Environmental Living at Its Finest: Keep your Home Cool and Cozy

Your home should be your haven of comfort and cozy living, but with the blazing heat in our country, we find it hard to enjoy staying at home. It’s hard to get motivated to do anything when you feel damp or sweaty or uncomfortable.

People tend to turn to their AC for help, but in this time? The AC is not a friendly option anymore. Aside from the huge amount of chlorofluorocarbons it emits, its energy consumption is on a high level, making your electric bill shake its head in dismay.

The heat shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the comforts of your own home. These natural ways can help you keep your home cozier during the dog days of the blazing heat and contribute to environmental awareness as well.  

How to Make Your Home Cooler the Natural Way

• Green is the new in.

Probably the most recommended way to keep your home cooler is to plant more greeneries. Plant deciduous trees on places or spots where the sun shines the most. This way, the leaves can shield your home from the heat. Placing trees in the right location can save you the need to turn to the AC for help. You can also plant shrubs on the lower parts of your house to balance the cool shade. Planting a tree might not give you immediate effects, but on the long term, it could be very beneficial to you and your home. You can also plant vines on walls for additional shade, although they might need more maintenance in the long term.

• Windows are your friends.

The idea of opening your windows to reduce the heat inside is not entirely helpful in some cases. In fact, it invites the hot air inside, and hot air means hotter temperature inside. It’s advisable to keep most of the windows, blinds or shades closed to keep the hot air from coming in. This is if your house has decent insulation which means it’s important that you hire a knowledgeable contractor.

Reflective curtains and shutters are also your friendly options to prevent the heat waves showered by the sun. If you want to enjoy a cool breeze, open your windows at night and draw the curtains. In this way, you’re letting the cooler evening air inside and you’re beating the heat the natural way. Who needs AC when you have nature’s cool winds at your back?

• Consider some new additions and/or upgrades to your home.

If the heat is becoming a nuisance to your cozy living, consider a repaint job at your home with lighter shades. You can also replace your roof with those that provide more heat protection than the standard ones. Awnings, shades or shutters can also be placed on the exterior of your windows to provide more shade. They can provide another layer of protection from the sun too. Awnings themselves can reduce heat gains by a 65 to 75 percent range, particularly when placed on the south and west facing windows

• Go for energy-efficient lights.

Compact fluorescent and incandescent lights are out of the trend. Go for energy-efficient lighting instead, like LED bulbs. These bulbs are cost and energy efficient, as they also give you the same level of lighting without having to consume so much energy. Studies show that 95 percent of the energy consumed by LEDs is converted into light, with just 5 percent wasted as heat. It also minimizes emission of greenhouse gas since energy consumption is lower. They last longer too, so it’s another major plus for LED bulbs.

G Cube and Design and Build Ensures an Ecofriendly Approach to Our Projects

A good architect will maximize the use of orientation of your development based on your lot. The north-south side of the house is the cooler part of the property as opposed to the west-east. An experienced and well versed architect will use this to their advantage. All of the service areas should be located at the west-east area, while the bedrooms should be tucked well into the north-side area to maximize the use of passive cooling and minimize dependence on mechanical ventilation like air-conditioning units that in turns emits carbon footprint that harms our environment in the long run.

The call for action against environmental problems grows stronger, and we must take the initiative to it. Here at G Cube Design and Build, we understand the need for ecofriendly design. Environmental, aesthetic and safety satisfaction are always our top priorities. Let’s turn your dream house into something that Mother Nature would be proud of. Contact G Cube Design and Build Inc. now!