The muggy air and sleepless nights of mid-summer are upon us.
Already my villa is a sauna on the second level and the trusty fan does not cut it. So, I’ve been looking at cooling solutions that will help homes feel fresh day in and night out.
First, you need to look at the outside of the house in order to help the inside temperature.
That means it is important to have strategically placed windows that encourage air flow through the house to bring in cool air and let hot air escape.
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Some homes just have poorly placed windows - too many facing the very hot westerly or northerly sun, not enough pulling cool air in from the south. If there are not enough windows in the right position then the air is not circulating and moving to create cooling breezes.
Stylish ceiling fans are no loner a throw-back to the bad-taste 1970s. Photo / Supplied
It helps to have double or even triple glazing on your windows. This helps to not only retain heat inside in the winter, but also keep hot air outside and cool air inside in the summer. Having your home properly insulated also retains an even distribution of temperature. Adding shade with either external blinds, awnings or eaves or internal sun-block blinds or curtains helps too.
Having thermally efficient windows and wall and ceiling insulation is an important first step before you invest in a mechanical cooling system, so that it economically performs to its optimum specifications.
Second, consider the humble ceiling fan. A fan is economical - it uses a lot less energy than a heat pump - and is perfect for circulating stagnant air.
Over the last couple of years, I have warmed to these underrated gems. These days the ones you can buy from any big box retailers are much better looking, quieter and perform well. Most have a circulating airflow above 200 cubic metres per minute, the flow recommended for proper ventilation to bring in the right amount of fresh air.
A smart fan can also be a design feature. I am a particular fan of the Airfusion Akmani fan which has sleek wooden blades and ribbed bronze structure. But there are many styles and colours that are available to you that will whip you out of the 1970’s before you know it.
Be careful using heat pumps for cooling too - they are more expensive to operate in air-conditioning mode. Photo / Supplied
The third cooling option is the heat pump. They are now more common in a home than a food processor, partly due to the new requirements for efficient heating, but they can also reverse to an air-conditioning mode.
But be aware that they are the most expensive cooling system, even as they have become more and more energy efficient as technology develops.
In air-con mode, heat pumps work best cooling just one room, so look at strategically placing them to service an area rather than a large amount of space. This will put less strain on the system and you won't need to use it as long. If you are like me and need multiple zones cooled or heated then you would be better to invest in a ducted system. This can be controlled for when you need the spaces to be cooled to help with the electrical bill.
The best time to plan for cooling is when you are going through a new build.
Really evaluate your cooling systems and what environment you want your space feel like, as good glazing, insulation and heat pumps perform well across multiple seasons. It is a lot easier to invest in your plan now than retrofitting later.
- Laura Heynike is director of Pocketspace Interiors
