Chill Out: Keeping Your Home Cool During the Scorching Summer

  • Posted on: 25 July 2019
  • By: Tori
Chill Out: Keeping Your Home Cool During the Scorching Summer

Chill Out: Keeping Your Home Cool During the Scorching Summer

It’s no secret that the Arizona temperatures aren’t for the faint of heart. But even though we’re in the midst of braving our third summer here, Victoria and I continue to perfect the finer points of handling the heat. We never venture more than three feet from our homestead without six water bottles hanging from every appendage. SPF 100 lotion is purchased in 55-gallon drums. And we’ve discovered that cooking breakfast eggs on our car’s dashboard is a brilliant way to save on energy costs. So, we feel quite proud to have earned our desert dweller street cred. 

But aside from keeping our own summer safeguards in place, we’re working overtime with the C&C team to make sure our incredibly cool clients stay comfy during the sweltering months. Fortunately, there are a number of simple and effective ways to turn your home into a haven from the heat. 

Here are just a few options to get your ideas flowing:  

Efficient AC– Just like every other amenity in your home, your air conditioning system needs some TLC now and then to keep performing at its best. Your AC literally breathes through its filter, and when it becomes dirty the unit struggles to function. So, it’s important to replace filters approximately every 90 days (more often if you have pets or people with allergies in the home). Have a licensed technician check for leaks in the ducts and piping. And to further support your hardworking AC unit, consider updating the insulation in your roof.  

Get Misty– If you’re becoming a bit weary of hearing “but it’s a dryheat”, take heart. The lack of humidity makes Arizona homes a prime candidate for one of the most cost-effective cooling apparatuses available: misters. The options are plentiful, including free-standing mister fans or installing a complete misting system on your patio and/or throughout your entire yard area. 

Fresh Flooring– Tile is not only stylish and simple to clean, it feels much cooler underfoot than carpet or wood flooring. The market is filled with an amazing selection of tiles ranging from porcelain and ceramic to marble and limestone. Still want to retain that wood look? Select from a wide variety of square and “plank-style” tiles that emulate everything from bamboo and ash to oak and mahogany. 

Fan Out– Ceiling fans may be old school, but they do a fantastic job of helping make your climate more comfortable. Unlike air conditioning, a fan doesn’t technically make the air in a room colder. However, the breeze from a properly sized and placed ceiling fan cools the home’s occupants by disrupting the stagnant air that prevents heat from dissipating. And if the fan allows you to make even small adjustments to your thermostat, the energy savings can add up quite nicely. 

Made in the Shade: Whether you’re indoors or out, shade is your friend during the summertime. There are loads of options for shades or blinds for the interior and exterior of windows that upgrade your décor as they shelter you from the harsh rays. Increase the shady spots in your yard by adding a large tree such as mesquite or desert willow. Or think about building a pergola or gazebo as an accent to your deck or patio to serve as both a sun shield and a lovely breezeway while lounging outside. 

Water Works: Even if you’re not ready to go all-in on a full-sized swimming pool, you can still enjoy the cooling and calming effects of a smaller water feature. Consider a splash pool, a peaceful reflective pond or a water garden filled with colourful aquatic plant life. Fountains are another great way to marry an element of creative design with the soothing sounds of a cascading waterfall. 

Triple-digit temps may be the order of the day, but you don’t have to wait to find some relief. Whenever you’re ready, our team is happy to chat regarding cooling concepts that fit your budget, timeline and lifestyle. Until then, try invoking our favourite mantra whilst you wait for the blessed fall/winter season to begin: “No one shovels sunshine in Arizona!”