Cool rooms without air conditioning – tips for comfortable temperatures at home

When temperatures outside reach 30 degrees Celsius, it's nice to keep cool in your own home. Air conditioners or compact air conditioning units do provide some relief, but they are energy guzzlers and drive up the electricity bill. However, if you follow a few rules, it's even possible to stay comfortable in the attic when temperatures are high.

Rule number one: Keep the heat out! Therefore, never open or tilt windows during the day. It's better to ventilate very early in the morning and late in the evening or at night, ideally with a cross breeze.

To prevent rooms from heating up too quickly, it's also advisable to darken the windows during the day. Closed roller shutters are the most effective way to block out heat (up to 70 percent). Awnings or blinds can also significantly reduce the amount of sunlight entering through windows, balcony doors, and patio doors.

Generally speaking, once a ray of sunlight passes through the glass, the heat also enters the room. Therefore, sun protection works best when it's installed on the outside of the window. However, (thermal) blinds installed on the inside also have a noticeable effect, ideally in light colors that reflect sunlight.

Since moving air feels cooler, a fan in the room also does a good job.

Our tip: Place a container of ice cubes in front of the fan so that the air is blown over the ice. If it gets too warm, place the fan by the window or balcony door after sunset so that the hot air is blown out of the room.

By the way: A tabletop fountain is not only decorative, but also provides evaporative cooling!

For home and garden owners: Large trees provide shade and pleasant coolness, but where they are not available or still too small, climbing plants such as ivy or wild grape on the house wall also keep the heat out.