C.J. Braden • 3 Minute Read
How To Make Your Hot Home More Comfortable
After a long winter of being indoors and not getting out and about as much as we might usually do, the new season of summer is thrilling, to say the least. That warm weather we often hope for during the winter is sure to make an appearance.
The problem is that, when summer does finally come, we often complain about it. We complain because it’s too hot and we can’t enjoy ourselves. We complain because it’s too hot and we can’t sleep. It’s like we can’t win. However, if you can make your home truly comfortable when it’s hot, you’ll have a great summer and really make the most of it. Read on to find out more.
1- Get Air Conditioning
Try having a mini-split A/C unit installed
If you don’t already have air conditioning, it’s a good idea to have it installed. Although it can be a significant expense, when you consider how much it can help you be comfortable in your own home, you’ll see it’s a worthwhile investment.
It’s perhaps especially important if you work from home, as the hot temperatures of the summer can mean we are much less productive and work becomes much harder to deal with. It’s also very useful if you find it hard to sleep when it’s hot. Mini splits work well if you only need to cool a couple of rooms. Just remember to change the air filters regularly to make it worthwhile.
If you can’t install air conditioning for any reason, or you don’t want to because the heat is only a problem for a few weeks every year (and sometimes not even that), make sure you have a few fans around the house. Although not as powerful as an AC unit, these fans will help to cool things down as well.
2- Get A Hot Tub
A hot tub can help you relax in the summer too
If you have a backyard, getting a hot tub is a great option and a wonderful way to not just survive the hot weather, but to enjoy it. While it sounds counter-intuitive (why a hot tub when it’s hot outside?!), it actually can help. When it’s really hot outside, just turn the temperature down. Hot tubs can be installed in any outdoor space and can be used by anyone. Hop in during your lunch break, first thing in the morning, or in the evenings when you not only need to cool down but relax too.
What’s fantastic about a hot tub is that, unlike a swimming pool, you can actually use it all year round because the water is warm. As long as you keep it maintained and clean, you can indulge whenever the mood strikes, and it’s great to know you have it there, ready and waiting for you.
3-Think About Your Bedding
Try silk or satin sheets in the summer
There is nothing quite so awful as lying in bed at night, extremely tired but unable to sleep because of the heat in the bedroom. Opening the windows doesn’t help as that just lets hot air in (and insects too), and if you don’t have air conditioning or fans, as mentioned above, you’ll end up being cranky and irritable the next day, as well as unproductive in anything you planned to do.
Something you can do to help yourself is to consider your bedding. Are you lying under a thick winter duvet? Then switch it for a much thinner summer one. Or, even better, just use a sheet to cover you. It’s best not to sleep without any kind of cover at all, as the hot air has more contact with you that way and can make you feel worse.
If you like this article, we know you’ll love this one: Beach House Bedroom Makeover
4- Adjust The Ceiling Fans
A ceiling fan is a great cooling tool for the bedroom
You may believe that your ceiling fans just circulate hot air about your home rather than cooling it. You're not entirely incorrect. Fans that are not rotating counter-clockwise may be doing exactly that, and making your home hotter than it should be.
Set your ceiling fans to rotate counter-clockwise in the summer to force air straight downwards to help chill the space. Set them to move clockwise in the winter to draw cold air up. Set the speed of the fan to high when it's warm, and low when it's cold. Making sure your ceiling fans move in the appropriate way can make a big difference in how cool your house feels.
5-Close Doors And Seal Gaps
Keep all outside doors closed in the summer
Close the doors to rooms you aren't using to keep cool air where you most need it. Use draught excluders and caulk around the doors and windows to make sure the cool air can't get out.
Note: If you open some of the windows and doors to let more air into the house, evaporative air conditioners will work better.
6-Plant Foliage
Plants can assist with the air in a home
Planting shady trees and other plants around your house may take a few years to pay off, but it will help keep heat from coming in through the windows and roof. And the end result is also pretty.
7-Use your Freezer
Ever try freezing your sheets?
You might not think about getting your hot water bottle out during the summer months, but it could be ideal. Rather than filling it with hot water, fill it with cold and then put it in the freezer for a short while – it will be lovely and cool, and you can use it in bed at night to cool down, or perhaps you could put your feet on it when you’re trying to work, for example.
When it comes to freezers, you don't have to put hot water bottles in there to stay cool. Before you go to bed, try putting your sheets in the freezer for a few minutes. Before you put your sheets in the freezer, make sure to put them in a plastic bag, as this will prevent any odors from the freezer from attaching themselves to your bedding. Even though it's just a quick fix, it will help you take a break from the heat.
8- Turn The Lights Off
Keep lights off in the summer to help with the heat
Even light bulbs that are good for the environment give off heat. Turning off the lights will save you some money on your electricity bill and keep the house cool. Sunlight lasts until early evening, so you don't really need light bulbs until it's really late anyway, making this an easy thing to do. Remember to turn lights off when you leave a room (assuming you’re the last to leave) as well.
C.J. (Carolyn) Braden is a regular contributor and editor for Carolyn’s Blooming Creations. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Little Ways to Get Back To You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.
This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links. All opinions and ideas expressed in this post, however, are based on my personal point of view.