Air conditioning is one of the most effective ways to cool the interior of a building. It involves the use of an A.C unit to cool the interior. An A.C unit is a device that takes in warm air from the inside, puts it through a cooling process then recirculates it as cool air. The unit is usually connected to the air circulation system of the building which usually consists of a system of ducts through which air travels.
Despite the efficiency of air conditioning, it isn’t without its own shortcomings. For instance, A.C units consume a large amount of electricity which significantly increases the power bill. On a wider scale, that overreliance on electricity can be traced to environmental degradation and global warming. This is because most of the electricity used to run the units is produced from fossil fuels.
A.C units are also expensive for an average home, both in costs of purchase and maintenance. For an average homeowner, weighing the pros and cons as well as other costs inherent with owning an A.C unit might prove to be unfeasible. But worry not, there are other alternative cooling solutions except Air conditioning and most of them involve making slight modifications to the property in a way that aids cooling without the need for A.C.
Using curtains; These are a great way of blocking out extra sunshine and controlling the internal temperature of a building. However, the downside with curtains is that they in turn block out light which is desirable and that might increase costs in lighting. Blinds are at times a better option because they can better regulate the light. Unlike curtains that might partially block out air, blinds allow for better air circulation whilst still regulating sunshine.
Fans; An alternative to using A.C is using fans that can either be ceiling fans or moveable fans. Fans cool air by displacing and blowing it. The consumer less electricity and are easier and cheaper to set up and maintain. Fans should be placed where they can most effectively cool a room, for instance at the center of the room.
Insulating the ceiling; The ceiling can be insulated using wool for instance. This ensures that heat from the roof isn’t easily absorbed into the interior of the room.
Alternative roof covers; Sheet metal is a good conductor of heat thus roofs constructed with sheet metal tend to have a warmer interior. It’s even worse if the building lacks a ceiling. Alternative roof covers except sheet metal should be considered. Among these include tiles and grass thatch. Both those roof cover types are known for their insulation properties which effectively cool the interior of the building. However, the downside of tiles is that they are expensive, and the downside of grass thatch is that they are not durable and have a high risk of fire.
Bulbs; Another way of cooling is by replacing incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs. Incandescent bulbs produce light through the controlled burning effect of tungsten. About 90% of the energy is lost as heat and less than 10% is given off as light. This means such bulbs have a heating effect and contribute to the warmth in the room. LED bulbs in contrast are based on advanced technology that produces light through the emission of electrons from a diode. They are more efficient, are brighter, and last longer but most importantly, they barely produce any heat.
Installing awnings; Awnings are structures on top of windows that act as shades for windows by blocking the extra sunshine from reaching the window. This limits the amount of sunshine getting into the interior through the windows.
Light painting; Light painting like white reflects a lot of sunshine away from the building. This reduces the sun’s heating effect on the building and keeps the interior cool.
Green roofs; Green roofs are another great way of cooling a building without using Air conditioning. Green roofs are roofs that are wholly or partially covered by plants. The plants absorb the extra heat from the sun and keep the interior cool.
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Conclusion; Those are the various cooling alternatives to air conditioning. They remedy the shortcomings of air conditioning while still effectively performing their cooling tasks. A home user unable to use air conditioning for any particular reason should look to them as practical alternatives that can easily be installed.