How insulating your home could keep it COOLER in summer
Homeowners normally think about wall and loft insulation when the cold weather hits, but experts have explained how it can help keep you cool - and save you hundreds of pounds - in the summer too.
Not only does insulating your home keep the heat in during winter, it also prevents heat from outside being absorbed as quickly in summer, according to How To Save It.
Experts at the consumer campaign group say it could save Britons money as more look to install air conditioning to cope with rising temperatures.
A typical household would spend about £96 a month - or £288 per summer - on air conditioning, How To Save It estimates.
But insulation could make air conditioning unnecessary because it slows the process of heat moving through the walls.
Properly insulated homes can also save £975 in energy costs over winter, meaning billpayers could save a potential £1,263 if air conditioning was kept off too, according to How To Save It.
NimbleFins previously reported how Barclays is offering its mortgage customers up to £2,000 to make energy improvements to their homes, including loft and wall insulation.
Will Hodson, consumer champion at How To Save It, urged the Government to create a national insulation scheme. He said: "Insulation is a money saver for all seasons. With the cost of heating high and air conditioning an extra expense, there has never been a stronger case for Britons to insulate their homes.”
How to keep home cool
Use breathable fabrics
What you wear, sleep on and even sit on can help keep you cooler at home. Natural fabrics such as cotton and linen are breathable and will reduce sweating. If you have a leather sofa, consider adding a throw or bedsheet over it to stop you sticking to it.
Keep curtains, windows and doors closed
Opening windows and doors at the hottest time of the day will simply draw the hot air into your home, counteracting any benefit you might have felt from a gentle breeze.
Keeping curtains closed will also prevent hot sunlight from entering the house and warming it up.
Only open the windows and doors when the temperature has cooled outside, such as after sunset or first thing in the morning.
Energy-efficient windows as well as insulation
Energy-efficient windows have the same benefit as wall and loft insulation - they keep the heat in during the winter and block the heat from outside during the summer.
Energy-efficient windows are either double or triple-glazed, with low emissivity (low-E) glass the best for insulation.
Use your fan well
There are a few ways to get the best out of your fan.
Firstly, you could try putting some ice in front of the fan so it pushes out cold air.
Secondly, placing your fan on the ground where the air is coolest, and pointing it towards the opposite wall, should mean cold air bounces off the wall and is pumped around the room.
Finally, you could try positioning your fan at the window at night to push the hot out.
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