Bothered by the year-round summer weather in Singapore? You’re not alone! Singapore homes have one of the highest use of air conditioners in the world. But using air-conditioning daily for long hours is very costly and high in energy consumption.
If you want to make your air conditioner work less and save you a couple more bucks in the long run, you need to find ways to keep your home cool without relying solely on the air conditioner. The good news is, there are some things you can do with the furnishings of your home to keep it cooler all year-round.
Here are some of the best ideas you can implement to help your home keep its cool!
1. Mesh window screens
Installing a mesh window screen helps to diffuse the light entering through the windows. Although it does not totally keep light and heat out, it helps to reduce the heating effect resulting from sunlight. This makes it ideal for locations of the home where you still want natural light. As a bonus, these mesh window screens are also the perfect defense against flying pests like mosquitos! Mesh screens are easily found at most furnishing stores and can be installed easily to cover the whole window.
2. Blackout curtains
Blackout curtains work on the basis of keeping light, and consequently, heat, out of the room. However, you need to make sure you choose a medium- to light-coloured curtain, as these are better insulators of heat than dark-coloured ones. But remember – these curtains keep heat out; they do not remove heat. If your room has already heated up, blackout curtains will do the reverse and keep the hot air inside the room. Thus, if you are using blackout curtains in Singapore, use them in conjunction with the air-con to keeping the room cool. Alternatively, you can keep the curtains closed before the sun starts to hit the windows in the morning.
3. Window Films
Window films are one of the most low-maintenance ways of keeping heat out. Also called solar films, these can block off UV rays from entering through the window, which reduces the amount of light and heat entering your room. The result is reduced glare and sun damage to your home furnishings, yet you can still enjoy the view outside your home. This solution is ideal for homes where a minimal look is preferred, or where other heat-blocking window treatments are difficult to obtain or match.
4. Light-coloured blinds
Like blackout curtains, blinds are also a great choice for reducing heat and glare at home. Blackout roller blinds are available for those who want ultimate insulation for a clean, modern look. Non-blackout options also help, although perhaps they are not as effective. One advantage of blinds is their flexibility that allows you to take advantage of natural lighting with less heat and glare. You can find Venetian blinds or combi blinds in Singapore that offer great options for fine-tuning the amount of light you want entering the home.
Although complaining about the heat is something we all do in Singapore, there is one thing to be thankful for: we won’t have to worry about changing our window treatments according to the seasons! That’s right – with the window treatments that work for you, you can use them all year round.