Summer heat waves are becoming more common – protect your home from heating up well in advance

Long heatwaves are becoming more common in Finland. It is a good idea to find out how to protect your home from the heat even before the temperatures rise too high. Motiva and HSY's Climate Info provide tips for residents and housing companies on how to protect themselves from the heat.

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Photo: Maija Astikainen

This is a press release from Motiva and HSY, which we are publishing on our website because it contains useful information for housing companies.

Finnish homes, especially in older buildings, are not designed with long heat waves in mind. Homes can heat up to more than 30 degrees Celsius, making them less comfortable to live in and increasing health risks, especially for the elderly and the chronically ill.

The right kinds of actions and being proactive will reduce the impacts of heat waves. Motiva and Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority’s Climate Info provide energy-efficient cooling tips for residents of both apartment building and detached homes. 

There are many ways to protect your home from the sun 

“As a priority, it is best to prevent direct sunlight from entering the home. When the sun is shining directly on the windows, close the windows, curtains and blinds. The best solution is to add shades to the outside of the building and trees or other structures that shade the windows, as they block the sun before it heats up the room,” says Minna Tolvanen, a specialist at Motiva. 

Solar shading solutions such as awnings, window films, screens or canopies are still underused in Finland, but in many buildings they could reduce the need for mechanical cooling. Often, solar shading solutions are durable and reasonably cost-effective to purchase. 

“The heat resistance of the building should be taken into account in connection with major renovation projects. Adequate insulation keeps both cold and heat out of homes,” says Tolvanen.  

Apartment dwellers can also cool their homes 

Small steps can be taken in all kinds of homes to increase the comfort of living during summer heat. The key is to protect your home from the heat in advance and not to let it in. Passive cooling methods work more effectively the earlier you start using them. 

“You can cool down an excessively hot home with proper airing. Use cross ventilation where possible.  Keep windows and blinds or curtains closed during the day and only open them when it’s cooler outside than inside. It is also important to reduce the heat load in the home and avoid using the oven, sauna and unnecessary electrical appliances,” says Elina Mattero-Meronen, climate specialist at HSY’s Climate Info.  

If a building has mechanical ventilation, it should be turned up higher during the night. Turning it up higher for two to three hours will bring more fresh and cool night air into the apartments, cooling the indoor air and also the structures to some extent. 

Just a few degrees cooler is enough 

Mechanical cooling can be used when quick and easy cooling tips are no longer enough.  Mechanical cooling of homes can add significantly to your electricity bills if you don’t master the skill of energy-efficient cooling. Depending on the equipment and how it is used, the cost of using fans, blowers and air conditioning devices can range from less than ten cents to a couple of euros a day.  

If you cool your home mechanically with an air conditioner or heat pump, it’s good to keep in mind that even a few degrees of cooling is enough to make you feel better. You should limit the space to be cooled by closing doors and windows, and only cool the rooms you are spending time in. Cool your bedroom a couple of hours before bedtime, and turn off cooling for the night. 

“Often, indoor air cooled down to just 25–26 degrees can already feel pleasant, because cooling also helps remove humidity from the indoor air,” says Minna Tolvanen. 

You can also use an air-source heat pump to cool your home by setting the pump to the cooling mode. Doors and windows are kept closed and the device is always switched off while you are away from home. In cooling mode, air-source heat pumps are highly efficient and consume less energy than in heating mode. 

  

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