The Daily Telegraph
By: Alice Wasley
Choosing the best protection from summer heat will depend on the position and layout of your rooms
It can be a battle to keep cool during the height of an Australian summer - we're not known as the sunburnt country for nothing - but before you switch on that energy-draining airconditioning system, there are some other options to consider.
"Unfortunately most people default to calling the airconditioning guy and if you talk to most airconditioning contractors, they'll say that on the first mid-30s day of every year the phone will be [constantly] ringing for the next two days," says Archicentre state manager Angus Kell.
"What we would hope, not only in this day of sustainability but also to provide a healthier living environment, is a set-up where you're not relying 100 per cent on airconditioning."
Angus says that the planning and orientation of a house can go a long way to combat summer heat.
"If you're designing your house from scratch one of the key things is the concept of zoning a house so that your main living areas, kitchen, dining and living, are facing north to east, so that you're getting the morning and midday sun - which you can control with eaves and other shading devices.
"Try to put bedrooms to the south to insulate you from the cold, and laundries and bathrooms to the west to insulate you from the heat. That zoning issue, when you design a house, is the key."
Alternative solutions
Don't go calling the bulldozer just yet if your house isn't facing the right way. Angus says there are a few things you can do to protect an existing dwelling from the sun.
Deciduous vines on a pergola let sun penetrate in winter and shade walls and windows in summer. Screen planting is also an option, which is planting along the border of the property to provide shade from the sun.
"What you've got to remember is that once the sun has hit the window or the wall there's a chance that the heat is going to come back through the house. So shading is really one of the best ways to protect the house. Don't think that a good set of blinds on the inside is the answer," Angus says.
Natural ventilation is a good way of bringing the temperature down. Opening the windows to allow cross-ventilation can be effective if there is a breeze, or you can use ceiling and pedestal fans to create air flow. If ceiling fans aren't your style, Beacon Lighting released the Fanaway fan last month, which functions as both a light and a fan and has retractable blades.
"If you have adequate ventilation, in many cases you can come home and open your house and by the time you've let the ventilation pass through for 15-30 minutes, your house is nice and cool again," Angus says.
Airconditioning options
On a scorching day, fans and open windows might not do the trick, so there are many airconditioning system options. The main two choices are evaporative and refrigeration.
"On those really hot stinky, sweaty days outside, if you've got a traditional airconditioning system it will take out a lot of air vapour within the room, but evaporative cooling systems don't. A traditional system uses substantially more power but no water to operate, and an evaporative cooler uses a lot less power but a lot of water," Angus says.
The Breezair ducted evaporative cooler uses even less energy than most evaporative coolers on the market.
"The electricity required for an evaporative cooler is about one tenth of the electricity required for a reverse-cycle product. The significantly different thing about the Breezair product is that it has an inverter motor that draws much less energy than other evaporative air products," Breezair marketing managerMark Bayly says. Choice media spokesman Christopher Zinn saysthat when considering cooling options it is importantto think long term.
"Reverse-cycle, split-duct, portable units ... you could go on and on, but the best preventative measure to lower your energy bill is insulation," he says.
If you do decide to purchase an airconditioning unit, Zinn recommends checking the energy star-rating.
"Many people buy things just on what the upfront cost is but really you've got to look at running costs over the next 10 years, because that can make a significant difference," he says.
"Bear in mind that climate change is predicted to make things hotter. So you have to get a system that is future-proof, not necessarily just for what it's like today. Think ahead."
INSTANT WAYS TO HELP YOU COOL DOWN
On a hot day reducing heat sources within your home is a good way to reduce the temperature in your house. Environmental websites treehugger.com and eartheasy.com have some tips to stay cool and save energy.
Turn off the lights
When possible turn the lights off and switch to compact fluorescent bulbs. They give off 90 per cent less heat and use 75 per cent less energy than incandescent bulbs.
Give the oven a rest
Cook with your microwave or go outside and fire up the barbecue. A microwave generates almost no heat and is more energy efficient than a stove or oven. A barbecue keeps the heat outside.
Air dry dishes
The drying cycle of your dishwasher generates a lot of steam and heat, which escapes into the room. Air dry dishes or make sure you only wash full loads to reduce use.
Seal the laundry
Washing machines and dryers also produce a lot of heat and humidity. Use them in the morning or evening - the cooler times of the day - when the heat is more bearable. Seal the laundry when in use and open a window or turn on the fan. Line dry clothes as much as possible.
Reduce sources of humidity
Along with sealing the laundry, use exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom and cover pots when cooking.
Open the windows
Ventilate your house by opening up the windows, particularly those on the north and south side. Drape damp sheets over the window and let the water evaporate in the breeze, creating a cooling effect. This is also a good way to dry sheets after washing them, without using the dryer.