With the heat of summer bearing down on us, you might be feeling a little cramped inside your mobile home. Sure, there are a lot of great things about living in a small space. But when it’s time to hang out with friends or family, your cozy home probably doesn’t come to mind immediately. Luckily, there are many ways to spruce up and expand your mobile home this summer so that you no longer feel trapped in a tiny space. Here are different tips and tricks to prep your mobile home for the summer ahead. From new changing your air filter to baking soda solutions, these simple tricks will have you feeling like an indoor cat again soon!
Plan for Ventilation
The first step in keeping your home cool this summer is to plan for ample ventilation. Open windows and vents will draw in cooler outside air, naturally lowering your home’s temperature. But be sure to close your vents at night. Cooler air will naturally flow downwards and bring your home’s temperature down, but it will also draw in any moisture from the outside. Moisture is an excellent breeding ground for mold and other harmful bacteria, so be sure to close your vents at night to keep your home clean and dry.
One of the best ways to add ventilation to your home is by installing a whole-house fan. A whole-house fan is a device that, like an attic fan, is installed in the ceiling and blows in cool air from outside. Whole-house fans are extremely helpful in the summer, especially when it’s hot and humid outside. They help cool the whole house down, including the rooms where you spend the most time. They’re also incredibly energy efficient, making them an excellent investment for your home.
Change Your Air Filter
One of the easiest ways to keep your house cool and clean is to change your air filter. Dirty air filters are an excellent breeding ground for bacteria and mold. They can reduce the efficiency of your HVAC system by up to 40%, meaning they’re costing you more energy costs. That’s on top of the fact that they’re also pumping bacteria-laden air throughout your house. So when you change them, you’re not only cooling your house down, but you’re also keeping it clean and healthy.
If you’re not sure how often you should be changing your air filter, take a look at the manufacturer’s instructions. But as a general rule, you should change your air filter every three months during the summer, every two months during the winter, and every six months during the spring and fall.
Block the Sun with your Furniture
Another excellent way to keep your house cool and clean during the summer is to block the sun with your furniture. During the summer, the sun’s rays are the number one cause of indoor heat. If you have windows in your home, use your furniture to block out the sun. Your furniture can also help shield your home from rain and wind.
If you have large windows, consider covering them with some light-blocking shades or curtains. You can also explore options like window films or window tints, which can block out the sun’s rays while still allowing you to see out.
Get a Darker Carpet
You can also consider updating your carpet to a darker color. Light-colored carpets will reflect the sun’s rays back into your home, further raising the temperature. Darker carpets, on the other hand, will absorb the sun’s rays, keeping your home cooler. If you do decide to update your carpet, be sure to choose a stain-resistant carpet. This will help protect your investment and keep your home cleaner and fresher for longer.
If you have a lighter carpet, you may want to consider buying some inexpensive indoor-outdoor rugs. Rugs are excellent for trapping dust, dirt, and bacteria, so they’ll keep your home cleaner for longer. Plus, they’re easy to clean, so you can throw them in the wash every few weeks to keep them fresh.
Install a Coefficient Window Film
Another quick, easy, and effective way to keep your home cool and clean is to install a window film. Window films are applied to the inside of your windows and reflect up to 80% of the sun’s harmful rays. They’re an excellent way to keep your home cooler and cleaner for longer.
When choosing a window film, make sure you select a COF less than 2. This will ensure that your windows are keeping the sun’s harmful rays out and keeping your home cooler. You can choose from a variety of colors and finishes, so they’ll be sure to match the look of your home.
Brighten up With Bright-Coloured Walls
Another simple way to keep your home cooler AND cleaner is to brighten up your walls. Darker-colored walls will absorb the sun’s rays, keeping your home warmer. Lighter colors, on the other hand, will reflect the sun’s rays, keeping your home cooler.
This means that white walls are the best bet for keeping your home cooler. But you don’t have to paint your entire home white. Simply painting one wall a light color, like yellow or orange, will do the trick. You can paint a single wall in your living room, hallway, or any other room where you spend the most time.
Get Awnings and Vents in Every Room
In addition to using your furniture and walls to keep the sun out, you should also install vents in every room of your home. Vents will draw in cooler outside air, helping to lower the temperature of your home. You can install vents in your windows, ceiling, and even on your walls.
If you have a window with a view, you can install a window awning. This will block out the sun while still letting you see outside. You can also install an interior vent in every room to ensure that you’re drawing in cool air from the outside.
Baking Soda to the Rescue!
Another quick and easy way to keep your home cooler is to use baking soda. Sprinkling baking soda on your carpets, upholstery, and walls will help to neutralize odors, keeping your home cleaner and fresher for longer. It will also help to dry your carpet out faster, meaning you’ll be able to clean up spills quicker and return your home to normal sooner.
Baking soda is a non-toxic, biodegradable, and cost-effective way to keep your home cleaner and fresher for longer. You can also use it to keep your refrigerator smelling fresh, make a cheap and effective laundry softener, and even clean your oven.
Change the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.
The summer is also a great time to make sure your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly. This is true any time of year, but especially during the summer months. During the summer, your home’s indoor environment can become extremely humid, increasing the risk of carbon monoxide building up in your home.
Carbon monoxide is an odorless and colorless gas. It’s produced when things like unvented gas stoves and grills are used. It’s extremely dangerous and can lead to serious, even fatal, health complications. Make sure that you’re protected from the summer’s biggest threat by changing the batteries in your detectors.
Repair any drafts in your home.
Finally, make sure you’ve repaired any drafts in your home. During the summer, any drafts in your home will draw in cool outside air, while simultaneously pumping hot indoor air out. This will keep your home cooler, while also keeping your energy bills down.
There are several ways you can reduce the amount of draft in your home. You can install weather stripping around your doors and windows to seal out the cool air. You can also use an exhaust fan in your kitchen and bathroom, which will remove the hot air and replace it with cool air.
You’re Ready for Summer!
The summer can be a very hot and uncomfortable time of year. It’s important to prepare for the season by taking steps to make your home as cool as possible. By making sure your air conditioning is working properly, keeping your windows and doors closed, and making sure that there are no drafts in your home, you’ll be able to enjoy the summer without worrying about spending too much on air conditioning.
So what are you waiting for? Start preparing today!
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