9th January 2019 / Beth Oleyar: REFRESHING WAYS TO KEEP YOUR HOME COOL IN SUMMER

Things can get sweaty in Summer and although it's convenient, simply cranking up the air-con can send your power bill through the roof! Here are our five top tips to make your house feel like a home and not an oven on those hot Summer days.

1) Be Strategic With Your Blinds
Up to 30% of unwanted heat in your home comes through your windows via the greenhouse effect. Sunlight and heat enter, but can't escape. You can actually lower the midday temperature of your home by almost 20% just by keeping the blinds and curtains closed during the day! In the evening when it gets cooler, open up the whole house and let Refreshing air come through the windows.

2) Use A Fan First, And Hack It!
Instead of turning on the A/C straight away, try using a fan first. They are less expensive to run and if you put some ice in a bowl and place it in front of a fan…you get instant A/C!

3) Turn Off & Unplug Appliances
Appliances throw off a lot of heat when running so if not in use, switch them off and unplug them! Less heat produced means a cooler interior, and it will help to get the kids away from the electronics for a while!

4) Set Your Thermostat To 26 Degrees
Although it's tempting to set the thermostat all the way down to 21 degrees, you can stay cool and comfortable just as well at 26 degrees (combined with our other tips of course)! This setting will help you save money – setting your thermostat just one degree cooler can hike your cooling bill by 15%!

5) Don't Cook Inside!
Kitchens can create and retain a lot of heat when you're cooking, so try to pre-plan meals over the Summer months so you don't need to use the oven during the day. If possible, cook on the grill, in a microwave or better yet – over the BBQ outside!