People living in sunny countries who are faced with extremely hot summer months receive quite a costly energy bill at the end of the month. Air-conditioning is a costly and ineffective or temporarily effective alternative for keeping your house cool

during hot months. You’re wondering what else can you do to keep your home cool without AC? Read on to learn about some tips and tricks you can use.

1. Blinds and curtains

Taking into account non AC decor tips to keep your home cool this summer we must consider the usage of blinds and curtains in your home. Figures state that up to 30% of total unwanted heat that enters your home comes from the windows and using shades, curtains and blinds can save you up to 7% on energy bills. Hence, the combination of these can lower the temperature of your home for a stunning 20 degrees. What does this mean?

If you don’t have blinds on your windows, install them and keep them closed from late morning to late evening. Open them up as well as your windows only to let the night, cooler air come in. As far as curtains are concerned, there are blackout curtains which block sunlight by naturally insulating the room. A popular option is neutral-colored curtains with white plastic backings. You can also shade the outside of your windows, it’s useful in preventing the heat from coming into your house.

2. Install some fans and a ceiling fan

You can install a few fans in your house to keep your home cool and with the special trick we’ll share with you, you’ll ensure a cool and pleasant interior. Fill a bowl with ice and put it in front of a large fan. The air streaming from the fan will produce extra chilly and misty air, sure to cool the room down. Next in the fan section is a ceiling fan, which does quite a trick when it comes to cooling down the house. What many people don’t know is that you should adjust your ceiling fan seasonally. This means that in summer the fan should rotate counter-clockwise and vice versa in winter days. Remember to turn on your kitchen and bathroom fans to exhaust out the hot air from your home.

3. Exterior and interior paint color does matter

It’s important to know how to pick the right paint and finish for your home not just because of the aesthetic appeal but also because some colors are more practical heat and cold wise. Think about this: when it’s hot outside, how do you go out: dressed in dark or light colors? Light, of course, as black colors attract heat. The same goes for your house. When opting for residential painting have in mind the fact that lighter colors reflect more light, thus averting heat from your home. On the other hand, if your home is covered in colors that attract and absorb sunlight and heat, the heat lingers inside your house. For example, white color can give you 35% less heat when compared to dark colors. If you don’t like white for your exterior, you can also opt for light shades of blue and pink.

4. Plant shade

Planting shade i.e. trees in front of your windows is a long term investment that takes quite some time to grow and be of use. But once the trees are fully grown and provide shade for your windows, your house will be cool for seasons to come, without the need for AC. Plus the trees, bushes and vines can make your yard or garden look appealing.

In this age, when we’re on the verge of destroying our planet and depriving ourselves of primeval natural resources, it’s even more crucial to do everything we can to live in a more Eco-friendly way, and lowering our energy bills by avoiding using AC is one way to start.

Author Bio: Maggie Holmes is a passionate blog writer who is extremely keen on writing about renovation and design. Her exclusive hobby is to surf the net to find amazing articles that can inspire her with some fresh ideas for article writing. She loathes being a common person who wastes her time. Follow her on twitter.