Cool Your Home (Without Overusing Your Air Conditioner)

Malaysia is a beautiful country. Malaysian weather on the other hand – can be brutal. The sweltering heat and the humidity can make for some uncomfortably warm days, even indoors.

Most of the time, in order to combat high temperatures, air-conditioners are forced to run on high. But while effective at cooling; it does lead to heavy energy bills and is an added strain on the environment.

So are there any natural, cost-friendly ways to deflect heat and cool the home? There certainly are! Check out these five refreshing tips to keeping your home cool!

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1. Paint and coat the exterior of your home

The exterior walls and roof of your home are the first line of defence against solar rays and their home-heating prowess. When these aren’t well-insulated or coated, the heat remains within your walls and your roof – even after the sun has gone down – and continues to radiate warmth in the home. This is the main reason why our homes are uncomfortably warm, even at night.

To deflect heat, consider painting the exterior walls of your home in light colours. White paint is the top choice due to its effectiveness and lower cost. If you can spend a little more, consider using paint with heat reflective tech. Many brands in Malaysia offer heat-resistance paints for walls and roofs; popular options include Nippon Weatherbond Solareflect and PAR Heat Reduction Roofcote.

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2. Decorate with cool colour themes

The colours you choose to decorate your home with can certainly be more than just a reflection of your décor preferences and tastes. In fact, the right shades and hues can help keep your home cooler and even improve your mood. Opt for light or medium shades of cooler tones such as mint green, blue-grey or periwinkle for your walls, curtains, and other backdrop-type décor element.

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3. Consider heat-reflective window treatments

Apart from the exterior walls and roof, the windows are another point of entry for heat and thus, applying at least one form of deflective treatment is recommended. Curtains are the most common window treatment to deflect heat, but their levels of effectiveness depend on the fabric, colour, and other support materials. Choose heavy, thick fabric, in lighter colours (as mentioned, these deflect heat best); and if possible, with plastic backings. You can also opt for triple-weaved, insulated thermal curtains, which are incredibly effective at staving off heat and light.

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4. Add greenery

Indoor plants do not just provide visual cooling; certain household greens can actively reduce the temperature in the home, in addition to purifying the air. Decorate with indoor potted plants such as areca palm, fern, aloe vera, ficus tree, golden pothos, and snake plant to naturally cool your home.

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5. Consider indoor water features

Just the sight and sounds of babbling water features might be enough to ‘psychologically cool’ your immediate surroundings. And the good news is that, with water features, you don’t have to rely on your mind to reduce the temperature! Indoor water features do actually lower the humidity and heat levels in the home through evaporation. Moreover, it’s composed, Zen appearance is sure to give your home the air of cool, calm, and collected style!

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