The quest for a comfortable room temperature is one of the great challenges of our age. A room that’s too hot in summer and too cold in winter can really darken your mood, be it during sweltering summer nights or frosty winter mornings when you daren’t leave your bed.

The temptation is always to stick the heating on for longer or invest in a fan or air conditioning unit – and these solutions may work in the short term, but they’re less than environmentally friendly, and they usually vamp up the cost of your energy bills. Air conditioning units across the world rely on CFCs, a type of gas that’s harmful to the atmosphere and contributes to the greenhouse effect – while most central heating systems rely on fossil fuel burning.

If you’re looking to reconcile comfort with sustainability, in this post, we’re focusing on how you can achieve a comfortable temperature all year round while being eco conscious.

Blackout blinds and curtains

In terms of keeping a space cool in summer, the sun is your enemy. Blackout blinds can really help to keep a room cool by blocking out harsh summer sunlight, and are especially useful in a bedroom during summertime – as the pesky dawn light won’t bother you on mornings when you make the executive decision to sleep in.

Downstairs in your living areas, consider closing your curtains to curtail the sun’s influence – combined with open windows, this will ensure maximum airflow. The best time to do this is during the day while you’re out of the house, but, in the interests of security, be advised that this is not always possible.

Let the air in

If you’ve ever gotten in a car that’s been sitting in the sun for hours, you’ll know what it feels like to be inside a sealed space at the mercy of peak summer weather – and making sure your house doesn’t feel the same way should be priority number one. Creating an airflow through the house, utilising Climadoor’s own bifold doors and opening windows where possible. Opening your patio doors and letting a breeze in can prevent the air in your home from feeling stuffy and overly warm.

Invest in insulation

Having a home that’s designed solely to stay cool on summer days will begin to wear thin by the end of September – but investing in smart, eco-friendly insulation will keep your home warm in winter, without you having to spend more than is necessary on heating bills.

Finding a balance between the two is crucial to maintaining a comfortable temperature throughout the year, and is a challenge tackled head-on in modular buildings and as part of passive house design. Properly insulating a home – from walls and floors to roofs and lofts – means that a comfortable living temperature can be naturally retained, while also reducing your property’s carbon footprint in the long term.

Image source: Urmi

Install eco-friendly tech

The tech sector is hard at work developing solutions to maintaining a comfortable year-round temperature at home – and some exploration into the available options will help you become an informed early adopter of this crucial tech.

If you have a southeast or southwest-facing roof, a solar water heater can help you slash your energy bills while warming water fit for a radiator. If this isn’t the case for you, consider powering your boiler with biomass – a renewable type of fuel derived from plants.

In terms of cooling, there are hacks galore you can incorporate into your home, such as switching to heat-neutral LED light bulbs, planting a verdant back garden (which is proven to lower temperatures and produce shade) and switching to a solar air conditioning system that doesn’t use extraneous amounts of electricity.

We hope this guide has opened your eyes to the sheer variety of options out there for an eco-conscious homeowner in search of the ideal year-round temperature. With these tips in mind, you can take a crucial first step towards a sustainable home overhaul.