Keeping cool during these hot days!

The weatherman is calling for HOT SWELTERING days ahead!  How are you and your family dealing with the extreme heat and weather? How are you limiting your personal and property risks when it comes to the heat?  Are you able to cool your home to get a restful night sleep, are you keeping in areas where you and your family can find relief from the heat? What are the risks to your home and property? 

Keeping yourself, your family and your property cool during these hot days is the goal! There are lots of ways to keep cool such as; air conditioning, curtains, fans, landscaping and insulation.

Landscaping: Considerations for decorating outside your home is one of the first places to start when it comes to keeping cool.  

• Deciduous trees placed on the south and south east side of your home can help block the heat and generate cool air masses under them.  Placement of those trees is very important - too close and their roots will cause foundation and plumbing problems.  Be sure to follow instructions from the Nursery about where to place the tree for optimal shade and mimimal damage.  NOTE: Vines, shrubs and evergreens do NOT produce the same effects as deciduous trees.  And their placement close to a home can be just as damaging.  Check with the nursery before planting them close to your home. 
• "Black-top" paving is a wonderful heat holder, if you have black driveways that come right up to the house you are keeping the days heat close at hand as the day cools.  Also the repeated heating and coolling of the "black-top" will cause it to degrade faster.  Consider alternative driveway options and colours. 

Isulation: Is your isulation keeping you cool?  As important in the winter for keeping you warm, the right insulation keeps your home cool and protected in the hot weather.  The signs that your insulation may need upgrading are: uncomfortable hot air inside, high costs of air conditioning, mold in your basement.   Making sure you have the right insultation for your home, is important to your overall comfort and the maintenance of your home.

Curtains & Fans: Keeping your cool can be as simple as having good quality curtains/blinds that you keep closed during the day and open along with opening windows at night.  Nighttime temperatures tend to be significantly cooler than during the day so keeping the hot sunlight out with closed windows and blinds can help to keep the heat out.  Then at night opening the curtains and windows and having a fan to help circulate the air through your home can keep the cost of cooling down and be just as effective as air conditioning. 

Air Conditioners: The style and type of air conditioner you have depends on your needs- do you need to cool a whole home or just parts of the space?  In either case keeping the system working at its optimum is your responsibility.  Are the filters clean, when was the last maintenance check done?  Look for an effiencient  "energy star" rating.  

Simple maintenance and low tech options are effective and available - don't forget to employ them when trying to keep you, your family and your property cool.  

For a home inspection that checks your home for maintenance issues please call: 250-339-5399.