Shield your house, kick out the heat

Feb 18, 2013

Mariam Siama recently left her workplace at around 4:30pm and rushed home, thinking it was the best place to rest after a hard day’s work. But she could not enjoy the peace at home

By Shamim Saad

Mariam Siama recently left her workplace at around 4:30pm and rushed home, thinking it was the best place to rest after a hard day’s work. But she could not enjoy the peace at home. “My single room was too hot. I could not even stay inside for a minute,” Siama says. She remained outside till late to avoid the heat.

Siama’s story is not different from Shamilah Nambi’s.  Nambi always complains of her two-roomed house being hot most of the time. “Sometimes when I fail to sleep, I open the windows, in vain,” Nambi says.

Muhammad Idris Nsereko, an architect and managing director of 3M Design and Construction company, says there are many things to consider during construction to keep the house cool.

Location

Nsereko says some areas are hot while others are cool. He says constructors should have in mind the climatic conditions of the area before deciding on the building materials to use. He says natural building materials such as soil and bricks absorb heat, hence keeping the house cool. He adds that maxpans (Kajjansi bricks) also keep the house cool since they have holes. He also advises people to use concrete material while building, saying it is a composite mixture. “Every item has a role to play in terms of reducing the heat,” Nsereko advises.

Roof and walls

He advises people to paint their roofs and walls white. “The refl ective effect will help to keep the rooms cool, since dull colours absorb more heat.

Fans

Nsereko says if your house is always hot, fans can be a great investment for your home. “This appliance can make a room feel six or seven degrees cooler, yet they do not use much energy,” he says.

Plants

Nsereko advises people to plant trees or shrubs around the house to keep it cool during the sunny season. “The shade can also shield the air conditioning units, hence reducing the heat. A unit operating under a shade uses less electricity,” Nsereko says.

Air conditioner

Nsereko says using an air conditioner can help to reduce the heat in the houses, although it may be costly.

Shades or blinds

According to Nsereko, one can install white window shades or blinds to refl ect heat away from the house. He advises people to close blinds, shades and draperies facing the sun (east-facing windows in the morning and west-facing windows in the afternoon) to keep the sun’s heat out.

Internal heat

The most common sources of internal heat gain are appliances, electronic devices and lighting. “If you have an air conditioning system, use it wisely. Do not put lamps, televisions or other heat-generating appliances near your air conditioner because the heat from these appliances will make it run harder than it should,” Nsereko advises. You should also avoid heat-generating activities, such as cooking and ironing during the hottest part of the day.

If you are cooking, use your range fan to vent the hot air out of the house. You should also open the windows to let in cool air. Nsereko says wall thickness is key in reducing the heat in the house. “The bigger the bricks, the lesser the heat,” he advises. He says raised buildings are cooler than shorter ones, which take on heat from the ground. He says the attic should also be insulated to keep the house cool.

According to Nsereko, upgrading from three to 12 inches can cut cooling costs by 10%. He urges people to avoid landscaping the sides of the house with unshaded rock, cement or asphalt since this increases the temperature around the house.

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