Use Passive Solar to Cool Down this Summer

Passive solar cooling to minimize energy use and expense

Worried about your power bill as you try to keep temperatures down this season? Why not use passive solar to cool down this summer?

Instead of cranking the air conditioning, you can employ a few simple measures to minimize the heat inside. Passive cooling requires little more than planning ahead and maybe some minor landscaping adjustments.

You can have a solar home with these easy tips:

Plant trees and shrubs on the west sides of your home to act as a buffer from late afternoon sun over the summer and chilly winds in the winter
Be generous in landscaping with trees and shrubs – in particular, deciduous versions provide shade and cooling during summer months, but allow light in during the winter
Make sure that rooms that generate heat, like the kitchen and laundry room are located on the north side of your home to provide heat where its needed most
Install drapes or blinds on windows to block the sun through the summer, and trap heat inside during winter
Open windows during summer nights and in cool mornings to help circulate cooler air throughout your home