As mercury rises and things heat up for summer months (and it’s going to be a scorcher this year!), our first thought goes to cooling down our homes. While it might be fun to enjoy the sun when you’re near some cool bodies of water, it’s far less enjoyable to be overheating in your home when you’re meant to be relaxing. The quickest way to cool down your place is to amp up the air-con. But, the beauty of a granny flat is that its smaller design means you can cut back on energy churning methods to remain cool inside when it’s sweltering outside. Here are our tips for keeping the temp in your granny flat down, so that you can truly wind down.
Take advantage of cool night air
It might seem counterintuitive to open the windows at night, but this is the perfect time to flush out the hot air of the day in prep for a cooler home tomorrow. With the low square footage of granny flats, it isn’t a long process and will make a big difference to your room temperature the following day. The best way to do this is to turn on the ceiling fan (Acrow Granny Flats include one in every bedroom) as soon as the sun goes down, and have the windows open at the same time for an hour or so. As the warm air rises, the ceiling fan will circulate it and push it out the window, while concurrently the cool air from outside will enter the granny flat. This is the quickest and most cost-effective way to cool your house (somewhat) naturally. If you don’t include a ceiling fan in your granny flat, free standing electric fans will do the trick.
Fill your granny flat with indoor plants
Indoor plants have a natural cooling effect on the home thanks to something called ‘transpiration’. This is where water vapor is released into the air, evaporates, absorbs heat and then cools the air. They are nature’s air conditioners, without the hefty utility bill at the end of the season! Indoor plants also increase humidity, but not in the uncomfortable way it feels when you’re outside and it’s muggy. Rather, it keeps the room cool and helps to enhance your own body’s natural cooling system. They provide shade and reduce direct sunlight entering areas of your granny flat, decreasing solar heat that can raise the temperature inside.
Use cooling curtains and blinds
Cooling blinds and curtains, such as blackout and thermal options, are effective for mitigating the heat during daylight hours. These windows cover barriers against solar heat gain, preventing the sun’s rays from heating up your granny flat. They reduce the need for air con and lower energy costs, while also offering extra privacy and can help you sleep better for a mid-summer mid-arvo nap.
Ensure quality insulation
Fortunately, at Acrow Granny Flats, we stay up-to-date with the latest BASIX regulations to ensure your complete satisfaction. In accordance with the most recent BASIX requirements, we have made some enhancements to our standard internal fixtures. Our ceiling insulation now boasts R4.0 Insulation Batts, and for the external walls, we’ve upgraded to R2.5+ Insulation Batts.The R-value is the high thermal resistance, indicating quality insulation. Insulation plays a pivotal role in maintaining comfortable temperatures inside, as the heat rises outside. It acts as a barrier against outdoor heat, stopping the transfer of heat through walls, ceilings and floors, while reflecting radiant heat away from the granny flat. The best way to insulate your Granny Flat is to turn on the ceiling fan (Acrow Granny Flats include one in every bedroom) as soon as the sun goes down, and have the windows open at the same time for an hour or so. As the warm air rises, the ceiling fan will circulate it and push it out the window, while concurrently the cool air from outside will enter the granny flat. This is the quickest and most cost-effective way to cool your house (somewhat) naturally. If you don’t include a ceiling fan in your granny flat, free standing electric fans will do the trick.
Hydrate your living areas and bedrooms
Yep, you can hydrate your granny flat. To do this effectively, place a bowl of ice or damp towel in front of or below your free standing or ceiling fan. The circulation provided by the fan will move the cooler air around your granny flat as the ice moisture evaporates, producing a stream of refreshing breeze throughout the space, in a cost-effective, and generally effective, way.