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Summer is fast approaching, so ensure your home is ready to handle the heat and remain stylish in the new season.

It’s easy to prepare your home for summer with simple safety and appliance checks such as cleaning your gutters, maintaining your air conditioning appliances, and ensuring your home is properly insulated.

All Dennis  Family homes now have a 7-star energy rating – meaning less power is needed to keep your home comfortable.

You can increase your energy saving by choosing inclusions and upgrades that reduce your energy bills and ensure the longevity of your home with Dennis Family Homes.

Maintaining Your Air Cons and Fans

Air conditioning systems use the most energy in Australian homes. When choosing the best cooling solutions for summer homes, select a system that suits your space or room. An appliance that is too small or large will waste energy and increase your electricity bills.

Set your air conditioner thermostat to 24–25°C in summer for a comfortable room temperature that won’t strain your electricity bill.

A clean cooling system is an efficient cooling system. Each appliance has specific requirements, so ensure you use the appropriate cleaning method.

Central cooling, also known as ducted cooling, circulates air through supply and return ducts, carrying cool air from the system to the home. Small vents are placed throughout your home to release the air where needed. Though central air units are more expensive they can save you money in the long run.

Change your central cooling air filter twice yearly. Remove each grate and wash in warm, soapy water, then allow it to dry completely. Remove anything that may have fallen into the vent and vacuum away any dust or crumbs.

Split system air conditioners are best for specific rooms. Though more expensive to run than other cooling systems, they work well in all climates. Clean your split system filters under running water with a mild detergent. Allow to dry completely before refitting.

Evaporative cooling units draw hot air from outside through wet filter pads. These units are economical in the short and long term compared to central cooling systems.

Vacuum your ceiling fan or wipe down the blades with a damp rag before turning it on again to avoid dust spreading.

 

Natural Home Cooling Alternatives

Keep your house cool in summer naturally with passive cooling – using the natural, outside breeze throughout your home. It’s an energy-efficient and cost-effective first step to cooling your home.

Make the most of passive cooling with a ceiling fan to circulate air and shading windows to prevent direct sun rays from heating your home.

Keeping out the heat is the best way to keep your home cool on hot days. Avoid hot air in your home by shutting your windows and closing your blinds.

Exterior blinds and awnings maintain a cool home by blocking direct sunlight from shining onto your windows and into your home.

Awnings also provide exterior shaded areas that can be used for outdoor entertaining.

Capitalise on the cool night air by opening windows at opposing ends of your home. This natural cross-ventilation costs nothing and cools your home while you sleep.

 

Gutters and Windows

Add cleaning gutters to your summer home checklist. It’s key to preventing water from leaking through your roof. Plus, trapped dry leaves are a fire hazard.

You will need a garbage bag or bucket, a tall ladder, and gloves. Exercise caution and always maintain three points of contact with the ladder.

Scoop the leaves into your bag or bucket with one hand, maintaining a hold on the ladder with the other. Alternatively, hire a professional.

Welcome the outdoors inside with clean windows. Thoroughly wash the glass with a mixture of water and dishwashing detergent. Finally, wipe down the windows with a microfibre cloth before drying them with newspaper for a streak-free finish.

 

Refreshing Outdoor Spaces

Try these summer landscaping ideas in your garden for a gorgeous set-up to enjoy all season.

Walls, gutters, awnings, and balustrades may need a fresh coat of external paint. Changing weather conditions and light levels can cause outdoor paint to crack and fade. Set aside time now to sand and repaint these areas. Mild, low-humidity weather allows the paint to dry and cure quicker for a longer-lasting finish.

Summer is the best time of the year to entertain outdoors.

In preparation, clean your deck or alfresco area. Sweep away the leaves, dirt, and cobwebs.

Use a high-pressure hose to wash away anything that remains.

Scrub the deck clean with a deck cleaner and broom to remove any stuck-on grime and follow up with a final rinse from the pressure hose.

Better weather also means more time spent in the garden.

Dedicate some time to caring for your lawn, by cutting the grass and cleaning the edges.

Refresh your plants with new low-maintenance summer planting options.

Planting Lomandra Lime Tuff in your flower beds will keep the weeds away. This bright green native includes compact tufts of foliage and small cream flowers that bloom during spring. It is suitable for planting across Australia in any soil.

The Blue Bugle is a small plant great for ground cover and suppressing weed growth. With its soft purple flowers, it is low maintenance and will thrive in both full sun and shade.

An Australian favourite, the Agapanthus is beloved for its drought tolerance. This plant requires well-drained soil but is easy to grow anywhere. Available with blue, white, or purple flowers.

 

Sustainable Home Improvements

If you’ve had your air conditioner serviced but still notice changes in your home’s temperature, rising bills, and the sounds of mice or possums in your ceiling, it may be time to replace your insulation.

While insulation should be replaced every 15–20 years, any damage may reduce its efficacy before that time.

There are several insulation options for your home, including reflective insulation, which keeps the heat out during summer; batt and blanket insulation, suitable for installation throughout the home; and spray foam insulation, which includes a moisture barrier to prevent mould.

Hire a professional to install your insulation and reduce the chances of gaps and errors.

Save bill costs further by installing solar panels. Ideal for Australian homes, solar panels take advantage of the sun as a renewable, inexhaustible force.

High-quality solar panels can last years and increasingly save you money as they generate and store energy.

Installing solar panels also reduces greenhouse gas emissions for a cleaner environment.

Contact the Dennis Family Homes team to start building your dream summer home.