Summer is on its way in the Southern Hemisphere, which is a relief for many! For some of us in Australia’s southeast regions, this has been a long, albeit mild, winter. But a mild winter may be a grim warning for a killer summer ahead, and if your home struggled through last year’s heatwaves, now is actually the time to act.
Australia is currently experiencing a strong El Niño, with warnings that it could strengthen further and peak in late spring or summer. While El Niño doesn’t guarantee a record-breaking summer everywhere, Australia’s long-range forecasts currently point to above-average temperatures across many areas. So, in other words, waiting until the first 40°C day to discover your air conditioner isn’t coping probably isn’t the best strategy.
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to get your home ready for the heat. From improving insulation and shading to getting your cooling systems sorted early, here’s where to start.
Give your cooling system a fighting chance
Air conditioning becomes considerably more important when temperatures stay high for several days in a row. If your air conditioner has been struggling, making unusual noises, or taking longer than usual to cool the house, don’t wait until the next heatwave to investigate. And if you’re looking for another way to keep air moving without relying entirely on the air conditioner, ceiling fan installation can be a practical addition to your home’s summer cooling strategy.
Fans don’t lower a room’s actual temperature, but moving air can make you feel cooler, so you can rely less on air conditioning when conditions permit. You can also make your cooling more efficient by closing doors to rooms you’re not using. There’s little point cooling the spare bedroom when the entire family is sitting in the lounge.
So before summer arrives, check your A/C’s filters and make sure your system is clean and operating properly.
Seal the gaps around your home
A well-cooled home is much easier to maintain when hot outdoor air isn’t constantly finding its way inside. Check around doors and windows for obvious gaps or draughts, and seal them to keep your cold air from escaping. Weatherstripping and silicone door seals can help prevent unwanted air movement, while closing doors and windows during the hottest parts of the day can help keep cool air where it belongs.
If you’ve paid to cool the air inside your home, don’t let it immediately escape.
Get serious about shading
Windows can also be another major source of unwanted summer heat. Large north-facing and west-facing windows can let in plenty of sunlight into your home, quickly turning an otherwise comfy room into an oven. External shading, including awnings, shade sails, and external blinds, can help block sunlight before it reaches the glass and heats up the room.
The trick is to plan ahead of the sun. Closing your blinds once a room is already boiling is far less effective than keeping the worst of the afternoon sun out in the first place. Window tinting is another option for exposed windows, while blackout curtains and blinds can help keep heat out once the sun is up.
Don’t forget about water
Heat preparation isn’t all about keeping your living room cool. Hot and dry conditions can put additional pressure on household water use, making it worthwhile to check your plumbing and outdoor systems before summer arrives. Look for leaking taps, damaged irrigation lines or other obvious plumbing issues.
A small leak might not seem particularly urgent, but over time it can waste a surprising amount of water. Water-efficient showerheads, appliances, and irrigation systems can also help reduce household consumption. And if your garden relies heavily on irrigation, checking that your system is working efficiently before summer gets into full swing is a good idea.
Insulate the roof and ceiling
If your upstairs rooms always seem significantly hotter than the rest of the house, your roof space could be part of the problem. Your roof takes the brunt of the summer sun, so it’s no surprise that the roof space can become seriously hot. Good ceiling insulation helps prevent that heat from radiating down into your living areas.
If your insulation is old, damaged, or simply not doing enough, topping it up could make a noticeable difference to how your home handles extreme temperatures. Roof ventilation can also help move hot air out of the roof cavity. Roof vents and whirlybirds allow built-up heat to escape rather than letting it linger above your ceiling.
Think about the whole home
The most comfortable homes during a heatwave aren’t necessarily the ones with the flashiest air conditioners. They’re often the ones designed or maintained to prevent excessive heat from getting inside in the first place. That means looking at the bigger picture, the whole home.
Is your ceiling properly insulated? Are your windows exposed to harsh afternoon sun? Are there obvious gaps around doors? Is your air conditioner ready for another summer? Could fans help circulate air through the rooms you use most?
You don’t necessarily need to tackle every improvement at once. Instead, start with the areas where your home struggles most. By addressing these sore spots early in late winter or early spring, you’ll set your home up for greater success when summer starts to sizzle.
Get ready before the first big heatwave
An El Niño doesn’t guarantee a scorching summer, and the Bureau of Meteorology continues to update its forecasts as conditions develop. But with the current weather event already strong and expected to peak around summer, there’s a very good reason to get ahead of the heat. A few practical improvements now could make a big difference later, when temperatures rise.
So sort out your insulation, improve shading, check your cooling systems, seal those sneaky gaps, and make sure your ceiling fans are ready to go. Because when the next big heatwave arrives, the best time to prepare won’t be when you’re standing in the living room wondering why your house feels like a sauna. It’ll be now.
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