How to keep cool without breaking the bank

Queensland’s heat and humidity makes our homes uncomfortable, and at times, unhealthy.

This is because most of our homes are not built to keep the heat out and cool in.

No matter how well-designed your home is, trying to keep cool can mean big energy bills.

It does not have to be this way.

How do our bodies cool down?

Sweat and air flow

When sweat evaporates from your skin, your whole body cools down by 3 to 4 ℃.

Air flow helps sweat evaporate, so bring on the breeze! Keep in mind, it’s the fan that’s cooling you down, not the room.

Humidity slows down evaporation, but air flow also helps with this.

With that in mind, let’s tackle our sweaty summers!

The energy efficient way to keep cool at home

1- Shade it

Sun shining directly on us or into a room heats things up. Use trees, shade sails, curtains, blinds - anything, to shade it.

2 - Get the breeze

If the temperature and humidity outside are good, open your doors and windows. If not, it’s time for a fan!

3 - Air conditioning

Combine your fan with air conditioning on ‘dry’ mode. The breeze and lower humidity will help you feel cooler.

If not, it’s time for cooling. For every 1℃ higher you set your air conditioner to, you’ll save 10% in aircon electricity. So set the temperature at 25-27 ℃, keep your fan on and it will feel like 21-24 ℃!