Learn keep your tropical home cool.
Keeping cool in the tropics is no small task. The high humidity inhibits natural evaporation of sweat from the skin. This makes the task of keeping a house in the tropics cool a game of air movement. While air conditioning is available, it is expensive to run and wasteful in comparison to the structural and behavioral adjustments you can make even on a budget.
Instructions
1. Insulate your roof and outer walls. The Australian government recommends reflective insulation systems that have a reflective foil which will "minimize heat gain during the day and maximize heat loss at night."
2. Paint the house a light, reflective color. The lighter color on the walls and the roof will reflect more light and heat more than darker ones. EcoSavvy recommends using white solar roof paints to minimize heat retention.
3. Shade the exterior walls, windows and doors. Plant trees, bushes and other foliage around the perimeter of the house to add shade. Install awnings to shade windows and doors to make a significant difference in the temperature. EcoSavvy claims that creating a shady microclimate around the house can make it five to six degrees Fahrenheit cooler.
4. Maximize air currents through the house. Know where the breeze naturally comes from during the different parts of the day and open up the windows and doors to make the most of the airflow. Have at least three openings in every room to maximize airflow naturally, preferably with two of them opening up to the outside. Use ceiling fans as a way to assist air movement further.
5. Eliminate heat-radiating sources in the home. Use energy efficient lighting and appliances as they produce a lot less heat while operating than their conventional counterparts do. Perform tasks that produce a lot of heat such as cooking, washing the dishes or clothing, bathing and other such activities to the evenings once it has cooled down.
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