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YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR
Watch 6:32

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR

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Lego has launched a collection for adults to encourage mindfulness

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Reader project: From $15 Kmart bread bin to stylish charging station

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  1. Home
  2. DIY

Keep your cool

To keep the inside of your home cool this summer, it pays to start on the outside. - by Better Homes and Gardens
  • 21 Dec 2016
Keep your cool
Getty

A few smart ways to shade your home will not only help you beat the heat, they’ll also give it a great new look.

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   at System.Web.WebPages.WebPageBase.ExecutePageHierarchy()
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   at System.Web.WebPages.WebPageBase.ExecutePageHierarchy()
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   at System.Web.WebPages.WebPageBase.ExecutePageHierarchy(WebPageContext pageContext, TextWriter writer, WebPageRenderingBase startPage)
   at Umbraco.Core.Profiling.ProfilingView.Render(ViewContext viewContext, TextWriter writer)
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   at ASP._Page_Views_Partials_grid_editors_base_cshtml.Execute() in c:\inetpub\wwwroot\site\Views\Partials\Grid\Editors\Base.cshtml:line 20

Awnings

Blocking the sun from entering your home is the best way to help keep it cool. Awnings over your windows cast shade directly where it is needed. Fixed awnings can be made to uniquely suit the style of your home. Retractable awnings allow you to adjust the amount of light getting into your home. Keep them down during the heat of the day and pull them up to allow full access for those cooling night breezes.

awnings
Getty

Shade sail

Shade sails not only keep your outdoor areas shaded but also work to cool the house. Hard surfaces like concrete and paving retain heat and radiate it back out at night, keeping the heat on when the sun goes down. Shading these areas can help to keep your house cool.

Shade sails can be freestanding, using poles concreted into the ground or attached to the house. If you’re doing this, you may have to reinforce the roof structure, as a sail can create quite a bit of force when the wind gets under it. A sail can add an interesting feature to your house and using two sails set at different heights creates a look that is even more stunning.

shade sail
Getty

Pergola

When it comes to shade on a pergola there are plenty of options. Timber battens spaced across the top is a contemporary look while reed screening can add a tropical feel. Shade cloth stretched over the top provides up to 90% shade factor without blocking the light completely.

A great natural option is to train a flowering plant over the pergola. A Bougainvillea provides shade all year round, whilst a Wisteria drops its leaves, letting the light into your home in winter when it’s needed.

Polycarbonate roofing is another popular pergola shad option. An opaque or tinted polycarbonate still allows some light through, but not too much heat. Check the product specifications before you decide which one to use.

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YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR
Watch 6:32

YOU’LL NEED A WEDGE TO HANG THAT DOOR

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Lego has launched a collection for adults to encourage mindfulness

Lego has launched a collection for adults to encourage mindfulness

 Kmart launches ‘Kmart Create’ so you can now personalise home décor and clothes

Kmart launches ‘Kmart Create’ so you can now personalise home décor and clothes

Before & after: A dated bathroom gets a modern upgrade

Before & after: A dated bathroom gets a modern upgrade

Reader project: From $15 Kmart bread bin to stylish charging station

Reader project: From $15 Kmart bread bin to stylish charging station

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These are the most popular paint colours in Australia right now

These are the most popular paint colours in Australia right now

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Before and after: This mum demolished and transformed her bathroom for under $16K

Before and after: This mum demolished and transformed her bathroom for under $16K

Reader project: How to make glass pendant lamps with a Target bowl

Reader project: How to make glass pendant lamps with a Target bowl

How to get rid of weevils in your kitchen pantry

How to get rid of weevils in your kitchen pantry

How one mum made an epic home playground for her son for $350

How one mum made an epic home playground for her son for $350

Tara shows you how to organise your linen cupboard

Tara shows you how to organise your linen cupboard

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