¿Is your house too hot?
Follow these tips to keep your home cool.
We understand that you love summer, but you might have concerns about making significant changes to your home. You're not alone heatwaves are becoming more frequent and are expected to increase in the coming decades. Keeping your home cool in this context is a major challenge. Don't worry, there are plenty of ways to protect both you and your home from overheating..
Why is it so hot in your house?
Sustainable living means having an efficient heating system, and the best way to achieve this is through good insulation in your home. A well-sealed building retains heat effectively. However, this advantage has a drawback: in summer – and increasingly in spring and autumn – the heat that enters through large windows remains trapped inside. This is intensified by our need for natural light and the large glass surfaces we tend to have. When a heat wave persists for several days, the heat builds up and the house ends up overheating..
What is a healthy room temperature?
Most people prefer indoor temperatures to be between 19 and 22°C, although this range can vary depending on personal preference. The bedroom can usually be a little cooler, with an ideal temperature of between 14 and 16°C. It is advisable to keep bedrooms, especially children's bedrooms, cooler, as children are more sensitive to overheating. For babies up to 2 months old, the ideal temperature is 20°C, and from 3 months onwards, it is suggested to keep it between 15 and 18°C.
How to keep your house cool during a heat wave?
Once heat has infiltrated your home, it is difficult to get it out, especially in a well-insulated and airtight house. So, prevention is better than cure. Keeping your home cool can be achieved by preventing the sun's rays from hitting your windows directly, and there are several options for this. Exterior blinds or roller shutters? Glass or sun protection curtains? Below are the different options available.
Exterior blinds
Outdoor sun protection fabric can be stylish, functional, effective and windproof. Renson® has created sustainable, high-quality solutions for every type of project. Are you working on a new build, renovation or extension to your home? If so, add outdoor blinds and ensure a comfortable and pleasant indoor climate.
What applications are external blinds for?
Windows
Pergolas
Skylights
Balconies
Walls
CURTAINS
Do you, like many other people, use curtains as sun protection? Although they can have some effect on indoor heating, their impact is quite limited. Once the heat enters and is trapped between the glass and the curtain, it is often too late to remedy it. It is better to block the sun before it enters the house, by installing external blinds or roller shutters.
AIR-CONDITIONING
Is your home too hot? The easiest solution might be to turn on the air conditioning, right? But don't be fooled, air conditioning is not the miracle cure it first seems. It is a huge energy consumer, expensive and contributes to global warming. In addition, strong temperature contrasts between the heat outside and the cold air inside are unhealthy, as are the drafts they often create. Fortunately, there are natural and effective methods to cool your home without the need for air conditioning. Prevention is better than cure..
Dangers of overheating
Living in an overheated house is anything but pleasant, and it can also have a negative impact on our health. This is especially true for small children and the elderly, who can quickly suffer physical discomfort. The effects of overheating on the human body should not be underestimated.
Dehydration
Living in an overheated home is not only uncomfortable, but can seriously affect health, especially in young children and older people, who are more vulnerable. The impact of excessive heat on physical well-being should not be underestimated.
Difficulty breathing
Intense heat can cause shortness of breath and breathing difficulties, especially for people with asthma, lung disease or severe allergies. Mouth breathing can cause hyperventilation, reducing oxygen intake and causing dizziness and nausea.
Headache
When it's hot, blood vessels dilate to help the body get rid of excess heat, which can lead to headaches. To reduce this risk, it's a good idea to avoid strenuous exercise during the hottest hours of the day and keep your home at a comfortable temperature.
Insomnia and fatigue
Sleeping in a bedroom that is too warm can make it difficult to rest. As you lie in bed, sweating, relaxing and unwinding becomes almost impossible. While opening the window might help, flies and mosquitoes can be a problem. Lack of sleep and fatigue are the most common complaints in summer.
Damage to the interior
Overheating not only affects your body, but also your home. UV rays from the sun can damage interior décor, fading furniture and fixtures. Additionally, direct sunlight can negatively affect your indoor plants.
Why is outdoor sun protection more effective than indoor sun protection?
Exterior sun protection reflects much of the sun's heat and absorbs the rest, keeping the space behind it cool even on hot days. Interior blinds, on the other hand, only block heat behind the glass, meaning that once the heat gets in, it's too late to prevent damage.
Measuring the temperature of your home
Do you want to always know the temperature in your home, wherever you are? Renson® Sense monitors the indoor temperature 24/7. With icons and color codes, you can quickly see if it's too hot. You can even control the temperature remotely, lowering the exterior blinds from work to return to a comfortable environment.
The impact of solar shading on your energy bill
With rising energy prices, saving on consumption becomes essential. Solar protection allows you to reduce your energy bill in two ways: in winter, by taking advantage of the sun to heat your home with the exterior blinds up, and in summer, by actively cooling your home, without the need for air conditioning.