How to cool your home without using air conditioning

As the summer heat sets in, it's vital to find ways of cooling our homes.

The use of air conditioning can be costly and harmful to the environment. What's more, many Spanish households don't have this type of equipment. For those looking to save money and adopt sustainable solutions, there are alternatives that enable a pleasant temperature to be maintained without excessive recourse to air conditioning.

Home without air conditioning: tips to keep your home cool and comfortable

According to data provided by Kronos Homes, half of all Spanish households have no air conditioning, and two out of ten are unable to keep their homes at an adequate temperature. It's therefore essential to use domestic tricks to cool our interiors, especially in view of the increasingly frequent high temperatures during the summer.

Natural ventilation: the simplest way to a cool interior

Ventilating the house is one of the simplest and most effective ways of reducing indoor temperatures. Opening windows in the evening allows fresh air to circulate, while closing them during the day keeps warm air out. Cross-ventilation, by opening windows at opposite ends of the house, helps warm air escape to the outside. The use of strategically placed fans can also help displace warm air.

Blocking the sun's rays to keep cool

The sun has a significant impact on indoor temperature. It's therefore advisable to block the sun's rays to keep our home cool. Curtains, blinds and awnings are our best allies in blocking direct sunlight. Trees planted in the garden or pergolas with climbing plants can also provide shade and reduce the heat absorbed by the house.

Insulation and waterproofing: keeping the heat out

Good insulation is essential to keep our home cool. Walls, floors and ceilings must be insulated to prevent heat from penetrating. It's also important to seal cracks and gaps in doors and windows to prevent warm air from entering. Choosing tinted glass can also contribute to better insulation by absorbing some of the sun's rays.

Water to cool your home

Water is a precious ally when it comes to cooling the home. Inside, the evaporation of water can cool the ambient air. The use of evaporative cooling equipment is an excellent solution for lowering the temperature by a few degrees.

Energy-efficient electrical appliances and light bulbs

Electrical appliances generate a lot of heat. By switching them off when they're not in use, and avoiding using them during the hottest hours of the day, we help cool our homes. Similarly, traditional light bulbs increase the ambient temperature. Replacing them with LEDs or energy-saving bulbs will reduce not only the heat emitted, but also our energy consumption.

Tips and tricks for a fresh and pleasant interior

There are many simple tips for lowering the temperature inside our home. Hanging wet towels on windows, placing a container of cold water in a room, using ceiling fans or cotton sheets, walking barefoot on cool floors, drinking plenty of water, enjoying houseplants or making a homemade air conditioner with ice and a fan are all solutions that help us keep our interiors cool and comfortable.

By following these simple tips, we can cool our home without having to resort to air conditioning, which is good for both our pocket and the environment.

Emmy

I was an intern at the editorial office. When I saw their ad for a freelancer, I decided to come back. I'm a fan of series and movies, I spend my weekends at the cinema and my nights in front of Netflix