Summer is in full swing, not to mention the extreme heat that comes with it. Review insulation materials and tips for staying cool.

Summer means fun in the sun, but that also comes with extreme heat. To avoid this inconvenience, use good insulation materials to help keep your home a few degrees cooler and help you breathe better.

Tips for Staying Cool

Everyone is familiar with general tips for hot weather such as keeping your blinds closed during the day and ventilating rooms in the morning and at night.

However, good thermal insulation is the most effective solution for hot weather. The parts of the home that let in heat in from outside, such as attics, roofing, windows, walls, and floors, will be the main focus.

Ideally, the materials used would have low thermal conductivity (ability of the materials encasing the home to reduce heat transfer from the sun) and work for up to 8 hours.

Efficient Insulation

There are many insulating materials that reduce heat, including synthetic but toxic materials (polystyrene, polyester, polyurethane) as well as natural fibers (mineral wool, wood wool, glass wool, hemp fiber, or wool) that are environmentally friendly.

There is also the so-called thin insulation, or reflective products (aluminum foil, polyethylene film), as well as mineral insulation (foam glass, expanded perlite, expanded clay).

Bioclimatic Properties

If you have the opportunity to build your house, consider using bioclimatic properties to keep your home cool by orienting it to take advantage of prevailing winds and the terrain.

Your home would ideally have windows that face south and be sheltered by an embankment or screen of vegetation on the north to optimize the sunlight. It is recommended to place the least heated rooms (e.g., garage, cellar) on the north side of the house to create a buffer zone between the outside and the heated space. Trend: The bioclimatic pergola is usually constructed with adjustable aluminum slats that can regulate the amount of sunlight.

Proper insulation can keep rooms around 19 °C, offering real comfort from the heat.