Simple Strategies to Beat the Heat and Keep Your Home Cool This Summer

Now we’re in the depths of summer, many homeowners are still grappling with how to enhance their home's comfort and energy efficiency without the need for large fans and air conditioning. The British summer season remains unpredictable, and we may still see higher temperatures and the accompanying utility cost considerations for another month or so. However, with some strategic updates, you can create a cool, sustainable haven without a major renovation or high costs. 

Let's explore practical tips to update your home for the warm weeks while maintaining energy efficiency.

Implement solar shading

Solar shading is an effective strategy for reducing heat gain and enhancing energy efficiency in your home – year-round, but especially in the summer. By installing elements such as awnings, shutters, blinds or even strategically planted trees, you can block direct sunlight and minimise the amount of heat entering your living space.

This not only keeps your home cooler and more comfortable during the hotter months but also reduces the need for air conditioning and fans which leads to lower energy bills. Solar shading offers additional benefits in that it protects your furniture and flooring from sun damage, prolonging their lifespan.

Switch your ceiling fans

Ceiling fans are a great addition to keep individual rooms cool in the summer and are cost-effective compared to larger air conditioning units which are expensive to run. But many people don’t realise that a simple switch can help to make the room more comfortable year-round. In the summer months, setting your ceiling fan blades to spin counterclockwise helps to push the air down into the room and creates a cooler breeze.

It's also worth checking the angle of the blades – setting them to a minimum of 12 degrees will optimise cooling. If you’re trying to cool a larger room, adding in another ceiling fan will help cool the room faster and keep everyone comfortable throughout the summer. 

Go smart with soft furnishings

We don’t often think of the textiles and soft furnishings around our homes as having potential when it comes to energy efficiency, but that’s not the case. In fact, blinds and curtains can really help to keep a property cool on warmer days, especially if you choose the materials carefully.

For example, cellular blinds are perfectly suited to providing a thermal buffer that keeps the room warm in the winter but also, crucially, cooler in the summer by blocking out the heat. A smart technology option is to choose automated blinds. These work alongside a solar sensor to detect when they need to be rolled up and down, based on when the sunshine hits the window, so the room always stays at a comfortable temperature. 

Add window film tints

A simple change that doesn’t require renovations or expensive gadgets is to add tinted films to your windows which helps to add privacy but are also highly effective at blocking sunlight without obscuring your view. Window films are easy to apply, so you don’t need to hire contractors to do the job for you, and they’re relatively affordable so it’s the ideal task to complete before the end of summer to make your home cooler without making any changes to how it looks.

Plug the gaps

Plugging air leaks is something we think about in the winter, but it has benefits for the summertime too. In fact, a poorly insulated home can lead to a rise in your utility bills by allowing cool air to escape in the summer (and warm air to be lost in the winter) which means you need fans and air conditioners more regularly in order to stay cool.

In addition to checking for gaps around windows and doors, which are common areas for air leaks, you can also check for gaps between floorboards which can be plugged easily and cheaply to keep the ambient temperature more comfortable. Similarly, check the loft and walls for insulation, adding it in or upgrading it if it’s thin, to keep your home energy-efficient year-round, not just in the winter.

Plant trees and shrubs

Urban heat islands occur when a built-up area is far hotter than the countryside surrounding it, caused by concrete and buildings that retain heat during the day. As our summers get hotter, we need to do more in cities and towns to keep the sun from heating up our surroundings.

One way to combat urban heating is to plant tall trees and shrubs which are not only beautiful but also naturally provide shade, blocking sunlight from entering into your home. Trees can be planted near windows and doors to prevent excess sunlight from entering the home, keeping it cool, but you could also plant vining plants like grapevines, ivy, or clematis which will also grow over windows. From here, you can then prune the vines to control the light more efficiently while keeping the building cool.

Create outdoor living areas

The summer season is the perfect time to spend more time outdoors, enjoying the great weather but also keeping cool. If your garden doesn’t currently work for sun lounging, there are changes you can make to create a summer-friendly outdoor living room that looks great but also keeps your home sustainable.

For instance, using eco-friendly materials like wood is perfect for lowering the carbon footprint of your garden without holding onto as much warmth as concrete, and integrating seamlessly with the local landscape. These materials can be used to create a decked area for seating, for example, or for a pergola to provide shade with climbing plants. Outdoor furniture like solar-powered lighting, weather-resistant seating covers, and parasols all create a comfortable outdoor space that can be used throughout the seasons.

An eco-friendly home can significantly enhance your comfort during the hotter summer months without increasing your utility bills in the process. By adopting energy-saving measures and utilising shaded solutions throughout the home, and within the garden, you can prepare your cooler living space for summer while maintaining sustainability. These strategies not only improve comfort during warm weather but also reduce your property's carbon footprint, benefitting both you and the environment.