Insulating your attic is crucial to determining whether your apartment will be unbearably hot during the summer or whether your stay will be more pleasant. The more insulation you have, the longer your attic will resist the scorching heat of the sun. However, there are some helpful tricks you can apply to delay the use of an air conditioner as much as possible
The Challenge of Attic Living
With the arrival of the first hot days, the initial problems become evident for those familiar with attic living. Despite the attractiveness, inspiration, and charm of such apartments, their major drawback becomes evident during summer – poor insulation from sunlight. Cooling down an attic without an air conditioner is impossible during the hottest summer days.
Yet, as the warmer weather approaches and the summer heat is not yet extreme, delaying the use of an air conditioner is possible with a few tricks. It’s not just about saving electricity; it’s much more comfortable in the apartment without the circulation of icy air from the air conditioner.
Enhancing Attic Insulation
It goes without saying that a better-insulated attic will resist heat for much longer. Of course, installing insulation involves significant and costly construction work. For already furnished attics, one option is adding additional insulation from upper side of the roof.
This method is practical because it doesn’t require any interior work. However, this time, we’ll focus on some cheaper makeshift methods that can delay the use of an air conditioner without significant investment.
Practical Tips for Cooling Down
- Remove Carpets: It will be much more comfortable if you’re in contact with hardwood, laminate, or tiles. Consider this an ideal opportunity to take out the rugs, shake them well, or send them for cleaning as they can dry well in the sun, eliminating billions of mites and other invisible creatures harmful to health.
- Cover Furniture with Cotton Canvas: Cotton will be the most comfortable fabric against the skin, especially during the summer months when we’re lightly dressed. Opt for white or beige canvases that repel light, thus minimizing heating.
- Lower Window Shutters During the Day: Especially if your windows are exposed to direct sunlight. Keep in mind that there’s a significant difference between shutters and blinds; shutters are located on the outside. The barrier that stops the sun’s rays needs to be on the outside because it heats up. Blinds, on the other hand, are on the inside, so all the heat will end up in the apartment, even though the sun’s rays seem to be stopped.
- Create a Draft at Night: With the first hot days, nights are still quite cool. Let the cold air circulate throughout the night in your apartment. This way, the walls and furniture will cool down, making it much more comfortable the next day without needing to turn on the air conditioner.
- Reduce Electrical Appliance Usage: Turn off unused computers and even televisions as they emit heat. Replace conventional light bulbs with LED lighting. Apart from consuming ten times less electricity, they also produce ten times less heat. If several 100-watt bulbs are on, that’s not a negligible amount of heat.
Implementing these practical tips can significantly improve the comfort of your attic apartment during the hot summer months, making it more bearable without the immediate need for an air conditioner.
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