How to Make Your House Summer Ready
By Seb Crangle
For those of us who don’t live in homes designed from the outset for energy efficiency, there are actions we can take to prevent them from becoming uncomfortably hot in summer and/or needing large amounts of energy to keep them cool.
Creating an energy-efficient home calls for measures beyond typical air-conditioning and fans. Keeping the heat out of your home is better than cooling your house, both financially and environmentally.
Some improvements you can make are seasonal.
In our own house, these are some steps we make in spring to convert it from a ‘winter house’ to a ‘summer house’:
Erecting a shade sail over the deck roof (taken down over winter to let the sun and warmth in);
Covering skylights with reflective blinds;
Checking that external blinds are in good working order; and,
Opening roof ventilation (a ‘Whirligig’ that I block in winter to prevent draughts and retain heat in the ceiling cavity).
These are all ways to reduce how much heat – especially direct sunlight – gets into your house in the hotter months. The key here is to block the radiant heat of sunlight before it enters your home, whilst allowing in natural light.
There are other more permanent actions you can take – that once done improve the home’s thermal performance in both hot and cold weather. Some examples:
Growing deciduous trees or vines to shade western walls;
Adding insulation to ceiling cavities, under floors and into wall cavities;
Installing retractable external awnings/blinds to windows facing east, west and north (some look quite stylish and allow you to still see out;
Adding ‘whirlygigs’ to rooves, preferably powered or solar ones; and,
If you have AC: sealing draughts around doors and windows, or through floorboards. (If you don’t have AC this isn’t so necessary).
The most effective actions vary drastically from property to property, depending on the shortfalls in its design or building materials. But take heart, you can overcome those shortfalls and make your home a more comfortable, healthier, less expensive place to live, with a smaller carbon footprint.
About Seb
I’m a sustainability consultant, specialising in home energy-efficiency and energy management. I support households to lower the energy consumption and carbon footprint of their homes, through implementing practical, customised solutions. I’m an accredited assessor with the Residential Efficiency Scorecard program, assessing homes and providing comprehensive yet easy-to-understand advice on home improvements to reduce energy demand. I also deliver solutions, providing a range of home retrofit services including draft proofing, and support households with independent advice on installing solar.