With all the extreme weather going on around the world some people’s biggest worry is how to stay cool. Victoria has a very nice climate and it is not often we need to worry about air-condition in our homes. A recent article in the Times Colonist by Jennifer Fong with CanWest News Service reads:
Coolin’ down the house
You can’t sleep. The heat, even with the windows open, is suffocating. All you can do is toss and turn in bed, wondering what it’s going to take to get some air conditioning around here. But It doesn’t have to be like this. Just a few key tactics can help you keep your home cool without having to spend thousands on a central air renovation.
- Keep your drapes closed: Getting sunlight into your home is great, but not if it’s turning your living room into a greenhouse. The rays coming through your windows will heat up your home.
“White blinds work very, very well,” says Michael Kalmanovitch, owner of Earth’s General Store in Edmonton. “80 per cent is reflected back out and you’re getting bounced-in lights.”
Open your roof hatch: Because heat rises, your attic could be the hottest part of your home.
“If you have direct sun exposure on your roof, your attic temperature can go up to 50 degrees Celsius,” said Lianne Redmond at Epcor.
Most homes have hatches through the attic that lead to the roof. Keeping these open on summer days will allow air to circulate and heat to rise up out of your home, forming a chimney effect.
- Air conditioners and fans: Research shows, said Redmond, that “when a fan is blowing on us, it’s equal to a reduction in three degrees Celsius.”
Stand-up fans are most effective for cooling, said Redmond. Ceiling fans help ventilate, but “they’re more effective in the winter time, when hot air rises, to push the warm air down.”
Compared to air conditioners, fans use a lot less power, said Kim Girczyc at a Canadian Tire.
“Some people don’t prefer them just because it’s not really cooling your air, it’s just moving your air.”
- Break out the backyard barbecue: Cooking outside means a cooler house inside. Boiling or baking can put a lot of moisture and heat into your house, said Kalmanovitch. If you don’t have an outdoor grill, opt for lighter, cooler meal options like a summer salad or a cold sandwich.
- Cross-ventilate: Keep your windows closed during the day but let air flow as much as possible by opening doors and windows when it’s cooler in the evening.
“If it’s really hot outside and it’s cooler indoors, keep all your doors and windows shut,” said Redmond. Otherwise you’ll only get hot air circulating through your home. “If the outdoors is cooler than your house, open up your windows.”
She suggests placing a fan near the window to pull the cool air in, and another one on the other side of the room to bring the breeze through.
- Home improvements: If you’ll be doing some landscaping or home renovations anyway, consider planting a few trees to shade your home. You can also install awnings, which have a similar function by stopping rays before they hit your windows.
If you’re thinking of putting in a new roof or siding, light colours will help reflect the light. And if you’re really desperate, aluminum foil could be a temporary quick-fix. “Put up some tin foil on the outside,” said Kalmanovitch. “Anything to reflect that heat off of there so it doesn’t get into the house.”
- Lights Out: Simply keeping your lights off will make a huge difference, especially if you’re using traditional incandescent light bulbs.
“90 per cent of the energy going into them makes heat, only 10 per cent makes light,” said Kalmanovitch. “It’s like a space heater.” End of Article.
If you have any tips on how to stay cool in the summer, please drop us a comment.
You can contact us anytime should you have any questions about Victoria Real Estate.
 Cheers, Anders
Anders Treiberg, REALTOR®
Properties In Victoria Professionals- Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty
Anders Treiberg has been a REALTOR® in Victoria, BC. since 1990. He has extensive Real Estate Expertise and can be reached on his website www.PropertiesInVictoria.com
