KEEP IT COOL

Is the hot weather getting to you? Check out these fan-tastic solutions to beat the summer heat

Text Caroline Moratti

It’s another hot summer in Aotearoa, but if you can’t hit the beach or pool, then keeping your house cool is essential. Choosing a cost-effective, energy-efficient cooling system can be a difficult decision, but thankfully there are quite a few ways to prevent hitting boiling point at home.

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Ceiling and standing fans

A pedestal fan is the most budget-friendly solution to your overheating woes, although it’s not always the most efficient option. Two fans should do the trick – one facing out the window to blow the hot air out, and one facing inward to circulate the cool air inside. A ceiling fan cuts down on the bulky downsides of a fan, and is cheaper to run over air-conditioning, but can be noisy and won’t reduce a room’s overall temperature.

Tip Don’t let a noisy fan disturb your chill time. Check the decibels level on the ceiling fan prior to purchase to see how loud the unit runs.

1 Noumea indoor DC ceiling fan with remote, $699, from Early Settler. 2 Nouveau pedestal fan 40cm, $99.98, from Mitre 10. 3 Panasonic RZ25 heat pump/air conditioner, $1648, from Harvey Norman. 4 Dimplex reverse cycle portable air conditioner, $798, from Harvey Norman.

Portable cooling units

The beauty of these cooling units is their easy-to-use portability and budget-conscious price tag, making them a prime option for renters. In summer, move them around the house as you go, whether you ’re in the kitchen during the day or the bedroom at night. A wheeled option will make this all the easier. Some units can be noisy, however, and some evenven requirerequire externalexternal ducting,ducting, soso makemak sure to try before you buy with a a demode in-store. Look for R290 refrrefrigerant varieties over R410a types, theth former is much more energy 3 efficientef and better for the planet too.

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Heat pumps and air conditioners

Often forgotten in the summer months, don’t overlook the magic of a heat pump for its air-conditioning ability. When selecting a model, it’s important it has enough capacity to work quickly and effectively, which often means a higher capacity than needed for heating. However, installation costs can be pricey, ranging between $650 and $3500, depending on the unit capacity and difficulty of installation. Once installed, heat pumps are capable of cooling single rooms, multiple rooms or ducted throughout the house. If it’s only mildly humid, consider using the fan setting instead of the cooling setting for a refreshingly cost-efficient option.

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