Summer has now arrived, and with the heat penetrating the homes it is difficult to make the domestic space comfortable. Considering that many of us want to do it by helping the environment – therefore without using air conditioning-, the problem becomes more serious. How can we do it?
Traditional means against the heatwave
If we want to use low-cost methods but with guaranteed effectiveness, we can first of all remember to close windows and shutters in the hottest hours – for example in the early afternoon-, and to open them in the cooler ones, such as in the evening. If our home also has windows on several facades, opening them all at the same time will allow the formation of currents that will bring a bit of coolness..
.
Then, we can also immerse the curtains in buckets of cold water, so that the air passes through the wet fabric and refreshes the entire room. Obviously, light and thin curtains allow for easier ventilation of the house.
Speaking of windows, it is good to remember that there are types capable of counteracting the heat by isolating the house from the sun’s rays, often thanks to reflective or absorbent glass (i.e. absorbing the heat of the sun’s rays), and have frames that do not let the heat pass between the joints.
Fans, water and shade
But what to do if we want a faster solution for the heat? Here the dear old fan, often stored in some (perhaps forgotten) area of our home can help us. By placing a tray full of cold water and ice in front of it, we can maximize its cooling action – but be careful not to point it directly at us; doing so is highly inadvisable, as it can cause joint and neck pain.
If, on the other hand, we have a ceiling fan, we just need to activate it counterclockwise and its movement will make the hot air rise upwards.
Shading balconies and terraces can also be useful – especially the points where too much heat enters. In this case let’s use a practical umbrella, and maybe some climbing plants to make the environment cooler. And if we want to sit comfortably out there and cool, maybe we could think of buying a bench like DENVER by Target Point.
Some alternatives
In addition to the simpler and more traditional means described above, we can also try valid alternatives to the air conditioner – such as underfloor cooling, which thanks to an electric pump can help us cool the house in the summer – or heat it in the winter. This occurs thanks to pipes placed under the floor, which convey cold water capable of cooling the domestic environment by radiation.
Another method is represented by solar cooling, still not very widespread but promising, which uses solar panels and a machine for cooling the air or hot water produced by the panels, guaranteeing low energy consumption and low noise pollution.
Then there is the so-called evaporative cooling: the latter allows you to cool the air sucked in from the environment by passing it through a wet filter; the air in this way transfers heat to the water and cools down. Fortunately, all this happens without consuming too much or spending a lot for installation.
Finally, another solution that we can adopt to have a cooler and more comfortable environment in summer is represented by a group of low-cost appliances: they are the so-called portable coolers, of which there are more types that can also be found on the net. They can be purchased at reduced costs and often have more functions, which allow both to dehumidify the air and purify it.
Target Point, Italian Ideas