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A man is sitting on the sofa in front of a fan.

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Living in VAV

Cool down the smart way at home

We look forward to and need the sun’s warmth, but during heatwaves it’s also worth paying attention to keeping your home cool. You can improve your living comfort with many simple measures that prevent your home from overheating without using extra energy.

Simple cooling methods help to keep your home pleasantly cool without the need for electricity-consuming air-conditioning units. If mechanical cooling of rooms is necessary, choose the most energy-efficient unit possible.

Effective ventilation helps to keep the indoor air fresh, even during the summer heat. Make sure that replacement air can flow through the supply air vents. Cleaning the replacement and supply air valves is the resident’s responsibility, but please remember that only a maintenance technician or ventilation specialist is authorised to adjust the extract air valves.

Keep your home cool during a heatwave in an energy-efficient way  

During a heatwave, it is best to keep the scorching heat and midday hot air firmly outside and avoid using heat-generating appliances indoors.

If your bathroom has underfloor heating, it is advisable to switch it off completely during longer periods of absence. During hot weather, you can also set the underfloor heating to a lower temperature than in winter.

In summer, indoor air circulation is significantly poorer than in winter in a house with gravity-based ventilation. Ensure adequate ventilation in damp rooms so that the floor and other surfaces dry out during the day.

Prevent indoor temperatures from rising as follows: 

  • Keep doors and windows closed during the day.
  • Draw the curtains in front of the windows or lower the blinds.
  • Switch off any unnecessary electrical appliances and lights. Avoid, for example, heating the oven or an indoor sauna. Computers, chargers and televisions also generate heat.
  • If necessary, only open windows on the shaded side, preferably in the evening or at night.

Choose an energy-efficient cooling appliance 

If hot spells continue for a longer period, the indoor temperature may rise significantly, in which case you may wish to purchase fans and air-conditioning units for your home to make you feel more comfortable. A fan circulates the air in the room, allowing heat to be drawn away from the skin more quickly, even though the fan does not actually lower the indoor temperature.

Tips for making the most of your fan:

  • Set a floor fan to draw cool air in through an open window at night.
  • Try a ‘cooling trick’: place a bowl of ice or cold water in front of the fan.

Portable air conditioners, on the other hand, cool the air in the room and remove moisture from it.

Source: Motiva