Ever tried to sleep at night only to find your house is like an oven, and you toss and turn trying to sleep? “Why is my house so hot at night?” If you’ve been asking yourself this question, you’re not the only one. In warmer climates and summer months, many homes heat up during the day and don’t cool down necessarily, at night. Which means not only do you keep waking up but it also hinders your overall comfort and peace of mind.
The first step to solving this problem is understanding why your house gets hot at night in the first place. Heat-soaking materials, poor insulation and even your daily routines can all add to the problem. The good news? Luckily, there are many real-life measures you can take to help keep your home cooler at night to increase your quality of sleep.
Why Is My House Hot at Night?
To combat nighttime overheating, it helps to know what causes it in the first place. We will reduce it to three principles:
Heat Retention in Materials
Many houses are built with materials, such as brick, concrete and asphalt, that are effective at soaking up heat during the day. This heat gradually dissipates during nighttime, causing a “heat trap” effect within your house.
This transfer is made worse when your walls, ceilings, and floors aren’t properly insulated. Without insulation, heat that builds up during the day gets trapped and your home won’t cool down naturally.
Environmental Factors
Also at night, the relative surroundings of your home matter greatly when it comes to heat buildup. For instance:
- High humidity causes the air to feel warmer and thicker, hindering your body from cooling off properly.
- Densely populated areas may suffer from urban heat islands, caused by heat emitted from roads, buildings and other infrastructure, can retain high temperatures at night unlike rural areas.
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Internal Heat Sources
You may believe it’s not, but some of your habits and appliances could be making the inside of your home hotter:
- Electronics such as TVs, computers and gaming consoles give off heat when they’re not in use.
- Cooking, running the dishwasher or using the dryer in the evening can also increase the overall warmth in your home.
While this is all useful information, being aware of these factors can help you identify trouble spots in your home so you can find solutions that are easier to implement.
How to Keep Your House From Getting Too Hot at Night
The good news is that there are many easy and effective ways to help cool down your home at night. Here are some tips for getting started:
Block Heat During the Day
Reducing the heat entering your home during the day is one of the best ways to stop your home heating up in the evening.
- Hang blackout curtains or use insulated shades: These can help keep out the sun and lower the heat entering your home.
- Add window tints or reflective films: Many of these will reflect sunlight from your windows and keep your rooms cooler.
- Use reflective roofing materials: For more a long-term solution, reflective roofing can redirect heat before it enters your home.
Improve Ventilation
Adequate ventilation is essential to keeping places cool indoors.
- Open windows or doors that are across from one another in your home to maximize cross-ventilation and encourage fresh air to travel through.
- Run exhaust fans in the kitchen or bathroom to vent warm, humid air outside.
- You might also install a whole-house fan, which can suck hot air out of your home and replace it with cooler air from outside.
Optimize Cooling Systems
Your air-conditioning and other cooling systems are your best friends when it comes to beating the heat.
- Keep your air conditioning unit tuned up: Regular cleaning and servicing can keep your AC running at full efficiency.
- Consider efficient solutions, like heat pumps or portable air conditioners for more concentrated cooling.
- Run a dehumidifier to lower humidity levels and help your home feel cooler.
Reduce Indoor Heat Sources
Reducing heat created within your home can go a long way.
- Refrain from using heat-producing appliances, including ovens, stoves and dryers in the evening.
- Switch to LED light bulbs, which generate less heat than traditional incandescent light bulbs.
Enhance Insulation
Effective insulation works as a barrier, preventing heat from entering your home while keeping the cool air inside.
- To better control your temperature, insulate your attic, the walls, and the crawl spaces.
- Use caulking or weatherstripping to seal cracks and gaps around windows and doors so hot air can’t get in.
Natural Cooling Techniques
Here are some natural ways to cool your home if you lean toward eco-friendly and cost-effective methods:
Use Fans Strategically
Used properly, fans can be a game-changer:
- Place standing or oscillating fans by windows so they can draw in cooler air at night.
- Utilize ceiling fans to circulate cool air more effectively. In the summer, direction of fan rotation should be counterclockwise for best cooling.
Add Plants and Landscaping
There are great cooling benefits to nature:
- Plant trees or shrubs near your home to provide shade and block direct sunlight.
- Use green roofs or vertical gardens to decrease heat absorption and enhance insulation.
Cool Down Your Bedroom
Your bedroom should be a comfort sanctuary:
- Invest in cooling mattress pads, and opt for bamboo or cotton in your bedding.
- Use lightweight blankets and wear loose, breathable sleepwear to keep cool.
Lifestyle Adjustments for Cooler Nights
Modifications in your daily habits can also help you weather the heat:
Stay Hydrated
A cold shower or bath will help keep your temperature down, or you can drink lots of ice water throughout the day and take a few sips before bed.
Tips to Sleep Better: Take Cold Showers Before Sleep
A quick cold shower can reduce your core body temperature and make it easier to doze off in a hot environment.
Steer Clear of Heat-Building Activities at Night
Strenuous activities like exercising right before bed can elevate your body temperature, so try to schedule your workout earlier in the day.
How to Keep Your Home Cooler Long Term
If you’re ready to invest more, these long-term solutions could significantly boost your home’s temperature control:
Upgrade Your Home’s Design
- If all else fails, paint your roof white or install reflective coatings to bounce sunlight.
- Polymer shingles or other heat-resistant materials may be installed to lessen heat absorption.
Invest in Smart Technology
- Implement smart thermostats to maximize your cooling systems and conserve energy.
- Automation for your blinds or shades to close during peak sunlight hours will help keep your home cooler as well.
Conclusion
It doesn’t have to be hard to keep your house cool at night. Now that you know what causes nighttime heat to build up and some of the best ways to combat it, you too can sleep comfortably and soundly at night! Whether you’re looking to make some fast fixes such as putting up blackout curtains or do a more long-term investment like upgrading your insulation, there’s an answer for every home and budget.
We are the key to take it slow and see what works for your house! Try a few of these tips, and see what difference they make. Also, please share your experiences or additional tips below in the comments — we want to hear from you!
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