Keeping your Toronto home cool

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Do you find yourself visiting your icebox several times a day during the summer? Is your house so unbearably hot that you wished you lived in Iceland? Every summer, this is a common scenario that affects millions of homeowners in Toronto and elsewhere. Here we list some ideas to help you prepare for the long hot summer next year.

The easiest option: Air-conditioners

There are several steps that can be taken to reduce the internal temperature of our homes. The most effective, but most expensive, is the conventional air-conditioner. If this is your favourite option, then there are several tips to ensure you are getting the best value possible from your AC unit. Firstly, make sure you have the correct size unit for your house or condo. A 5,000 btu AC should be sufficient to cool a standard two-bedroom family home. Place the unit in a window on the north-facing wall of the house if possible. This will keep the unit cooler and working more efficiently. Clean the internal filters at least one a month to prevent house dust from building up and having a negative effect on its operation. If you plan on leaving your house for more than one hour, then it is more economical to switch your AC off and to re-cool the rooms when you return.

Eco-friendly options

What if you are environmentally conscious and are against the use of these power-hungry machines? Well, there are several ways to decrease the internal temperature without contributing to global warming by excessive and unnecessary use of CO² producing fossil fuels. So, let’s begin at the top of your house and work our way downwards.

Roof

It is a well known fact that heat transfers more easily through some materials than others. This is especially true of roofing materials such as tiles or shingles. It is essential to have the attic space insulated with good quality material and if you use 12 inch instead of 3 inch, you could potentially reduce the cost of cooling your home by up to 10 percent.

Windows

by Bashar Al Banoon

Next up are the windows. If they are unprotected, the solar heat gain from them will be 40-50 percent greater than windows that have been protected. There are several ways to approach this. Internally, dark curtains, mini-blinds or shades are especially effective and even more so on south facing windows. The darker the material, the more heat it will deflect. Externally, the most effective methods are awnings or old fashioned window shutters. Remember, the best way to cool your house is to prevent the heat from getting in in the first place. However, if you live in a condo, then it may not be possible to install shutters or awnings, and if this is the case, then heat-reflecting film is probably your only external option. This can be an inexpensive, effective solution, and it can also be useful on houses as well as condos. Do be careful when choosing which windows to cover with film, because if you use a particular window to increase your home temperature during winter months, then this film will have a negative effect by blocking out the sun.

Fans

Next we should consider ceiling fans. For a relatively low outlay, you can make your room feel up to 7 degrees cooler when using a good quality fan. If costs approximately $10 per month to run a ceiling fan for 12 hours a day. Fans do not reduce room temperature, but circulating air always feels cooler. Portable fans are also useful and can be moved from room to room when required.

Internal appliances

Much of the heat in your home is generated from inside. Things like computers, TV sets, washing machines, dishwashers etc. all produce large amounts of heat when they are switched on. It is advisable to do any laundry at night time, when the sun has disappeared and always switch off any electric appliances that are not being used. Cooking is another heat generating activity, and you should always opt for the BBQ instead of the kitchen range whenever possible.

External colours and trees

Externally, there are a couple of useful ideas that can help. Firstly, brightly coloured paint always deflects heat better than dark, so if your roof or walls are black or brown, consider having them repainted. If you monitor the temperature before and after, you will be pleasantly surprised at the result. Secondly, planting the correct trees or shrubs can be a great long term solution to heat. Tree-shaded neighbourhoods tend to be up to 5 degrees cooler than non-shaded ones. If you are considering buying a new house or condo, then it will pay to ask your Realtor about properties available in these kinds of areas.

So, whether it’s air conditioners, insulation, window accessories, ceiling fans or external planting, the list of ideas to reduce heat in your home is endless. We have covered just a few of the more common ones in this article and further research by you will uncover many more. Excessive heat in your home can seriously affect your quality of life. If you are a homebuyer, then talk to your real estate agent who will be happy to assist you in finding the ‘coolest’ property available.