized curtains, then they will be more expensive. Of course, you could always sew your own curtains if you have that skill and save yourself money that way. Other materials needed include eyes, lining, header tap, and hooks. If you purchase pre-made curtains, the cost will be between $40 and $300. Their fabric and size will be the biggest cost factors. The benefit of pre-made curtains is they are simple to install because they are already prepared for use.
Tinted windows are a newer way of reducing the heat and UV rays from the sun. You basically put a thin layer of film (made of plastic) over each window, and it will partially shade the sunlight from entering indoors. The window film is sold in entire rolls or pre-cut layers. If you purchase a cling film, it is priced at about $40 for one square meter. Since it clings, there are no adhesives needed to make it stick to the windows. But if you purchase films that don’t cling, then adhesives are needed. These films are more expensive and more difficult to apply to the windows. You will need the right tools for this job. On the upside, it is still cheaper than replacing an entire window.
Time can certainly deteriorate various features of your home. This deterioration can affect your exhaust fans, skylights, vents, window frames, floorboards, and doors. The result will be warm air coming in from the outside and cool air going out from the inside.
There are some affordable and easy ways you can fix these leaks. All it takes is an applicator gun and a sealant tube. You can purchase these from any local hardware store. If this isn’t a job you fancy or like so many other things, just don’t have the time, Men Behaving Handy are here to help and get assistance with any of these tasks.
It is important to seal all leaks and cracks in your home. This will trap the cool air in your home that is generated by your air conditioner. Meanwhile, it will block the hot air outside from seeping inside. On top of that, your energy bill will be a lot cheaper too. After all, your air conditioner won’t need to keep producing cool air if the air stays inside.
You can affect your home’s temperature by making slight modifications to your outdoor features, especially your garden. For instance, plant some tall vegetation that will shade your windows from the outside and block the sun’s UV rays from getting inside. Put these plants right by your outside windows.
If you don’t mind spending the extra money to retain the coolness in your home, there are certain improvements you can make to your window dressings to do this. You could add double-glazed windows, outdoor awnings, and shutters for starters. There are just so many window improvement options available for keeping the coolness in your home.
The price of awnings is dependent on their size, installation, and whether or not they have motorization. If you purchase an awning that is 1,500 millimetres long and has less than one meter of depth, the price is about $300. An awning that drops straight and has a manual crank will be about $400. But if you motorize the awning, you’re looking at another $400 on top of that. Any extra materials needed for the installation will raise the total expense amount. Standard canvas prices are lower than the costs of a special awning that blocks UV rays or an aluminium awning.
The most affordable option for adding shutters to your home is internal shutters (or plantation shutters). Indoor roller shutters can be used as well. If you go with the plantation shutters, the materials that are needed and your window sizes will determine the cost. Also, plantation shutters must be installed professionally because they are often customized. This will increase the cost as well. If you choose solid timber shutters instead of PVC shutters, your expense will be greater as well.
Replace your existing glass windows with glass that is double-glazed. Not only will this prevent heat from getting indoors during the summertime, but it will also allow you to keep heat indoors during the wintertime. The cost of double-glazed glass windows is about $200 for one square meter. The cost of installation is added to this price too.
If you can afford to install a ceiling fan in every room of your home, this will greatly boost the overall air circulation in it.
Ceiling fans come in a variety of sizes and options. The average cost of a ceiling fan is between $70 and $500+. These price estimates do not include the cost of installation. A certified electrician must be hired to perform this installation. They will probably charge around $100 to $200 for each fan installed. On top of that, there will likely be a service fee of around $70 to $130. If they charge an hourly rate for their labour, you can expect that rate to be around $70 to $95. The number of hours they work depends on how big the installation job is.
Split System HVAC units (or just split system air conditioning units) are designed to cool just one room. There is one unit mounted on the wall of the room and another unit housed on the outside right next to the house. Some small apartments might have these units as well. Their starting cost is $550 but they can go up to $1,500. You must also consider the installation costs on top of these expenses too. The average installation cost of split system air conditioning units is around $60 to $110 for every hour of labour. A Goods and Services Tax is added to that charge as well. The number of hours spent on the job will depend on how big it is.
If your roof has ventilation fans added to it, they will help force out the hot air that is inside your home. You could also have a whole-house fan installed in the central area of your home’s roof. This will cause all the hot air in your home to be forced out through added vents. You can also install additional doors to your stairwells and hallways to further manage the airflow within your home.
During the summertime, the cool air in your home can easily seep through your floors, roof, or walls. That is why you should add more insulation to these areas. There are so many insulation options to choose from. The ones you choose will depend on which areas they are being applied in your home and the outdoor climate of the outdoor environment. Each type of insulation is going to have its own unique cost. If you apply one R2.0 batts roll to 11 square meters of space, it will cost you $40. However, the common recommendation is to use R2.5 batts in most types of climates. If you cover 7 square meters with this, it will cost you around $65. One alternative here is to use reflective or spray insulation.
Of course, a professional insulation installation is always recommended to ensure it is done right. If you purchase bulk amounts of installation, you will save money on the cost.
Don’t forget to make small improvements to your outdoor areas around your property. This can help keep a lot of the cool air indoors. For example, if you slightly alter the landscaping outside your home, particularly in front of your windows and doors, then it will enable air to completely flow throughout your home.
In addition, you could install a birth bath or another kind of water pool next to your windows and doors. This will create an evaporation effect that will cool down your home. Most importantly, add bushes and trees to shade your home and block the heat from the sun.
If your windows can have outdoor roller shutters added to them, it will do two things for your home. It will increase the security of your home, and it will help trap the cool air inside. Outdoor roller shutters are usually made of either steel or aluminium. They get installed on the outer part of your windows. After that, they will reduce the amount of sunlight and sound that can get through your windows. The cost of these shutters will depend on how big they are and the material they’re made from. Another cost factor is how the shutters are operated; battery, automatic, or manual.
If you want shutters that are more durable than regular domestic shutters, then go with cyclone shutters. They are about $200 more expensive, but they do a good job. On the other hand, if you want to install shutters yourself without an electrician, then you can purchase battery-operated shutters instead of electric shutters. The cost difference is just $50 extra.
If you choose to go with electric shutters, you won’t legally be able to install them yourself. You will be required to hire a certified electrician to perform the installation.
If you install a pergola or patio on the outside property of your home, it will keep the cool air inside by blocking the sunlight. In addition, you can use this feature as an extra outside room for times when you want to be outdoors.
There are a lot of different options available when it comes to pergolas and patios. The type of pergola will factor into the installation costs. You can expect to pay between $45 and $60 hourly for the labour. The total will depend on the complexity of the installation.
If you can afford a ducted air conditioning system, then consider that option. It will require a lot of renovation to your home, and the installation costs will be expensive. In fact, running the system will drastically increase your power bill too. But they do provide a very thorough and complete cooling system that will make the indoors feel comfortable.
Ducted air conditioning systems have varying costs. The amount of space you want to ventilate will influence the cost. If you have a small house or apartment, a ducted air conditioning system installation will be about $6,000. If you have a single-story house that is standard-sized, it will cost around $10,000 to $12,000. If you have a two-story house, the price of the ducted air conditioning system will be at least $15,000.
Most ducted air conditioning systems let you cool certain zones in your home at different times. For instance, you can have it cool your living room area throughout the daytime and then your bedrooms at nighttime. The thermostat can be programmed to set the necessary temperatures of these zones and the time in which the air automatically turns on and off.
If you plan to initiate huge renovations to your house, then you could make indoor cross-ventilation better by adding more windows and doors in the right places. For instance, if there is a wall in your home that prevents outdoor breezes from getting inside, then you could install a window there. Another thing you could do is install a new internal window or change the width of one or more of your doors.
If you want to remodel the entire area on the outside of your home, think about a design that will keep your home cool on the inside. Maybe place mulch beds below your windows so that sunlight does not reflect off them.
Focus on where you place your trees and plants too. If you want to capture the frequent breezes that come in the afternoon, don’t put the plants and trees somewhere that will block the breezes. Instead, try to guide the breezes indoors.
When adding a water feature, think about the location of your back door. The evaporation of the water can create a cooling effect for the indoors. This all depends on your budget and the amount of space you have outside. If you have a lot of space and a big budget, think about putting a pool outside as your water feature.
Your home’s orientation should be a huge consideration if you’re planning on a complete renovation. This means maximizing the amount of sunlight that comes inside during the winter and minimizing the amount of sunlight in the summer. Think about where your overhangs and windows are located. If you study where the sunlight hits your home, you will know how to properly enhance its natural cooling abilities.
Another consideration to make is the materials of your home. If you have a brick home, this is better at blocking heat than a weatherboard. If your exterior surfaces have lighter colours to them, they will do a better job of reflecting sunlight away.
With any big renovation, you need to consider the location of your windows, walls, and doors. This is the best way to increase your home’s airflow to its fullest potential possible. Certain materials can be placed outside your home to help keep it cooler. For instance, you can put a ground cover like mulch below the windows because they can absorb sunlight. Either that or you can put a pond, pool, or some other water feature near your window and take advantage of the evaporative cooling effect.
If you’re like a lot of people, you don’t have the money or time to perform any huge home renovations so that cool air can stay inside when it is hot outside. In that case, you can follow these tips to help cool your home:
– Develop a strategy for using appliances that generate heat. These would be dryers, ovens, and dishwashers. Try using these appliances at cooler times, such as nighttime.
– Since it is cooler outside at nighttime and in the morning, open all your windows and doors at these times to let the cool air inside.
– Use light-colored paint on your home’s exterior and roof. These colours will help reflect heat.
– When you go to sit down for a long time, keep your feet soaked in cold water for a short while. This will help cool down your entire body.
– Take a wheat bag and freeze it. Then put the frozen bag around your neck or on top of your head. This will help keep you cool.
– Wet your clothes or a towel and place them in front of a pedestal fan. Not only will this dry them, but it will also allow all the moisture from the wetness to flow into the air and cool it down.
– Put some ice on a tray and place it in front of a running pedestal fan. This will cause the air to cool.
– If you have a house that is 2 stories or more, stay on the bottom floor because it will be cooler there.
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