How to Cool Down Your Apartment
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Older apartments, often with poor insulation, can become unbearably hot during the summer months, leading to discomfort and high cooling costs. Martin Brandis of the consumer center suggests that a cooling device may be necessary to prevent rooms from becoming uninhabitable.
Air conditioners are the most efficient way to cool the air in a hot apartment, but they can be expensive, especially in poorly insulated old apartments. Portable air conditioners are effective but can be costly to purchase and operate.
However, there are cheaper alternatives to air conditioners for cooling a living room. Improving insulation, using fans, and employing shading methods can help reduce heat buildup indoors and provide relief without the high costs of air conditioning.
Adding insulation to walls and ceilings, such as blowing in cellulose or using spray foam, helps limit heat transfer from outside, reducing heat buildup indoors. This is crucial in poorly insulated units.
Ceiling, box, or oscillating fans circulate air to create a cooling effect through evaporation of sweat, providing relief without the high costs of air conditioning.
Shading and ventilation methods can also significantly reduce indoor temperatures. Using curtains, blinds, or reflective window films, and increasing ventilation by opening windows or using exhaust fans, can help lower indoor temperatures.
The roof is a significant factor in heat buildup, especially in older buildings. Roof tiles can heat up to about 70 degrees in some cases, contributing to the overall warmth of a hot apartment. Dark-colored or dense roof tiles absorb more solar heat, increasing indoor temperatures. In buildings with metal roofs (like steel) or poorly ventilated attics, controlling heat gain with insulation, ventilation, or reflective coatings is important to reduce heat transfer to living spaces.
Managing roof heat gain is essential in older buildings to maintain cooler interior temperatures without relying heavily on air conditioning. By implementing these affordable cooling solutions, residents of older apartments can enjoy a more comfortable living environment during the hot summer months.
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Maintaining a comfortable lifestyle in an older apartment can be challenging during hot summer months due to poor insulation. Improving home-and-garden elements, such as adding insulation to walls and ceilings, using fans, and implementing shading methods, can help reduce heat buildup indoors and provide a more enjoyable living environment, without the high costs associated with air conditioning.
