Australian summers can be brutally hot, with temperatures getting as high as at least 40 degrees, often reaching high above that number. With the humidity added on top of that, it can be incredibly difficult to be outside for long periods of time and can even be unsafe for some demographics. If your home gets hot too, then it can feel like there’s no escape.

If you’re looking for ways to keep your home cool when temperatures outside are scorching, this article has a few tips you can use. Hopefully, once you implement some of these measures, your home will feel cooler and better ventilated so it’s more comfortable for you.

Install an air conditioning unit

Of course, the first and most obvious answer to the question of how to keep your home cool is with an air conditioner. It’s the simplest way to have the most amount of control over the temperature inside your home. You could install a traditional AC unit to keep your home cool, or you could try one of these reverse cycle air conditioners, which can heat your home during the winter months when the temperature drops to the opposite extreme. With a reverse cycle air conditioning unit, you can enjoy the indoor temperature year-round.

Cover your windows

Cover your windows
Hanging external window coverings help to block out the intense heat from the sun pouring directly into your home. If your home has a lot of windows and gets a lot of direct sun, it probably feels a lot like a greenhouse during a good portion of the summer months. Drawing the curtains closed won’t actually do much in this case, so if you’re going to hang window coverings, make sure they’re blocking your windows from the outdoors. Indoor window coverings are good for keeping the cold out and keeping the heat in, while external window coverings do the opposite.

Awnings, roller shutters, and shade sails are also useful when blocking the sunlight from hitting your windows, so if you already have any of these attached to your house don’t forget to use them when necessary. Being in the shade as opposed to direct sun can make it feel much cooler, even if the temperature is actually the same, so your goal is to keep your windows in the shade as much as possible.

Use fans

Use fans
Ceiling fans and standing fans are the next best thing if you don’t have air conditioning. They’re also much more energy-efficient and overall better for the environment, so you don’t have to feel guilty running the fan all day and night to help keep you cool. On extremely hot days where it feels like the fan is just blowing around hot and humid air, you can use a spray bottle to mist yourself and then stand in front of the fan for immediate relief. You can also try to hang a towel over the fan that’s been soaked in ice-cold water (and then wrung out), or even put in the freezer to chill. The cool air leaving the towel will be blown to you, as long as you’re sitting close enough to the fan.