With the scorching heat that has become increasingly common around the world due to climate change, keeping the home cool and pleasant has become essential for our well-being.

High temperatures can make the home environment uncomfortable, but with the 10 infallible tips we'll share below, you'll be prepared to face the heat more comfortably and efficiently, without having to spend a fortune on an air conditioner.

Install curtains or blinds on your windows to block direct sunlight and keep them closed during a heat wave.

As tempting as it may be to open the windows during a heat wave, leaving them closed when the day is warmer will keep the house cool. Therefore, try to only let the air in at the beginning or end of the day.

Light-colored curtains and blinds made from a heavier fabric offer the best heat-blocking potential, so choose these if you're thinking about updating yours.

Sometimes you may feel like ceiling fans just push hot air around your home instead of cooling it. Well, you're not wrong – fans that don't spin counterclockwise could be doing just that!

Set your ceiling fans to rotate counterclockwise in the summer to push air downward, helping to create a cooling effect, and clockwise in the winter to pull cool air upward.

In warmer climates, set the fan speed to high and in colder climates it works best at low speed. Ceiling fans can also be used as a supplement to other types of cooling, so making sure they rotate in the right direction can make a big difference to the temperature in your home.

Avoiding excessive use of electronics is a smart strategy to keep your home cooler during the hottest days. After all, devices such as computers, televisions and other electrical appliances not only consume energy, but also generate heat while they are in operation.
The high ambient temperature already makes the environment uncomfortable, and the extra heat produced by these electronics can make the situation worse. Therefore, whenever possible, consider reducing the time you use these devices during hot days.

Considering the high prices of an air conditioner, improvise with a fan. Using a fan will probably affect your electric bills a bit, but it won't compare to air conditioning.

To really cool a room with a fan, place a deep dish of ice in front of it to lift the water mist and cool the breeze. You can also point a fan outside an open window at night – this pushes hot air out instead of just blowing it across the room.

Keeping the light bulbs off during hot days is an effective strategy to prevent the home's internal temperature from rising. This is because incandescent bulbs, unlike LED bulbs, emit a significant amount of heat during normal operation.

By opting for LED bulbs, you not only reduce unwanted heat in the room but also significantly save energy. LED bulbs are much more energy efficient, converting most of the energy into light and producing only a tiny fraction of heat compared to incandescent bulbs. This simple change in lighting type not only helps maintain a more pleasant room temperature, but also results in lower energy bills.

Swapping conventional light bulbs for LED bulbs is a great way to contribute to environmental preservation. LED lighting is environmentally friendly as it has a much longer lifespan. Furthermore, this option consumes fewer natural resources in its manufacture.

Indoor plants play a crucial role in maintaining a more pleasant temperature indoors during hot summer days. They do this through a process called transpiration, in which they release water vapor into the atmosphere around them.

This water vapor helps cool the room, making it cooler and more comfortable. As water evaporates from plant leaves, it absorbs heat from the environment, reducing the temperature of the surrounding air. This creates a feeling of coolness, which can be particularly beneficial in hot weather.

Having plants strategically positioned in your home can significantly contribute to the feeling of thermal comfort, helping to reduce the feeling of heat and reducing the need to use air conditioning units or fans full time. Therefore, plants are not only decorative elements, but also natural allies in the search for a cooler and more pleasant environment during the summer.

Reflective window films can be very useful for controlling heat in a room. These films are designed to reflect a significant portion of the sunlight and heat that falls on your windows, helping to reduce the amount of heat that enters your home. This can result in a more pleasant indoor temperature and a reduced need for air conditioning.

In addition to reducing heat, many reflective films also block a significant portion of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. This not only helps protect your skin and furniture from sun damage, but also helps maintain a more comfortable indoor temperature.

However, it is important to note that while reflective films can be effective at reducing heat, proper selection and installation are critical. Different types of films offer different levels of effectiveness in heat reduction and UV protection. Furthermore, installation needs to be done correctly to ensure maximum benefit.

With these tips, you'll be ready to face the summer heat with more comfort in your home. Remember to adapt the strategies to your personal needs and make the most of the summer season.