When the heatwaves arrive, the same question comes up in every home: how to keep your house cool in summer without the electricity bill going through the roof. The good news is that you can cool down a room with simple measures, even without air conditioning. Here is a practical guide, organised by time of day, so your home can get through the hottest months at minimal cost.
Why the house gets so hot
Heat comes in by three main routes: direct radiation from the sun through windows and balcony doors, the hot air that slips in when we open up at the wrong hours, and the heat generated by our own appliances. Understanding this is key, because the strategy for keeping your house cool in summer is to block those entry points before the heat settles in. Once the walls and the furniture have warmed up, bringing the temperature down is far harder.
Close up by day, air the place at night
The golden rule for cooling down a room is to play with the timing. Early in the morning and at night, when the outside temperature drops, open the windows wide and create cross-draughts between rooms on opposite sides to renew the air. As soon as the sun starts to bite, lower the blinds and close the windows: that way you trap the cool night air inside.
Pay special attention to south- and west-facing windows, which get the most intense hours of sun. Lowered blinds, roller shades or heavy curtains make an enormous difference.
Textiles and awnings: your first barrier
Blocking the sun from the outside is always more effective than doing it from inside. If you can, fit awnings or a simple external blind on the most exposed windows. Indoors, go for curtains and net curtains in light shades, which reflect the light rather than absorbing it. A light cotton or linen fabric helps filter the sun without darkening the room completely. In the home textiles and accessories section you will find pieces made for everyday use that add both coolness and style.
Using fans properly, plus a few water tricks
The fan is your best ally for keeping the house cool without air conditioning, as long as you use it sensibly. A fan does not lower the temperature, but it moves the air and helps sweat evaporate, which feels like several degrees less. A few tricks that genuinely work:
- Ceiling fan: in summer it should turn anticlockwise to push the air downwards.
- Cross-draught: at night, put one fan in front of an open window to draw cool air in and another at the opposite window to push the hot air out.
- The ice trick: place a bowl of ice or a frozen bottle in front of the fan; the air coming out is cooler.
- Damp towel: a wet cloth hung near the draught cools the air by evaporation.
Switch off the heat you generate indoors
Often the enemy is inside the house. The oven, the hob, the tumble dryer and even old light bulbs give off heat. To cool down a room properly, make cold dishes or use the air fryer and the microwave instead of the oven, hang the washing outside and switch off appliances you are not using, because even on standby they give off a little heat. Swapping bulbs for LEDs helps too: they light just as well and heat up far less.
Plants, floors and small habits
Indoor plants and pots on balconies and terraces create shade and add moisture to the air, which softens how hot it feels. Mopping the floors with water in the late afternoon also cools things down for a good while. And if you are sleeping badly because of the heat, switch your bedding for fine cotton sheets and put your pyjamas in a bag in the freezer for a while before bed: a simple trick that is very welcome on tropical nights.
In short
To keep your house cool in summer you do not need to spend more: you just need to get ahead of the heat. Close up by day, air the place at night, shield the windows from the sun, use fans properly and cut down on the heat you generate indoors. With these habits you will notice the difference from day one. At Velia Select you will find ideas and home accessories that help you handle the hottest months better.