Keep A Large Open Room Cool In The Summer

Ceiling fans can keep your large rooms cool in the summer.

A large, airy, "great room," as they are sometimes called, is an open area of your home that begs to be filled with warm, inviting furniture, friends and laughter. Such a vast space can quickly become overheated in the summer. The oversized space can be a challenge to cool effectively, especially without breaking the bank. Use the openness to your advantage when finding ways in which to keep your family comfortable.

Instructions

1. Install fans in your large room to keep the interior temperature comfortable when the mercury climbs. The size of your room might dictate using more than one ceiling fan to create enough breeze to cool the entire area. Box fans installed in windows on either side of the room create a cool cross-breeze in the open area, as well as natural ventilation. Small rotating room fans may be effective when placed directly in front of your chair or couch, but alone will not be big enough to fight the heat in a large room.

2. Choose the right size air conditioner for your great room if you do not have central cooling and want to go this route. According to EnergyStar, a resource of the United States Department of Energy, the square footage of your room is directly related to the number of BTU -- British thermal units -- you will need to effectively cool the space. Multiply the length and width of a rectangular or square room to get the square footage; divide this number in half to get the measurement for a room that is shaped like a triangle. Window air conditioning units are usually labeled with both BTU and the square footage they can serve.

3. Keep your large room cool by blocking the heat from entering your home. Outfit your windows with light-blocking shades and keep them drawn when the sun is at its hottest.

4. Maintain the cool temperatures inside by blocking the heat from outside your home. Plant shrubs, trees or trellises around your house to create shade over your windows. Window awnings installed on the outside of your windows can also block the exterior heat and light from making your great room uncomfortable and may save on energy bills as well.

Tags: great room, large room, square footage, your home, your large, your windows