Tropical temperatures will reach our country this week. The weather forecast predicts for Thursday that the national heat record from 1944 could even be broken! While I am writing this, it is still a comfortable 22 degrees in my Tiny House, but on Thursday I had better look for some coolness elsewhere …
Even if you have thought well about ventilation and sun protection in your design, you can’t do much about temperatures above 35 degrees. Nevertheless, it is important to think carefully beforehand about cooling in your Tiny House. Make sure you have enough windows that can open. Install sun blinds in your home and think about installing an awning of some sort. Attaching a tarp or canopy to your south-facing façade prevents the sun from shining inside and saves a few degrees inside the house. Skylights on the north side where there is shade during most of the day are very pleasant, and windows that can open towards each other so that the heat can blow out of your house in the evening as well. That way temperatures will reach comfortable levels quickly in such a small house. Keep the windows and curtains closed during the day, and open everything in the evening.
Photo: Marlies Deen
Please take your pets into account. Make sure they have enough water and can go outside to find a cool spot in the shade. It’s getting too hot in the house for them this week. You could opt for a small air conditioner; there are energy-efficient small models that are often used in camper vans. Linde and Kjeld from Tiny House LinKje have recently purchased this model and are satisfied with it. It is so nice for baby Sim to be able to have a pleasant temperature in the house. Even if you live off-grid, you have enough energy for that in the summer when you need it the most. A small water fan or desk cooler can also provide a pleasant breeze. This year I bought this Domo aircooler (see photo below) for my desk, after I had to flee the house in the afternoon during the hot days last year. Although it does not really bring the temperature down in the house, it is easier to withstand the heat with a cool breeze directed at you. If you put ice cold water in it, it works even better.
By the way, did you know that trees are very good coolers? Go and walk in the woods on a warm summer day and it is easily a few degrees more pleasant than in the city. So, you could choose, if permitted, to plant some trees around your house. And while good insulation in the winter is nice, there are also insulation materials that are better at keeping the heat out in the summer. Such as my mijn sheep wool insulation in combination with wood fiber boards. If you have done everything you can, then there is nothing else to do than find a relatively cool spot outside. Or just spend a day by the sea or a lake, which of course is no punishment at all;) Good luck with the heat this week!
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