How to Cool Your Home Using These Green Methods
One of the best things that can be done to cool your home while remaining environmentally friendly is to ‘plant’ your roof. That means to practically fill your roof with plants. This method works pretty well considering that the University of Texas did a few tests recently. They basically took two similar boxes; one had a plant on it, and the other didn’t. They compared these two on a 90 degree day; the one which was ‘planted’ remained 20 to 50 degrees cooler in the interior than the one without plants. Unfortunately, planting the whole roof might not be feasible for many people living in suburbia.
For anyone who doesn’t find planting their roof viable; there is still the black-box experiment. Its a well-known fact that dark colors absorb a lot of heat while compared to lighter ones. So the next time you are repainting your roof or installing a new roof; remember to paint it white, or in the case of installing a new roof; place lighter colored shingles. This method works well if you live in a
region that has hot or warm weather for at least half a year. If not, a black roof may be exactly what you need to keep you warm in harsh winters.
Another green method for cooling that does help is ventilating your roof. Its a fact that heat always rises, so it goes into your attic, if you have one. Therefore adding an exhaust in the attic and installing cents under the eaves will definitely help dispel all the hot air that got trapped. Having at least two vents are recommended to create a feasible cross ventilation system which pushes hot air out and cool air in.
So what if you want to find a cheap alternative to air-conditioning, and save on you utility bill. Look no
more, install ceiling fans. As heat rises to the ceiling, the ceiling fans will help disperse the heat accumulated there. Plus, you manage to save a lot on utility bills as ceiling fans won’t cause a dent on your bill.
Do remember not to cook incessantly during the day. Usage of devices such as ovens and stoves create a lot of interior heat, thus causing your air-ventilation system to work much harder. Try to plan meals that don’t require the usage of stoves or ovens. This might be a great excuse for not cooking at all and dining out instead.
One thing you should not overlook is the power of insulation. Insulating your walls can have a dramatic
effect on the cooling of your home. During the day, the west and south facing walls face the brunt of the sun, so it is recommended that you insulate at least those walls, thus preventing that heat.
The above green methods mentioned are just a few pointers that you could use to keep your home cool and still keep from harming the environment. Once you put on your thinking cap, ideas will seem to keep popping up. New technologies and products keep sprouting every day that can help you keep your home cool and green. Keep a look-out for this kind of stuff, you might find something really cool.
