stop sweltering the smart way

Summer comfort in your home does not have to be expensive. If you can stop the heat getting in you can avoid purchasing unnecessary cooling equipment with high operating costs. By paying close attention to all of the aspects below, you can reduce heat entering your home by up to 90%:

• insulation to ceilings, walls and floors
• sealing off draughts around windows, doors and any other gaps
• external shading to north, east and west windows
• ventilation to allow cool outside air into the house

The most appropriate type of cooling system for you depends not only on local climatic conditions such as air temperature, humidity and air movement, but also on factors such as the time of day, the type of activities you undertake, clothing you wear and the appliances you use. What is comfortable for one person may not be comfortable for another.

There are several different appliances available:

• fans - inexpensive to purchase and operate, work by moving air around a room or at a person, not by reducing temperatures.
• evaporative coolers - reasonably low running costs and medium purchase cost, these work by cooling the air but increasing humidity.
• refrigerated air conditioners - more expensive but more complete option, they work by cooling, dehumidifying and recirculating room air.

As you can see, there are a number of variables you need to take into account when choosing a cooling system. For more information, visit the Department of Energy, Utilities and Sustainability (DEUS) website, or download the DEUS brochure "Choosing a cooling system".

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