It may only be spring in Perth, but the days are getting hotter, and you’re probably starting to think about keeping your house cool in summer. As Perth’s leading residential air conditioning company, we have been regaled with tales of unconventional cooling techniques over the years. We have heard some pretty awful suggestions – like putting a wet towel over a running fan – and some great ones too.
Contrary to popular belief, you can stay cool in summer without cranking the air conditioning all the way up. Efficient cooling can help you save energy and money, and can also improve your quality of life on a 40 ° day.
Read below for a list of handy cooling hints we’ve put together over the years.
In Your Home
Make Sure There is Shade: Perth homes need effective shade for east and west facing windows. The Aussie sun is cruel. Extra shade means your house stays cooler, and your air conditioning doesn’t need to work as hard.
Plant Some Trees: If you own a house, plant a range of attractive and useful ‘Shade Trees’. Make sure you don’t plant them on the south side of your house if you want passive solar heating in winter.
Close Up: Keep your house closed where possible on hotter days to stop any unwanted heat or humidity seeping through.
Open Interior Doors: Keep your interior doors open to allow cool air to flow through your house.
Ventilate in the evenings: When it cools down in the evening, open up your windows and let your house ventilate natural.
Weird Cooling Tips
Eat Fresh Fruit: Whether you realise it or not, you dehydrate really quickly when it’s hot. To cool your body temperature, eat a lot of fruit that naturally contains water, like watermelons. Pick up delicious seasonal fruit from local markets throughout Perth for a cooling snack.
Avoid Caffeine: If you can resist it, avoid caffeinated drinks such as coffee as caffeine promotes dehydration.
Wear lighter colours: Darker colours tend to absorb more heat, so wear some lighter colours to keep cool.
Freeze Your Sheets: Place your pillowcases and sheets in bags in the freezer. Take them out before you go to sleep.
Freeze Some Bottles: Place them in front of a fan. As the ice freezes, the air will cool down, and the fan will blow the air towards you.
Quali-Tea Cooling: Brew some peppermint tea, and leave it to cool in the fridge. Once it has cooled down, transfer it to a spray bottle, and you’ve got yourself a refreshingly cool body spray.
Maximising Your Air Con
Maintain: Make sure you maintain your system properly, to maximise efficiency. Aim to clean the filter at least once a month during Perth’s warmer months.
Don’t Dehumidify: If you have air conditioning, try not to have it running at the same time as a dehumidifier. It will increase amount of energy your aircon needs to use, and make the aircon work harder for the same result.
Don’t Waste Energy: If you’re going to be out of a room for more than an hour, turn off your air con.
Replace: If you have an old air conditioning system, it is not going to be as cost-effective or energy efficient as its younger, cooler counterparts. Consider whether it’s time to replace it with a more modern system.
If all else fails, just follow Edna’s lead and roll around in something cold!
Stay Cool This Summer
If you’re considering replacing your system, then check out the ‘Hottest Ever Summer Sale’, or head to your local Ambience Air store and talk to our friendly staff about updating your system.
