6 Ways To Make Your Florida House Cooler

Florida is well known for its extreme heat, especially in the summer months (July, August and September). The reality is that the majority of Florida has two seasons, the dry and the wet (monsoon), and that during the wet season we experience the most heat, due to both the temperature and the humidity. This can cause prolonged discomfort for the uninitiated, but for savvy residents of the Sunshine State there are some simple and easy fixes to help beat the heat!

These tips are effective in either lowering the temperature inside the house or changing your perception of the temperature in your Florida home.

Cooler Colors Equal A Cooler You

Use A Cooler Paint Palette

It has been scientifically proven that seeing cool colors makes a person feel cooler. When we paint our walls cool colors or use cool colors in our decorative accents (pillows, curtains, bedding) it helps us feel cooler. This is one of the easiest ways to bring the temperature of your living space down. Also, simply removing warmer colors from walls, floors and soft furnishings can make a big difference in your perception of the temperature inside your home.

Use Cooler Temperature Light Bulbs

     Light also comes in “cooler” or “warmer” tones. Generally, cooler temperatures of light more closely approximate daylight and are better for tasks that warmer light, which most people favor for the evening hours and in less task-oriented spaces, such as the bedroom.

     When purchasing light bulbs, check the temperature of the lights by looking at the “light appearance” scale on the box. The temperature of light is measured in Kelvin, with a higher number being more blue (cooler) and a lower number being more orange (warmer). A good temperature on the cooler spectrum of light is from 3000-5000 Kelvin.

          Using a cooler temperature of light can help you feel cooler inside your home, and wherever you feel comfortable, switching out warmer lightbulbs for cooler can make a big difference.

Put A Ceiling Fan In Every Room

Native Floridians know that ceiling fans are a very effective way to cool down any space. Those who’ve lived here their entire lives leave ceiling fans on throughout the summer. You can take advantage of this technique as well, starting with the existing fans in your home.

First, set your ceiling fans to rotate counter clockwise. This allows the fan to push the air downward, pushing the air straight down onto you, and circulating the air around the room most efficiently.

     For most situations, setting the fan on its lowest setting and forgetting it works just fine. For the hottest days, putting the fan on medium or even high can help move air throughout the house, assisting the air conditioning to keep the house as cool as possible.

     Second, consider how you can add ceiling fans to rooms in your home that do not currently have one. It is worth the expense of having an electrician come in to wire for one as it will cool your home for months out of the year and lower your electricity bills during those hot Florida summers.

There should be one fan in every major room in your home: Living, dining and family rooms, as well as each bedroom. If your kitchen will allow it, having a fan in your kitchen is a great idea. If you have a Florida room (interior link) and it’s large enough, adding a ceiling fan is a great investment in your future comfort and would help make that room more usable.

Install A Water Feature

The sound or even the sight of water is helpful in making a space feel cooler. When placed inside, a fountain will evaporate into the surrounding air, helping cool down the space.

When placed outside on a patio or porch, a fountain will also cool down the surrounding air. If placed in an area that is in between inside and outside, a fountain will buffer the inside from the very hot air that is outside.

Fountains also have calming effects on the body. When viewing a fountain, blood pressure and stress decreases. This will also have a cooling effect, as the body isn’t creating as much heat when it is in a calmer state.

Use Houseplants To Absorb Heat

Houseplants undergo a process called transpiration, which basically means that excess water evaporates through their leaves, thereby cooling down the surrounding air.

Plants also emit oxygen and lower our blood pressure and heart rate, which helps us feel cooler in the hot summer months in Florida. Their leaves will absorb any sunrays coming through the window, helping to keep your home cooler.

Try plants like Weeping Fig, Mother In Law’s Tongue, or a Palm Tree. One I’ve had success with is a Bird’s Nest Fern.

Tile or Terazzo Is Best In A Florida Home

Carpet will make you feel hotter. Its dull surface does not reflect light nor does it easily transfer heat away from your body. As shiny surfaces will help you feel cooler, a better choice is restored terrazzo or tile in a home in Florida.

Tile or terrazzo will transfer heat away from your body, making you feel cooler in the summer. The look of shiny surfaces will also help you feel cooler no matter what the temperature is. Reflective surfaces also do not absorb as much heat via radiation, and so having floors of tile or terrazzo makes the most sense in Florida.

Service Your HVAC

Yes, it’s boring and annoying and not very sexy, but servicing your HVAC regularly will make it more efficient, thereby making it work to cool your house down both more quickly and more efficiently.

You know that amazing feeling of “aaaaahhhhh” when you walk into your home from the intense Florida heat? It will feel even better if you know you’re paying less for it and your AC is running cleanly and efficiently. An added bonus is your air will be cleaner, too!

The above are easy things you can do to make your Florida home feel cooler. You don’t have to spend a lot of time or money to make a big difference in how cool your home feels. A little energy and creativity goes a long way in making your home more comfortable and beautiful in those Florida summer months that we all dread! So go ahead, buy some plants and paint and get started! Come August you’ll thank me.