There are some ways to cool off your house in summer without the assistance from air conditioning – try to cool off your naturally and save off some electricity costs. Do It Yourself.com got an article on how to stay cool by using passive cooling, meaning cooling off with non-mechanical methods to maintain the temperature. Suggestions are:
- Reflecting Heat Away on Roofs, Windows, Wall
- Blocking the Heat using insulation and shading
- Removing Built-Up Heat
Using insulation by far should be one of the best solution for summer to block out summer heat from the outdoor – it can also help on winter by blocking cold:
… Weatherization measures – such as insulating, weather stripping, and caulking – help seal and protect your house against the summer heat in addition to keeping out the winter cold. For more information on weatherizing your home, see our weather stripping article The attic is a good place to start insulating because it is a major source of heat gain. Adequately insulating the attic protects the upper floors of a house. Recommended attic insulation levels depend on where you live and the type of heating system you use. for most climates, you want a minimum of R-30. In climates with extremely cold winters, you may want as much as R-49. again, check the DOE fact sheet insulation on how to determine the ideal level of insulation for your climate.
Wall insulation is not as important for cooling as attic insulation because outdoor temperatures are not as hot as attic temperatures. also, floor insulation has little or no effect on cooling…
Cool Your Home Naturally – [Do it Yourself.com]
