Lately, the heat is intense, making homes uninhabitable.

For example, last week, Ruth Mukisa a resident of Kigombya in Mukono district got restless inside her three-bedroom house located in Mukono municipality.

Every room she went to was hot and the outdoors was worse. She bathed several times in vain until she decided to make some changes around the house.

“I began with my bedroom. I replaced the navy blue duvet with a white one. I also changed the curtains and bedsheets to all white and it helped,” she shares.

She did the same to the dining and living room curtains.

“I realized, white fabrics reflect light. The material also matters. I used lighter bedsheets and the bed felt cool instantly,” she says.

Uritah Nankya, another homeowner in Kawanda, Wakiso district used to keep the windows and doors closed but now opens them wide throughout the day. She also leaves the inside doors ajar to maximize the free flow of air.

Limit appliances and change bulbs

Meanwhile, David Ssekandi, an electrician and solar energy expert recommends limiting the use of appliances that emit heat such as the iron box, dryer and cooker. Instead of using a dryer, hang your clothes out and if you have a kitchen outside the house, use that to prepare meals. Remember the adage “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!” Ssekandi says, adding that cooking generates excess heat, making the home interior extremely hot.

Also, if you still use the traditional incandescent bulbs, it’s high time you replaced them with LED lights which emit little heat hence keeping the home cool in the night. You will save energy costs as well.

Plants and paint

Lilian Katiso, a gardener with Maua and More located at Garden city, Kampala says, plants are very good at cooling down spaces. Add indoor plants to you interior to keep it cool. The plants will trap dust as well. Opt for water plants such as lucky bamboo, golden pathos and English ivy and several others you can pot.

Also, water regularly to save the plants from drying up and where possible, move the potted ones to shaded areas.

You can also use paint to cool your home if you stick to light shades like whites, pinks and creams.