There’s no getting away from the fact that the heat is already sweltering in many places. If your home isn’t designed to make managing the warmer summer weather easier, the entire season could be a complete nightmare. While we yearn for those hot, sunny days, we forget about just how uncomfortable the sweltering heat can be. Especially at night when we’re trying to sleep.
Summer is fleeting. That’s why you naturally you want to get as much out of the warmer summer months as possible. The key to success with having an enjoyable summer is fairly simple: ensure that your home is designed to offer a retreat from the warmer summer weather, providing an oasis that is cool and calm. Of course, knowing how to create this kind of space isn’t always an easy task, is it? After all, there’s a lot that you need to think about.
The good news is that when it comes to keeping your home cool this summer and enjoying the heat, there are a number of tried and tested strategies that you can take advantage of. It’s just a case of knowing what steps to take within your home to allow you to create a retreat from the heat where you can relax and unwind in comfort.
In need of a little inspiration to create your perfect summer home? Below are a few useful tips and tricks for ensuring that your home is summer-ready. Read on for everything that you need to know!
Air Conditioner Tune-up
If there’s one thing that you don’t want to skip when it comes to keeping your home cool during the summer months, it’s air conditioning. There’s literally nothing worse than being in your home unable to get to sleep. While fans can help to keep you cool, they do little to cool the air, instead simply blowing it around the room. When the air is already hot, this can make you feel even hotter and more uncomfortable, which is why having air conditioning is so crucial.
If your unit hasn’t been serviced in a while or hasn’t been working effectively, it’s a good idea to seek assistance from an air conditioning service that can check your unit over properly. When left unserviced, air conditioning can become dangerous, so it’s vital that you ensure that your unit undergoes regular ‘health checks’ by an air conditioning professional to ensure it’s safe to use and that it is working effectively.
Install Blinds
Does your home already have blinds? If not, then you might want to consider having block-out blinds installed in each room. The fact is that the sun can quickly heat up a room. It can quickly heat up your entire home, making it uncomfortably hot. To help prevent your home from becoming unbearably hot, keeping your blinds closed. Event keeping them partially closed on hotter days can work well to help keep the heat out.
Swap out Your Windows
If you’ve been thinking about replacing some of your home’s windows for a while, now is the ideal time. Take the leap and swap out your windows for designs that offer better airflow through your home. This will help keep it cooler during the summer months.
For any room that leads out to your garden, it could be worth considering swapping your windows for wide opening French doors. Imagine being able to throw the doors open and bring the outside into your home. Just think how wonderfully refreshing it would be. How easy it would be to prevent your home from becoming too stuffy due to the heat and a lack of adequate airflow. When it comes to choosing new windows and, potentially, French doors, make sure to select designs that are highly rated and made to prevent energy wastage and draughts.
If you don’t already have blinds positioned throughout your home, it’s probably a good idea to consider having some installed. Keep the heat out as much as possible. Doing so will reduce the amount of time your air conditioning will need to be on. Everyone loves saving on energy costs!
Invest in a Pool
Does your garden lack a pool? If your outdoor space has the room for you to add a pool, do it! Even if it’s just a temporary one. Adding a swimming pool to your garden is definitely an investment worth making. Just imagine how relaxing it would be to chill out in your own private pool, situated in your garden, on a swelteringly hot summer’s day – what could be more refreshing than that?
The good news is that when it comes to backyard pools, there are so many different options to choose from. From ready-made pool shells that can be used and pop-up pools to various DIY pool ideas on the internet. You might be surprised – building a pool of your own doesn’t have to be that expensive, it all depends on how you go about building it. If you’re in need of a little swimming pool inspiration, there are plenty of tips and ideas online from resources like Instagram and Pinterest, for instance.
Depending on the pool you choose then you may need to add in some sort of patio or paving for your pool to sit on, or you could have some paving put in for sun loungers next to your new pool. There are lots of things you can do to pimp out the garden for the summer pool, if you do need some paving done though then look to professional landscape pavers if you are not confident enough to do it yourself.
Remove Clutter
Okay, so technically removing clutter from your home won’t help you to beat the heat. However, it will help you to create a more tranquil and relaxing space to unwind in. Clutter and mess cause stress. In the warmer summer months the last thing you want is to get wound up and stressed out by the look and feel of your home. That’s why it’s a good idea to consider having a clutter clear out, creating a home space that has a more minimalist, clean vibe to it.
The fact is that when it comes to relaxing, clutter can have a seriously negative impact, and if you want to be able to spend your summer feeling chilled out at home, you need to create a space that offers a relaxed vibe. So it’s worth taking the time to have a clutter clear out, and ensure that your home offers that perfect space to relax and unwind in during the warmer summer months.
Create a Cool Sleep Space
If there’s one room in your home that needs to be as cool and calm as possible, it’s your bedroom. Sleeping in the heat can be a complete nightmare. That’s good enough reason for me to take the time to create a cooler sleep space.
In addition to ensuring that you have air conditioning in your bedroom, it’s also a good idea to make sure that your bedding is light and breathable. In the summer months, you might want to replace any heavy bedding for a cooler, lighter alternative.
You could also opt to invest in an under sheet gel cooling mat. These are incredible and offer a fantastic way to keep cool during the warmer months. You can even place them in the fridge before bed, for an even cooler night’s sleep. There are various options available to buy online. Look for a gel cooling mat that is the right fit for your bed size, price range, and fridge – after all, you need to have the space to cool it down, otherwise, it’s useless.
Overhaul Your Sunroom
A fantastic place to relax during the summer months is your home’s sunroom – if it has one, that is. However, if you have failed to take sunroom maintenance seriously during the colder winter months, then your sunroom may have fallen into a state of disrepair and may be in need of a little TLC and a slight overhaul.
Start by checking the seals on your sunroom, and ensuring that the windows and doors function properly. The last thing you want is a sunroom that leaks the cool air from your air conditioning unit and replaces it with hot air. This is a serious energy issue and will see your energy bill soar. So make sure to check the quality of the seals on your sunroom windows and doors.
It’s also a good idea to consider installed blinds to keep your sunroom cool. Being made of glass, sunrooms can quickly heat up. Take steps to prevent the heat from penetrating the space.
A sweltering hot home isn’t a nice summer home. When the weather gets too hot and you cannot focus or get comfortable at home, it’s easy to stop enjoying the warmer weather and start praying for cooler weather and wishing the summer away. You want to make the most of the warmer summer months, which is why preparing your home for summer is so important.
Get your home is summer-ready – and as heatproof as possible! Take note of the tips and ideas above and implement them in your home design. By doing so you’ll ensure that you have a happier and more enjoyable summer.