Having an air conditioner is a near-must in Australia where heat waves are a summer norm. And with that comes an equally scorching energy bill.

Whether you want to save money by running your air conditioner less or brave the heat without one, these steps will help you stay cool and be kinder to our planet.

1. Block the sun from reaching your windows

Energy-efficient houses depend on well-designed shading systems, because the best way to stop summer heat building up indoors is by blocking the sun’s rays from ever reaching the windows.

It’s a simple concept that we regularly employ with beach umbrellas to protect our skin and garages to shade our cars. Yet when it comes to houses, for some reason people tend to believe that interior drapes are as effective as exterior shading. It’s simply not true.

The more shading you can include on the outside, the better. If you can’t afford a new matching set of shutters, consider a less expensive alternative like solar-control window films can offer UV protection and reduce the amount of heat gained from solar radiation.

I can’t stress enough that the best way to beat the heat is to block the sunlight before it reaches your house. Whether you do that by hanging shades, installing awnings or even planting trees, the most effective use of the funds in your home-cooling budget is in this first step.

When you’re planting trees for shade (or installing any kind of shading), think about the sun’s path through the sky.

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2. Add interior drapes, blinds or shades

Once the heat from the sun’s rays passes through the glass of a window, that heat is in the house and will need to be ventilated to escape. To keep your floors and walls from soaking up that heat from direct rays and emitting it throughout the day, it can help to add another layer of protection between the window and the main thermal mass of your home.

Sheer window treatments are a nice way to mitigate direct sun rays to the floor but maintain soft, natural daylight. Plus, white reflects sunlight better than colours.

3. Get the air circulating

Air will flow only if it is forced (via a fan of some sort) or if there is a large temperature difference with a neighbouring body of air.

Night cooling is a great way to naturally decrease the temperature in your house and exchange hot interior air for cooler outdoor air by leaving your window open only in the early morning, at night or late in the.

You may need to do some testing to see what works best for you, depending on your climate and the orientation of your house toward the sun. For this to work, there needs to be a substantial difference in temperature between the inside of your house and the outside. Once the outdoor air starts to heat up, close windows to try and keep as much of that heat out as possible.

Ceiling fans and standing fans placed near windows at night can help force the air movement when there is no breeze and a small temperature difference. During the day the added air movement from fans can help the perception of heat, which is tied to humidity.

Another evaporative cooling tip, borrowed from history, is to set a big chunk of ice (or ice packs) in front of a fan with a tray underneath to catch the water as it melts. It makes for a really cheap and fairly effective DIY air conditioner for small rooms. Remember to close off the space as much as possible, so you don’t lose that great cool air.

4. Turn off major appliances during the day

To help maintain those cooler temperatures during the day, reduce anything that generates heat in your house or apartment. For example, don’t use the dryer or oven and try not to open the fridge too often.

The more you open it, the more the motor has to work to cool it down again, and the heat generated from that work will be released back into your house. Try fresh summer salads to avoid using your oven and stovetop plus, it’s healthy and cooling.

5. Transition your bed into summer mode

Reduce the amount of bedding you have and stick to natural fabrics like linen or 100 percent cotton. Synthetic blends don’t breathe enough to release all the heat we generate during the night.

6. Stay Hydrated

Everyone knows that staying hydrated in summer is extremely important. But did you know that drinking water also helps regulate your body temperature?

We are fortunate that our tap water is of very high quality when it comes to cleanness, remember to have a glass throughout the day to help you stay hydrated and cool.

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This article via freshome does not constitute advice; readers should seek independent and personalised counsel from a trusted adviser that specialises in property, a tax accountant and property design specialist.