Is your icebox one of the most frequently visited spots in your house during the summer time? Is the temperature in your house so unpleasantly high that the only place you want to be is Iceland? Every year in summer, this is a complication affecting millions of not just Toronto homeowners. Here we introduce some ideas to help you prepare for the long hot summer next year.

The easiest option: Air-conditioners

The internal temperature of our houses can be decreased by several ways, let's take a short look at them. The common air-conditioner is probably the most effective, but also the most expensive option. If you want to get the best value possible from your AC machine, there are some useful tips to follow – of course if you wish to go this way. First, it is important to measure the size of your home or condo and according to that choose the correct AC machine. If you have a common family house with two bedrooms, look for units with around 5,000 btu – that should be sufficient. Put the unit in a window on the north-facing wall of the house if possible. Like this, the machine itself will be kept cooler and will operate more efficiently. There is a danger of house dust building up in the internal filters which would have negative effect on the performance of the machine, so make sure you clean the filters at least once a month. If you know you won't be home for longer than an hour, just switch the AC off and then after your return re-cool the rooms, this way it is more economical.

Possibilities for green-thinking customers

What if you are environmentally aware and are against the use of these power-hungry appliances? There are more options how to decrease the internal temperature of your house, even if you don't wish to contribute to global warming by pointless use of CO2 producing fossil fuels. First we will focus at the top of your home and then go downwards.

Roof

As you might already know, the amount of heat transferred depends on the sort of material it goes through. Tiles, shingles or other kinds of roofing materials are a great example of this. If you wish to save on air-conditioning, think about using a good-quality insulation to your attic space. A 12-inch layer instead of a 3-inch might reduce the cooling costs by as much as 10 percent.

More tips and tricks are included in the Keeping your Toronto home cool article.