Our house is too hot, what can I do?

In my last post (Wondering why you have trouble sleeping lately?) I promised I would write about creating a heat refuge (sometimes called a cool refuge) in your home for those exceptional hot nights where it doesn’t cool down enough to sleep.

Given that more hot weather is forecast, I thought I would finish it early to give you a chance to at least take the first steps.

With summer nighttime minimum temperatures increasing even faster than daytime temperatures creating a home heat refuge is desirable in much of Australia, especially during extreme weather conditions.

The blackouts in various parts of Australia, show that even if you have ducted air conditioning, when the grid goes down, unless your house is well insulated, the inside temperature can rise quickly to dangerous temperatures.

Ideally you would upgrade your whole house, using a Residential Efficiency Scorecard or an EnerPHit Passive House assessment for guidance.

As an alternative, when doing a Scorecard or EnerPHit assessment I can at no extra cost help you identify a room to serve as a home heat refuge, which in cold weather can double as a cold refuge as many improvements will target both. This is a lot cheaper than upgrading your whole house.
Even if you can’t afford that, the following low-cost ideas could get you started to create a refuge in one room to make your life safer and more comfortable during heatwaves: Most of them will also double for protecting you from cold snaps in winter.

These ideas should be read in conjunction with Wondering why you have trouble sleeping lately?

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Choosing the room to be your heat refuge:

This should ideally be a room that:

• Is naturally reasonably cool.
• Is large enough to shelter all the home’s occupants.
• Can be isolated from other parts of the house by closing doors.
• A room where you can create good cross ventilation, once it is cooler outside .
• A room that you spend a reasonable amount of time in.
• If you already have air conditioning in one room, that may be a good option if it is large enough.
• Depending on your family situation, a bedroom or lounge are often good options.

Insulation and Sealing:

• Ensure your refuge is well-insulated to keep the indoor temperature stable. Proper insulation helps maintain a comfortable environment during both hot and cold weather.
  • Check the ceiling insulation over the room and if it isn’t at least up to the level of the top of the rafters, buy a couple of bags of ceiling insulation to beef it up as far as possible. See Get insulation right
• Seal any gaps around doors and windows to prevent uncontrolled drafts and maintain consistent indoor temperatures, while it is hotter outside than in. See also Stop air leaks in your home.
  • Use a door bottom seal or a door snake to isolate the refuge from your hot rooms, but once it is cooler outside, open it up for cross ventilation.

Window Shading and Curtains

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• Plant trees or install outdoor shades (such as pergolas or awnings) on windows that get direct sunlight, to provide natural shade and reduce heat absorption.
• If that is not feasible, consider getting some shade cloth or spare fabric and fixing it outside the window to keep the heat off. This is more effective at keeping the room cool than internal blinds or curtains, although both are worthwhile, and the combination is even better.
• Use curtains or blinds to block direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day. Light-coloured curtain backings can reflect heat away from your home.
• If you can afford it consider high performance windows, add on double glazing or window films.

Cooling Systems:

• If you can afford it and you own the house, install an appropriate wall split air conditioner.
  • If you are renting and can afford it consider a portable air conditioner. Although they don’t perform nearly as well as a split system, a good one which is ducted to the outside may give acceptable comfort except on extreme days, and be OK at night.
• If you can afford it, fit a ceiling fan or if not, at least buy a cheap pedestal fan (refer Wondering why you have trouble sleeping lately?) fans can help circulate air and create a cooling effect.
• Regularly service your cooling systems to ensure they function efficiently. See also Help my air conditioner isn't performing.

General:

• Ensure the room has comfortable seating, water, room to sleep in and any necessary medications.
• Minimise electrical and other sources of heat in the room. For example if you need medications kept cool and to cool the water, ideally use a fridge located in another room.

• Ensure the room has LED lights not halogen.

Remember that creating a heat refuge is not only about physical comfort but also about protecting your health. If your home lacks proper cooling, consider finding local facilities (such as shopping centres, libraries or swimming pools) that can serve as cooling refuges during extreme heatwaves.

Stay safe and take care!

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If you need personalised advice or you are thinking on spending some real money on the refuge, get an energy audit. I guarantee I can cost effectively save you the cost of the audit.

Feel free to leave a comment or question below.