9 Clever Home Cooling ideas: Save Money and the Environment
As a nation, Australians spend a whopping $4.3 billion on cooling costs a year. By incorporating some of these proven ideas, we can save hundreds of dollars, reduce energy wastage and make a difference to our environment. So, stay cool indoors the smart way and breeze through summer with these easy to adopt strategies.
1) Pre-Cool your Home
In anticipation of hot days, leave your windows open during the night to trap the cool air. Make sure that you close all the windows before the day gets warm so that the cool air can remain in the house.
In addition, make good use of blinds, drapes or window shades to keep the heat and sun glare out of the house. These tips can make a difference of as much as 4 degrees.
2) Use Energy Efficient Appliances
Ensure that purchases have excellent energy ratings as the consumption make a huge difference in the long term, which will offset the differences in the comparative purchase costs of electrical items.
3) Use a Fan
This option should be your first go-to solution in cooling your home. Not only is the fan eco-friendly, it is economical to run (around one-fiftieth of the cost of the air conditioner), produces next to no greenhouse gas emission and can reduce the temperature of up to 3 degrees.
Another creative cooling idea with the fan is to spray a mister to moisten your skin and dry your hair with the breeze.
4) Purchase the Right Size of Air-Conditioner
Often times, owners may end up purchasing a cooling unit larger than required which produces the unnecessary incurrence of higher running costs. Instead, find out the optimal cooling requirements to reduce wastage on operating and maintenance costs.
5) Optimise the Use of the Air-Conditioner
You can reduce the cost of running your cooling units by ensuring that your house is draught-proof, well-insulated and shaded.
One of the easiest and most effective work you can do is to clean the air filters as dust and grime would have built up over the winter months.
Furthermore, only use cooling systems when you are actually at home and remember to switch it off each time you leave the house. You can opt to thermal zone your home so that you can choose to cool down specific areas or rooms – only those which are in use.
6) Adjust the Thermostat
Each degree set lower can increase energy consumption by 10 to 15 percent. Ideally, set your temperature around 25 to 26 degrees for comfort and affordable bills.
7) Use Cold Water when Washing Clothes
Unless your clothes are really soiled, cold water washes are sufficient for cleaning most laundry. Not only are they gentler and will protect colours better, you will also consume energy more wisely. Additionally, you can opt for detergents that have been specifically designed for cold washes to maximise the cleanliness of your laundry.
8) Minimise the Use of Dryers
Dryers should be used only when it is absolutely necessary. Western Australians are very fortunate to live in the city with the most number of sun days in Australia so take advantage of nature around you. By line-drying your laundry, you will save on energy while helping your clothes to smell fresher as the sun eliminates odour, disinfects and bleaches clothes (note: always dry clothes with dark and strong colours under indirect sunlight).
9) Insulate your Home
Ceiling insulation can reduce your costs by a significant 45% so it is well worth investing in them.
Other ideas which you can benefit from is to ensure that there are plants around your home as outdoor pavers can reflect heat and make your home a lot warmer. You could also choose lighter colours for your roofing and walls and avoid installing windows with aluminium frames as the heat will pass right through them.
Our Property Managers would be more than happy to discuss ideas on how to keep your home cooler this summer and help you save not only money but our delicate environment along the way.
