Top tips to keep your well-insulated home cool during the summer

Summertime and the living ain't easy

Despite the well-known song lyrics, the hot summer days can prove more challenging when it comes to keeping your home cooler! You might find yourself investing in expensive electric air conditioners, leading to increased energy costs!!   

But well-insulated homes slow down the transfer of heat, keeping a home warmer for longer. This means less heat escapes from your home in the winter and less heat enters in the summer, reducing the need for heating and cooling. 

So why do well-insulated homes feel so warm during the summer months? , The trick is to not to let the heat enter the home in the first place. Once heat from sunlight, appliances, or cooking penetrates the building, the highly insulated, airtight envelope prevents it from escaping.  

Passive cooling

Passive cooling is an approach that makes use of the building design and materials to keep a comfortable temperature inside buildings without mechanical or electrical devices.  

Passive cooling techniques often involve design strategies that maximise natural ventilation, shading, insulation, and thermal mass. 

Keep cool and carry on

We close windows to keep the heat in when it's cold, but people seem to do the opposite when it's warm and open the windows wide. It may seem counter-intuitive but it’s important to keep windows and doors closed during warm spells. Blinds should be kept down, and curtains closed. Windows should be opened at night and in the morning to let cool air in. If there are large glass doors in the home (some modern kitchens have an entire wall made of glass!) – a canopy overhead will block out direct sun from entering. 

Check out our top tips below for staying cool in a well-insulated home 

Sun and Heat 

Controlling light and internal heat sources stops the greenhouse effect and prevents heavy masonry from warming up. 

1. Block sunlight: Keep curtains and blinds completely closed on windows that catch the morning and afternoon sun. External shades or solar films are the most effective way to stop heat from entering your glass.  
2. Shut out daytime air: As tempting as it is, opening windows during the hottest part of the day will simply let hot air in. Keep windows and external doors shut from late morning until early evening.  
3. Reduce internal heat: Computers, TVs, and even incandescent lightbulbs emit significant heat. Unplug idle devices and switch to LEDs. Avoid using the oven; opt for cold meals or cooking outdoors. 

Get an airflow going 

Once the outside temperature drops in the evening, you can use airflow to cool the house down 

1. Night flushing: Open windows on opposite sides of your home during the evening and night to create a strong cross-breeze. 
2. Stack effect: If your home has roof windows (like VELUX), open them. Because warm air naturally rises, opening high-level windows helps purge trapped hot air out through the roof while pulling cooler air in from downstairs. Opening an attic hatch door can have the same effect 

Use fans and ventilation 

Using fans can trick your body into feeling cooler  

Strategic fan placement: Place a fan facing outward in a window at the warmest side of the house to push hot air out, and another fan facing inward at the coolest side to draw fresh air in.  

1. The ice trick: Place a bowl of ice or an ice pack directly in front of your portable fan. As the ice melts, the fan will circulate chilled air around the room.  
2. Extractor fans: Turn on kitchen and bathroom extractor fans to quickly remove hot air and humidity generated from cooking or showering.

Winter homes are built in the summer

Summertime is the perfect time to carry out a home energy upgrade. By acting early, you give yourself the time and space to make informed decisions, secure the best contractors, and ensure your home is ready before the cold weather returns.