Ideas to Keep Your Property Cool as Summer Swings In!
There’s nowhere quite like Malta in summer - we’re famous for our beaches and summer night sundowners. But the key to enjoy the long Maltese summer, is to find a way to balance out the high temperatures and the sun that’s heating our rental properties.
We’ve tried to dig out as many natural ways to cool down your home because the more you maximise natural cooling, the more comfortable you’ll feel and the lower the bills will be in the long term.
You’ll be surprised at what you can do without breaking a sweat.
1. Crack a window, close a door
You can control temperatures by knowing when to open your house for air flow and when to close it up to shut out the heat. Keep the heat out of your house by closing windows and blinds before the thick of the heat hits from the late morning. Then once the evening cool sets in, open everything up to allow the breeze to circulate and vent out the house and create an air flow. This will have the added benefit of saving on energy costs and consumption.
2. Ceiling Fan Fantasy
Tacky 80's ceiling fans are out. Now they come in all shapes and sizes and actually can be a great feature in a room. On top of that, they are an effective way to cool down a room at a fraction of the cost of other cooling methods, like air conditioners. So consider opting to switch on a fan before going for the AC control.
3. Turn off the Tech
Photo by Mariia Chalaya on Unsplash
Don’t underestimate how much heat your household appliances like lights, TV and other electrical appliances emit extra heat and increase the temperature of a room on hot summer days. Be sure to switch off things like lamps, plug-in power adapters and computers. Unplug your phone and devices and try to avoid charging them overnight unless you absolutely have to. By turning them off at the wall socket you are sure they are not transmitting electricity and therefore creating heat.
Not only will you reduce heat sources but also you’ll also save on your bills and help reduce the impact on the environment.
4. Don’t Go Down Low
You’re hot, the road looks like there’s steam rising up from it and your only happy place seems like the freezer. No one can blame you for wanting to crank down the air conditioning as low as it can go. But on those steaming Maltese summer days, you’d do well to resist the temptation and maintain the air conditioning to 25 degrees. This will keep you comfortable and save you money. Every time you reduce your thermostat to even one degree cooler, this can increase your bills by around 15%.
5. Cuddle up in Cotton Sheets
Cotton sheets are a quick way to have a cooler night’s sleep if you can’t make big modifications to your rental property. Cotton sheets are cooler to sleep in as they breathe and don’t insulate the body. A good night’s sleep is essential so invest in something light and airy.
6. Create a rooftop garden
Rooftop gardens are a great way to insulate your home by keeping the air cooler inside.
Now’s the perfect time to get planting, too. If the prospect of reducing your heating and cooling isn’t enough to entice you, then rally up some friends and promise them a barbecue at the end as a reward for getting their hands dirty. What better way to get to know your neighbours by planting a small garden together.