Ways to stay cool in your rental home this summer

When you're living in a rented property and there's no air conditioning, it can be difficult to beat the heat during the summer months. The CSi Property Group takes a look at ways you can keep cool without buying noisy and expensive portable air conditioning units. With the right curtains, strategic use of fans and effective cross breezes in your home, you can make those hot summer days far more pleasant for you and your family.

Close the curtains

Closing the curtains when you're trying to cool a room down may seem counterintuitive. However, leaving the curtains open invites the sun to bake a room, whereas keeping them closed can help to keep the hot air out and the cool air in. Blackout or lined curtains will do the best job of this. Once the sun starts to set and the air outside starts to cool down, you can open the curtains to take maximum advantage of any breeze that may be blowing. If you only have one or two sets of blackout curtains, use them in the rooms of your home that get the most sun.

Give your fan a boost

If you're using pedestal fans to keep your home cool, here's a cheap hack that will help make them more effective. Simply put a bowl of ice cubes or an ice brick in front of the fan. This means that instead of blowing around the hot air that's already circulating, it's making colder air with the help of ice. If your budget allows, you can invest in an air cooler (a fan-like device that you put water and ice into) or a mist fan that will keep you cool with periodic sprays of fine mist.

Create a cross breeze

Creating a cross breeze is one of the best ways to keep your home cool once you've worked out how to do it. Every home is different, so you'll need to do some experimenting, but the basic idea is to open windows at opposite sides of the house to allow the breeze to travel through your home, cooling the air down as it goes. Many people find that experimenting with the positioning of fans in their homes can help. If the fans are correctly placed, they can help to pull cold air in and push hot air out. Take a bit of time and establish a "fan network" that works for your home.

Quick tips for keeping cool this summer

• If you have to cook a meal during the day, close the kitchen door if possible. Otherwise, the hot air created by your stove or oven will circulate through the house.
• On a similar note, consider braaiing on hot days as a way of keeping the heat outside.
• Run appliances like washing machines and dishwashers in the evening when the heat of the day is over. Don't even think about using a tumble drier during the heat of the day - hang your washing outside and make the most of the sun.
• Unplug and switch off any household appliances you aren't using. You'd be surprised at how much heat a TV, gaming console or computer can generate.
• Keep the doors to rooms you're not using closed. This will prevent the cool air that you're creating with fans from disappearing into these rooms.
• If you're renting a duplex, head downstairs during the heat of the day. Since hot air rises, it's likely to be hotter upstairs than it is downstairs.

Cooling is just one of the aspects you should think about when choosing a home to rent. Let the CSi Property Group take care of finding you a rental home that meets all your needs. Contact us today to find the perfect property in Gauteng for you.