Beat the Heat: How to prevent your home overheating
Overheating is not just limited to the hottest days of summer and now that thousands of us are working from home, it’s an issue that so many households are having to contend with.
Modern homes are built with a focus on heat retention, and so the bigger issue of overheating is often overlooked.
And whilst maximising the space in your house with made to measure sliding doors is one thing, optimising that extra space can be crucial in beating the heat.
We outline the steps you can take to make yours a comfortable home all year round!
What causes overheating?
Overheating occurs whenever the temperature inside a building becomes uncomfortable for a long time - something we know all too well at the moment!
It’s often not as simple as opening the sliding doors or plugging in a fan, as overheating can be caused by:
• inadequate or absent central heating controls
• poor ventilation
• warm outside air
• high humidity, either internally or externally
How to solve overheating
Windows and blinds
The solution to the problem comes down to design - and we at Doors Direct know a little about that!
Try looking at the windows and blinds in your home.
Internal blinds will of course reduce the effect of the sun’s heat, but different types of glass can also block out the sun.
Glass sliding wardrobe doors are as popular as ever with our customers, but when it comes to windows, photochromic and thermochromic glass will change colour according to either light intensity or heat intensity.
Cooling the house
If the air inside your home does get too warm, the best way to cool it is to cross ventilate with cooler air. A single window is not enough if the air cannot move from another opening!
Consider the design of your bedroom and the installation of made to measure sliding wardrobe doors - a small change that can make a big difference when it comes to adding space.
Ventilation is often good in areas with lots of outside space, but in some of the more suburban areas, the outside air could easily be as warm, if not warmer, than inside.
These conditions can be managed by adding plants to your rooms, or by using lighter colours on hard surfaces (see our range of sliding door colours via our website!)
How to design away the heat
Most modern overheating solutions will only be partly effective. The best way to avoid overheating is to consider it at the design stage!
But whilst it’s important to mitigate overheating, it’s equally as important to maintain a balance.
Try to let the heat in that you require by:
• Managing insulation and heating controls
• Installing external shading
• Maximising natural external spaces
• Providing the correct cross ventilation regime
And if you do want to create a more spacious, ventilated home and think made to measure sliding doors could be the answer - you know where to come.
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