A hot, stuffy house! 3 ways to cool your home and stay comfortable without running the air-con all day

How to cool down your home and stay comfortable without the air-con on all day

Thailand and strong sun go hand in hand, but fighting the heat by leaving the air conditioner on all day not only makes the unit work hard, it also sends your electricity bill soaring. A few small changes to your house can reduce heat build-up remarkably.

1. Block heat from above with insulation and heat-reflective paint

Over 70% of the heat in a house comes down through the roof, so stopping it there gives the best results.

• Install heat insulation: lay fibreglass or PE insulation on top of the ceiling to stop heat under the roof radiating down into the rooms
• Use heat-reflective house paint: paint the exterior with paint that reflects solar heat (solar reflectance) to reduce heat build-up in the walls and roof

2. Deal with windows and glass, the culprits behind stuffy rooms

Glass conducts heat very well, so shading it and cutting glare does a great job of controlling room temperature.

• Apply window film: use window film with high infrared rejection to cut heat build-up without making the house gloomy
• Use UV-blocking curtains and install awnings: close blackout curtains on the west and south sides in the afternoon, and fit external awnings so the sun doesn't hit the glass directly

3. Open up airflow and add greenery

Air circulation and shade around the house are the heart of a cool home.

• Open windows on opposite sides: use cross ventilation — open windows on two sides so cool air comes in one side and pushes hot air out the other
• Plant trees for shade: plant trees or climbers on the west side for shade; water evaporating from the leaves also cools the air around the house

Caution: structural and electrical work should be done by specialists

Some of these you can do yourself, but if you want toinstall a roof ventilation fan (solar roof vent), cut additional vents, oror run wiring for cooling equipment, always have a specialist tradesperson or engineer check the structure and electrical system first, for safety and to avoid roof leaks in the future.