Stephen's Blogs – Stephen Hon's Blogs (韓啟年)

Simple strategies to keep your home cool in our tropical heat while keeping your electric bills down as well.

1. On the hot days, make sure windows, blinds and curtains are closed to keep heat out and the interior shaded and cool.
2. When it’s already hot inside, try opening windows on opposite sides of the house to create cooling cross-ventilation.
3. At night, when the temperature drops, open the doors and windows to let cool air in. Turning on extractor fans in bathrooms and kitchens for a short time can help draw the warm air outside.
4. Hang damp sheets outside your windows. The evaporating water will have a cooling effect.
5. If you live in a house with two or more floors, consider using the lower ground during the day, as they should be cooler.
6. Install shutters or awnings over north and west-facing windows. They will block the sun heat.
7. Check that your house, and especially the roof, is well insulated. Reflective insulation placed under the roof can dramatically reduce heat build-up on really hot days.
8. Remove paving from outside north-facing windows as it will contribute to heat build-up. Replace with a cooling plant such as grass or low-lying plants or shrubs.
9. Portable fans are effective for personal cooling. Look for models that have variable speed and oscillate.
10. For room cooling & fresh air, consider installing ceiling fans and effective air treatment system for maximum effect.
11. Choose four-bladed fans with tilted or scoop-edged blades for the best air circulation. Despite a higher initial cost, more expensive fans with stronger motors are quieter and last longer.
12. If you need to cool every room, consider a whole -house fan. It consists of a large fan set in the roof which sucks air out of the room below, while drawing fresh air in through open windows and doors.

Star Saver

Using fans with your air-conditioner can cut costs. Raise the thermostat on your air-con and turn on your fan – the moving air makes higher temperatures feel more comfortable. Fans cost just a few cents an hour to run, but every degree you can turn up your air-conditioner saves up to 10 percent of cooling costs.