Cooling Your Home Naturally
Keeping cool indoors when it is hot
outdoors is a problem. The sun beating down on our homes
causes indoor temperatures to rise to uncomfortable levels.
Air conditioning provides some relief. But the initial costs
of installing an air conditioner and the electricity costs
to run it can be high. In addition, conventional air
conditioners use refrigerants made of chlorine compounds,
suspected contributors to the depletion of the ozone layer
and global warming. But there are alternatives to air
conditioning.
This article provides some common sense
suggestions and low-cost retrofit options to help you “keep
your cool”—and save electricity.
Staying Cool
An alternative way to maintain a cool
house or reduce air-conditioning use is natural (or passive)
cooling. Passive cooling uses nonmechanical methods to
maintain a comfortable indoor
temperature. The most effective method to cool your home is
to keep the heat from building up in the first place. The
primary source of heat buildup (i.e., gain) is sunlight
absorbed by your house through the roof, walls, and windows.
Secondary sources are heat-generating appliances in the home
and air leakage.
Specific methods to prevent heat gain
include reflecting heat (i.e., sunlight) away from your
house, blocking the heat, removing built-up heat, and
reducing or eliminating heatgenerating sources in your home.
Planning Your Planting
Placement of
vegetation is important when landscaping your home. The
following are suggestions to help you gain the most from
vegetation.
·
Plant trees on the
northeast-southeast and the northwest-southwest sides of
your house. Unless you live in a climate where it is hot
year-round, do not plant trees directly
to the south. Even the bare branches of mature deciduous
trees can significantly reduce the amount of sun reaching
your house in the winter.
·
Plant trees and shrubs so
they can direct breezes. Do not place a dense line of
evergreen trees where they will block the flow of cool air
around or through them.
·
Set trellises away from your
house to allow air to circulate and keep the vines from
attaching to your house’s façade and damaging its exterior.
Placing vegetation too close to your house can trap heat and
make the air around your house even warmer.
·
Do not plant trees or large
bushes where their roots can damage septic tanks, sewer
lines, underground wires, or your house’s foundation.
·
Make sure the plants you
choose can withstand local weather extremes.
Top 10 Natural Cooling Strategies To
Consider
1)
Lighten roof and exterior
wall color
2)
Add reflective coatings to
windows
3)
Insulate attic and walls
4)
Caulk and weatherstrip to
seal air leaks
5)
Add shade trees, bushes, or
vines
6)
Add exterior awnings and
shades
7)
Add interior drapes and
shades
8)
Ventilate attic
9)
Increase natural ventilation
10)
Replace light bulbs with
energy-efficient fluorescents
