6 Ways To Keep Your House Cool In The Summer

During the summer, your home should act as a haven, a cool oasis to avoid overbearing heat. But keeping your space cool when temperatures reach above 80 degrees isn’t easy. Even with good blinds and landscaping that creates shade, when the sun comes in, it stays in.

“The goal is to get your system under control because no matter the season, you’re playing with a temperature differential,” says Troy Zdzieblowski, Neil Kelly Home Improvement Consultant. “Hot air is going to want to get to where it’s cold, like inside your house. If it’s cold outside, the hot air inside your house is going to try and escape. That’s the way the physics go. As a homeowner, it’s crucial to eliminate the communication between the two.”

Your home and all the workings inside of it are a system. This system is defined by boundaries, both inside and outside elements, that affect just how hot or cool your home can be. To control those boundaries, you need to create a unified comfort control system.

Here are six ways to stay cool in the summer.

1. 1. Air Sealing Your Home

To protect the building shell of your home, you need to figure out where air is coming from and where it is moving to. (Hint: If you see spiderwebs, start there, because spiders build webs where air doesn’t move.) The best method for checking air leaks is a blower door test, which measures how much air is circulating in your house. Once it’s measured, you can control the clean air coming in.

READ MORE: EEK! What Have You Been Breathing?

1. 2. Insulate Correctly and Completely 

Insulation is only as good as the air sealing. Think of your house as a box, even if it’s a Victorian home with a million nooks and crannies. Once your home is well sealed, insulate the attic, walls, and underfloor of your home for the best energy efficiency. By only insulating the attic, for example, you’ll create hot and cool spots within your home.

1. 3. Install a Ductless Mini-Split System 

These high-tech units are incredibly efficient and allow you to heat and cool zones of your house all at once. Before you install a mini-split, take the time to create the best design possible and size it perfectly to your home.

1. 4. Update With Low-E Windows 

Short for low-emissivity, low-E windows help to reduce heat gain and loss. A window expert will help you choose between vinyl, fiberglass, or wood and can walk you through energy-efficient packages to keep the sun out. 

Focus on U-values, which measure how effectively a material acts as an insulator, and the Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC), which is the amount of solar radiation admitted through a window via direct transmission and absorption and subsequently released into your home.

1. 5. Adjust Your Ceiling Fan

During the summertime, you should adjust your ceiling fan blades to rotate counterclockwise. This pushes the air downward and creates a cooling effect in your home. 

1. 6. Improve Your Airflow

Let your windows and the cool evening air do some of the work for you by taking advantage of cross breezes. Open your west- and east-facing windows at night when the temperatures come down to create a cross breeze throughout your home.

Understand How Your Home Works 

Knowledgeable homeowners get the most bang for their buck. Be aware of your household habits, like what part of the day you like to open the windows. With this in mind, learn the inner workings of your heating/cooling system to ensure you’re using it right.

Get Ready For Summer With Your Local Neil Kelly Handymen

Following an energy consultation, these best practices can be accomplished in just a few short weeks or as quickly as five days for smaller homes. So, get going. You’ve got a summer to enjoy. Make your home cool and energy-efficient this summer by scheduling a consultation with our home improvement pros.