Cooling Your Home Naturally



Keeping cool indoors when it is hot outdoors is a problem. The sun beating down on our homes causes indoor temperatures to rise to uncomfortable levels. Air conditioning provides some relief. But the initial of installing an air conditioner and the electricity costs to run it can be high. In addition, conventional air conditioners use refrigerants made of chlorine compounds, suspected contributors to the of the ozone layer and global warming. But there are alternatives to air conditioning. This publication provides some common sense suggestions and low- retrofit options to help you “keep your cool”—and save electricity.

Staying Cool

An alternative way to maintain a cool house or reduce air-conditioning use is natural (or passive) cooling. Passive cooling uses nonmechanical methods to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature. The most effective method to cool your home is to keep the from building up in the first place. The primary source of heat buildup (i.e., gain) is sunlight absorbed by your house through the roof, walls, and windows. Secondary sources are heat-generating appliances in the home and air leakage. Specific methods to prevent include reflecting heat (i.e., sunlight) away from your house, blocking the heat, removing built-up heat, and reducing or eliminating heat generating sources in your home.