“Beat the Heat: The Ultimate Guide to Keeping Your Home’s Walls Cool”

"The sun's rays can heat up walls, especially during the summer months. Let's explore effective solutions to keep your walls cool and comfortable!"

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For many families, the sweltering summer heat is always a nightmare. At high temperatures, your walls will easily absorb heat and warm up, then radiate stuffy waves of heat inside your home, causing discomfort.

Therefore, it is imperative to find ways to cool down your walls. If you want to create a cooler and more comfortable living space during the hot season, let’s explore the following effective solutions to combat heat for your walls.

1. Reasons Why Your House Gets Uncomfortably Warm

Your House Faces West

The west-facing orientation of your house means it will be exposed to direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day, from noon to late afternoon. However, due to unfavorable geographical conditions, many families have no choice but to build their homes facing west.

As a result, the walls and roof of your house will absorb a significant amount of heat and radiate it inside. Even after the sun sets, it takes a long time for the walls and roof to release all the absorbed heat. Consequently, the indoor air remains warm even at night.

West-facing houses bear the brunt of the afternoon sun.

Building Materials That Absorb Heat

Houses with roofs made of galvanized iron sheets can absorb temperatures ranging from 40°C to 60°C during hot days. Additionally, concrete roofs are also prone to absorbing heat from the sun but are difficult to cool down, resulting in an uncomfortably warm indoor environment.

Galvanized iron roofs can absorb extreme heat.

Poor Ventilation System

Every time you use the stove or microwave for cooking, hot air is generated and lingers inside your home, warming the walls from within. If you lack proper ventilation, such as exhaust fans, open windows, or air filtration systems, it becomes challenging to dissipate this uncomfortable heat.

Houses without proper ventilation systems struggle to stay cool.

Excessive Heat-Generating Appliances and Devices

Certain appliances and devices generate a significant amount of heat during operation, including ovens, microwaves, irons, refrigerators, and kettles. Aside from making the walls hotter, they also tend to accumulate dust and negatively impact indoor air quality if not regularly cleaned.

Heat-generating appliances can make your house warmer.

2. Effective Ways to Combat Heat for Your Walls

Paint Walls and Roofs with Light-Colored Paint

You can apply the basic principle that light colors reflect heat while dark colors absorb it when choosing paint colors to help cool down your walls effectively. By painting your walls with light colors, you can achieve indoor temperatures that are 3°C to 5°C lower compared to outdoors. Additionally, consider using heat-reflective paints for your roof as well.

This method is environmentally friendly and does not disrupt daily life. Some recommended light shades include cream, light gray, light blue, light green, and light yellow.

Light-colored paint offers notable advantages for cooling.

Use Heat-Resistant Wall Panels

This method is favored by many as wall panels come in a variety of designs and materials. They not only help reduce heat absorption but also enhance the aesthetic appeal of your home.

Some popular choices for wall panels include wooden panels and brick panels.

Wooden panels not only combat heat but also enhance the beauty of your home.

Use Heat Insulation Stickers

While wall panels address heat from the outside, heat insulation stickers are an effective indoor solution. The market offers various options, such as foam stickers, wallpaper, and heat-resistant fabric. This method is widely popular due to its low cost and high aesthetic value.

In addition to heat insulation, these stickers also provide benefits like soundproofing, fire resistance, and roof leak prevention.

Heat insulation stickers are a versatile solution.

Use Heat-Resistant Metal Roofing

Heat-resistant metal roofing, or cool roofing, is made of three layers: a colored galvanized steel layer, a polyurethane (PU) insulation layer, and a polypropylene (PP) lining.

Thanks to its unique structure, cool roofing not only minimizes heat absorption but also provides soundproofing, leak prevention, and aesthetic benefits.

However, this method requires considerable time and effort for installation and comes at a higher cost.

Heat-resistant metal roofing offers multiple advantages.

Use Cool Bricks

Cool bricks are made with a core of PIR (Polyisocyanurate Foam) and two layers of cement on both sides. They come in various colors and thicknesses ranging from 20 to 50 mm, offering flexibility in choice.

In addition to their heat-resistant properties, cool bricks also provide excellent waterproofing, moisture resistance, and fire resistance.

Cool bricks offer multiple benefits beyond heat resistance.

Use Heat-Insulating Gypsum

Heat-insulating gypsum is considered a modern and intelligent solution for both ceilings and walls.

By using this material, you can expect benefits such as extended lifespan for your building, easy transportation of the raw material, a diverse range of colors, and flexibility in cutting and shaping.

However, this system demands high technical expertise for proper installation, so it is crucial to engage skilled and experienced craftsmen.

Heat-insulating gypsum is a versatile and effective solution.

3. Creating a Cooler Outdoor Space

In addition to the measures mentioned above, it is equally important to create a comfortable outdoor space.

Plant Trees

Planting trees to shade the west-facing side of your house and create a cooler environment is an effective solution. If your front yard is not too spacious, consider choosing climbing plants such as ivy, clematis, or passionflower.

On the other hand, if you have a larger area, opt for trees with dense and broad canopies. Aside from blocking direct sunlight, trees also purify the air and add a touch of greenery to your living space.

Planting trees is a natural way to cool down your outdoor space.

Use Sunshades and Roller Blinds

This is the most common manual method currently in use. While it may not be the most effective heat-combating solution, sunshades and roller blinds offer affordable prices, a wide range of designs, and easy installation.

Sunshades and roller blinds are a cost-effective solution.

Utilize Loggias

Loggias are an effective way to combat heat if you plan to build a tube house or a steel-framed house. You can take advantage of the loggia space to place potted plants or flowers, adding a touch of freshness to your home.

Loggias provide a shaded and cooler space.

The above are our suggestions for effective solutions to combat heat for your walls. We hope you find these ideas helpful in improving the comfort of your living space.

Frequently asked questions

There are several ways to keep your home cool and comfortable during hot weather. First, seal any gaps or cracks in your walls, floors, doors, and windows to prevent hot air from entering and cool air from escaping. Use insulation to keep the heat out and consider installing reflective curtains or blinds to block the sun’s rays. You can also plant trees or shrubs for natural shade and ventilation, and install ceiling fans to circulate the air.

You can use caulk or foam sealant to fill in any gaps or cracks in your walls, floors, doors, and windows. For larger gaps, you may need to use expanding foam and then cut away the excess once it’s dry. Weatherstripping is also an effective way to seal gaps around doors and windows, preventing hot air from entering your home.

When choosing insulation, consider the climate you live in and the specific needs of your home. Common types of insulation include fiberglass, cellulose, and foam. Fiberglass is cost-effective and easy to install, while cellulose is made from recycled materials and is ideal for soundproofing. Foam insulation, such as spray foam, offers excellent air sealing and can be used in hard-to-reach places.

Reflective curtains, also known as thermal curtains, are designed to reflect sunlight and heat away from your home. They are usually made with a reflective coating on the side facing the window, which helps to keep the sun’s rays from heating up your indoor space. These curtains can be effective in reducing the temperature in your home during hot weather.

Planting trees or shrubs near your home can provide natural shade, keeping your home cooler in the summer. It also helps with ventilation by creating a microclimate around your house, reducing the need for air conditioning. Additionally, greenery can enhance the aesthetics of your home and increase its value.

Ceiling fans circulate the air in your home, creating a wind chill effect that makes you feel cooler. By distributing the cool air more effectively, ceiling fans can make a room feel up to four degrees cooler than it actually is. Remember to set your fans to rotate counterclockwise in the summer for optimal cooling effects.
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