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Top Tips For Keeping Your Home Cool in Summer

One of the biggest challenges everyone faces in the hot summer months is keeping cool. Often it’s too hot to go outdoors, but staying indoors can seem uncomfortable as well.

Fortunately, there are a few tricks of the trade that you can use to ensure that the heat isn’t so unbearable, even when it gets to 80C or higher. Here are some top cooling tips from Xylo Flooring, who supply laminate and vinyl flooring to the retail sector, the building trade and professional interior decorators.

Light Works

Light colours reflect heat, while darker ones absorb it. This means it’s easier to cool a room down if the walls are painted white, off-white or some other light shade such as pale, icy or eggshell blue. Mints and greens also work well, as do yellows.

This effect can be aided by choosing light, natural linen fabrics such as cotton for the bedroom. And in terms of artificial light sources, using fluorescent bulbs rather than conventional incandescent ones will help decrease the heat at night and save on your electric bills.

Don’t Forget to Declutter

Removing as many items as possible from the room will allow for better air circulation. Also, leave plenty of space in and around windows and doors. That way, if you do need to open them to regulate the temperature (or for whatever reason), then circulation will also be improved.

To improve air circulation still further, create a corner for a fan to keep the air moving. For maximum efficiency, place the fans next to a table with frozen water bottles or a bowl of ice.

Don’t Forget Your Houseplants…

Tall plants create shade, particularly when placed on windowsills, helping to reduce the amount of light directly entering the room, and hence lowering the temperature.

Studies have conclusively shown that indoor plants help improve people’s mood, lower blood pressure, and reduce headaches. With many of these are likely to be more of an issue in hot weather. Surveys also suggest house plants improve productivity, something particularly useful with so many of us still working from home.

There also is debate about whether greenery improves air quality indoors. With some believing they help to nullify the effects of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are found in detergents, paints and furnishings, through photosynthesis (the process in which plants convert the carbon dioxide we exhale into fresh oxygen), although this has not been conclusively proved.

The best indoor plants, according to the Royal Horticultural Society, include spider plants, rubber plants, ivy, peace lily and aspidistras.

…or the Freezer

Your freezer can help in a variety of ways beyond just keeping your food cold. For instance, instead of a hot water bottle, try a cold water bottle; fill it with cold water then stick it in the freezer so you’ll have your own ice pack ready for whenever you want it (not just at night).

You can also put your blankets in the freezer for a few minutes before you go to sleep. One note of caution – put them in a plastic bag first, so they don’t smell of pizza or some other freezer foodstuff.

Don’t forget the power of having some ice in the freezer too, a cold drink can really help to cool the body and quench your thirst.

Choose Vinyl or Laminate Flooring, Not Carpets

Carpets are the warmest surface, particularly if the room is in direct sunlight all-day. They also trap dust or pollen, which can add to the oppressive feeling if the room is already stuffy – and adding extra discomfort to hay fever sufferers in the process.

If you want something cool underfoot, then stone or tile is best. However, both these types can be too cold in the winter. Vinyl or laminate are the ideal solution, not too hot in summer and not too cold in winter. Strategically placed rugs (particularly in bedrooms and bathrooms) will ensure people’s feet aren’t in for any unpleasant surprises in the winter months either.

Vinyl and Laminate Flooring from Xylo Flooring

Xylo Flooring supply laminate and vinyl flooring to developers, home designers and the retail trade.

Our laminate options are the stylish Urban Herringbone and London Collection, while our vinyl products are in our Dynamic Click Collection. For more information, you can also call us on 020 8368 8122.

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