If you have a naturally cool house utilizing cross ventilation and solar orientation planned by your architect, call yourself lucky! But for the unlucky ones stuck to their existing hot homes, I have prepared a checklist that you may find useful.

Obviously, the best way to keep your home cool during the summer is to use an air conditioner to keep the temperature down, but there are other options. Air conditioning provides some relief. But the initial costs of installing an air conditioner and the electricity costs to run it can be high.

Excessive humidity can cause the temperature to feel higher than it actually is. Reducing the humidity level by using a dehumidifier is a good way to make your home feel cooler and to keep it more comfortable.

Ceiling fans are a great choice. They circulate the air through a space more effectively than many other types of fans. To utilize fans most effectively, you should open another window in a different area of the home to create a cross draft.

Apply heat reflective window film to windows that receive direct sunlight. Heat reflective window film is simple to install and affordable. If you prefer to use items you already have in your home, try leaving insulated drapes in place, instead of replacing them with lighter window treatments during hot months. Close the drapes during the hottest part of the day or during times when the sun shines through a particular window.

Reflect heat by installing an insulation barrier on the underside of your roof. The barrier comes in  foil type and “bubbled plastic types” sandwiched by a sheet of aluminum foil. When installed correctly, it can reduce heat gains through your ceiling by about 25%.

Use shading devices. Those devices block the sun’s rays and absorb or reflect the solar heat. Exterior shading devices include awnings, louvers,shutters, rolling shutters and solar screens.

Awnings are very effective because they block direct sunlight. They are usually made of fabric or metal and are attached above the window and extend down and out. A properly installed awning can reduce heat gain up to 65% A light-colored awning does double duty by also reflecting sunlight. One disadvantage of awnings is that they can block views.

Louvers are attractive because their adjustable slats control the level of sunlight entering your home and, depending on the design, can be adjusted from inside or outside your house. The slats can be vertical or horizontal. Louvers remain fixed and are attached to the exteriors of window frames.

Shutters are movable wooden or metal coverings that, when closed, keep sunlight out. Shutters are either solid or slatted with fixed or adjustable slats. Besides reducing heat gain, they can provide privacy and security.

Rolling shutters have a series of horizontal slats that run down along a track. Rolling shades use a fabric. These are the most expensive shading options, but they work well and can provide security. Many exterior rolling shutters or shades can be conveniently controlled from the inside. One disadvantage is that when fully extended, they block all light.

Solar screens resemble standard window screens except they keep direct sunlight from entering the window, cut glare, and block light without blocking the view or eliminating air flow. They also provide privacy by restricting the view of the interior from outside your house. Solar screens come in a variety of colors and screening materials to compliment any home.

Heat is really a problem during summer, do not forget though that this only lasts for 3 months. So, let’s keep our heads cool as well. This season is also the best time to start patching your roof, looking through your ceiling and replacing your worn-out gutter because rainy season starts on the month of June.

uPVC Windows seems to be the craze now when it comes to replacing aluminium framed windows or (the much cheaper) steel windows. Let us make a quick comparison between the uPVC and aluminium framed windows.

uPVC windows offer the following advantages:

a) Good frame insulation

b) Low maintenance

c) Many companies manufacture uPVC profiles, making it a cost effective material

d) Available to simulate wood grain and coloured finishes

e) Relatively cheaper than aluminium framed wndows

If it has a disadvantage, it may be that it has relatively low structural integrity. This is overcome with steel or aluminium reinforcement. In addition, it can be susceptible, to ‘expansion’ in sunlight. However, using ‘fully reinforced’ frames can remedy this problem.

Aluminium Windows offers the following advantages:

a) Virtually no maintenance over its long lifetime

b) Slim, strong sections that will not warp or twist

c) About one third the expansion of uPVC

d) Available in various coloured finishes

e) Aesthetically pleasing than vinyl windows

Its main disadvantage is that it is a relatively poor insulator. However, thermal break aluminium frames are available, which offer better insulation.

Both Toughened and Laminated glasses are forms of safety glass. People often assume that “toughened” glass is some form of EXTRA STRONG glass - perhaps like a “bullet proof glass”. Another term for Toughened glass is Tempered glass. Tempered glass is quite difficult to break - but not impossible. When it does break it will break into very small sections (or cube-like pieces). These small sections may, if you are unlucky, give you some scratches or minor cuts but will not pose the danger created by large glass shards when “normal” float glass breaks.

In comparison, Laminated glass will, when hit with force “crack”. However it is unlikely to smash. Being very difficult to break means that it can be dangerous in any situation where it is likely you may need to break the glass in order to escape (such as a fire). This is of course an advantage if security is a major consideration. Laminated glass is also “thicker” - usually 6.4 mm as standard - and as such will offer better insulation. However this thicker glass is also “heavier” which will in turn mean greater “wear and tear” on opening windows and doors.

Another form of “safety” glass is Wired glass. As the name implies, it has a wire mesh inserted or sandwiched between two layers of glass during its production. It has an impact resistance similar to that of normal glass, but in case of breakage, the mesh retains the pieces of glass. This product is traditionally accepted as low-cost fire glass.