What are some creative ways to cool my home?

Question

It has vaulted ceilings with a 20 foot bank of south facing windows.. There are no trees and because it is on a steep slope, the trees would take YEARS to reach a useful height.

It does not have air conditioning....

are there some alternative energy ways to retro fit this home to keep it cooler??

any ideas welcome!!THANKS!

Answer 1

Keep your windows covered with dark shades or blinds.

  Because you have vaulted ceilings you could use a ceiling fan to pull the hot air up, and move the cool air around. If you have the money for it, you could even think about installing a thermal or solar chimney (it's basically a vent at the peak of your ceiling which uses the physics of hot air rising to pull the warmer air out of your home).

  Install awnings on south-facing windows where there's insufficient roof overhang to provide shade.

  Hang tightly woven screens or bamboo shades outside the window during the summer to stop 60 to 80 percent of the sun's heat from getting to the windows.

  Make sure your house is properly insulated, and any cracks around doors and windows are properly sealed.

  Showering, washing dishes, using the oven and stove and using a dryer all create heat, so wait until the cooler hours to do these things when you can open up windows for ventilation. Also, your fridge and freezer doors should only be open long enough for you to grab what you need, because the refridgerator creates a lot of outer heat as it cools itself internally. (keeping it as full as possible reduces the need for it to constantly cool itself, too).

  Don't use incandescent bulbs, as about 90% of their energy is lost as heat.

  Though you say trees will take too long to grow (they will eventually be useful for shade and are always good for oxygen...), you could always consider growing vines up your walls. Maybe even a green roof if you have the time and energy to put it up and maintain it.

  If you have the money, redo your roof shingles in as light color as you can.  Also consider replacing your windows with double pane windows.

and lastly, though it won't cool your house, you can always try letting yourself become acclimated to the weather.... works for me :) (and I live in an area that gets 110 degree summers).

hope this helps....

good luck and stay cool, man!

Answer 2

planting tall shrubs along the house will help to sheild and cool the walls. See if Awnings are a option, they even sell remote controled awnings.. lol!  There is windows that are made to limit the suns heat inside the house but you might be able to find a do-it-yourself way of applying something to the existing windows. Plant Ivy or other climbing vines with trellis's. This not only shades and cools but can add color, and fragrance and maybe even some berries to fill the cupboard with a special treat.

Answer 3

Install an air conditioner.  They work very well.

Answer 4

oldest trick in the book, get thick curtains, open all your windows at night when it starts to cool off, run fans then get up and shut all your windows and draw your curtains to keep the hot air out early in the morning before it gets too hot.

Answer 5

In addition to the curtain trick, and the open windows trick, you might also try awnings...

Another thing (use Google) is that there are window finishes that can be applied to glass.  They are professionally installed.  They are some sort of plastic coating that reflect UV and IR back out in summer, but help insulate and keep heat in in winter.

A friend of mine had them installed on a house similar to yours, after about 5 years urging from me.  He now says I am a genius, and he should have listened to me earlier.  

But the installer and I told him that the product they used on his glass did not exist until about 2.5 years ago....  

At any rate, he is thrilled.  And they can see out onto a nearby lake with no glare.  His wife even hugged me!

Today they also make very small, very efficient through the wall A/C's.  These units have a fan that can exhaust air from the house, bring fresh air in, or recirculate existing air.  They are only good if you have an open floor plan.  They are much cheaper than central A/C.