How to Keep Your House Cool During Malta’s Summer

Ah, Malta! How we love your mild winters – eating al fresco in the middle of November is a huge bonus to life on this island. But those mild winters turn into baking hot summers and, since we can’t spend every minute at the beach, we need to find some effective ways of keeping cool at home when the temperatures are rising.

Types of homes in Malta

Homes in Malta come in a variety of shapes and sizes. From the most compact studio apartment to a four-storey townhouse or a quirky house of character for sale, each property type will present its own challenges in summer. 

Malta real estate is generally well set up in terms of being ready for the heat. Most modern properties come fully equipped with air conditioning systems but there are other ways of keeping your home nice and cool. 

Here are some tips which will keep your temperature and your fuel bills low during summer in any type of property in Malta and Gozo like a house of character or apartment for sale or rent.

Terms and conditioners

As temperatures have increased the need for air-conditioners in your apartment or any other type of property in Malta or Gozo has grown. By far the most effective way of cooling your home quickly, there are a few things to bear in mind when dealing with air conditioning.

• Choose the right sized AC for your room. This sounds simple, but you need to take a lot of factors into account (square footage, heat gain/loss, environmental circumstances) before you decide. Go with a reputable company that can offer you expert guidance. Installing the right size will ensure you don’t end up paying higher running costs than you should.
• Don’t be tempted to go for the lowest setting. Aim to keep the temperature at a steady 25 degrees. You can circulate the cool air by running a ceiling (or standing) fan simultaneously. You’d be amazed how much your electricity consumption will go up by reducing this temperature even by one or two degrees.
• Portable ACs are good options for those cramped spaces, like in a small bedroom or compact type of property (apartment or penthouse), where it’s either not practical or possible to install a fixed unit. Most of these appliances have hoses which need to be vented to the outside (usually through a window) but there are some newer models which don’t use hoses. Be warned though, that these hose-less units aren’t ideal for humid environments like Malta as they tend to create a lot of moisture in the air.
• Book your service at the beginning of the year. Don’t wait until the first scorching day to call the technician – during the summer, that technician will be the most sought-after person in Malta!

Mind the gap

Remember last winter when you felt those pesky draughts coming in from under your front apartment door/ through the ill-fitting window frame/ via that cracked pane of glass in the washroom you’ve been meaning to fix but just didn’t get around to? Well, those wintry draughts are now sources of warm air, and they will heat up your house faster than you can say ‘insulation’! It’s very important that you fill in any gaps you find. 

Insulating your doors and windows will not only keep the heat out in summer but you’ll be all set up for cooler temperatures come winter. Once again, this will save you money as your cooling appliances will be able to work more efficiently.

It’s curtains for you

One of the best ways to cool things down is to avoid the direct rays of the sun in any type of real estate in Malta for sale or rent. 

• Blackout curtains are a must. Thermal curtains keep in the heat in winter, and they keep the sun out in summer. It’s essential to stop the harshest glare of the sun coming into your Maltese home. Good curtains will block out the sun and heat, meaning your air conditioner won’t have to work so hard, so you’ll simultaneously cool your house and lower your energy costs.
• If your Maltese real estate happens to be a traditional property you will probably have wooden shutters. Make sure to close these during the hottest times of the day, they do a fantastic job of deflecting the sun.
• Sometimes the old tricks are the best. The traditional Maltese bamboo blind (ħasira) is beautiful to look at and very effective at resisting heat. It’s economical and you can hang these blinds outside and in.

Start from the top

Many types of homes in Malta like an apartment for sale or rent have flat roofs and these can be a major source of heat during the summer months. All that heat must go somewhere, and it usually goes into your house! However, there are ways to help minimise this.

• Creating a rooftop garden can be very effective. The more greenery you have, the cooler the roof. Good for you and the environment!
• Consider installing an awning or a canopy upstairs – again, this will help deflect the sun from the roof and it will give you (and the plants) some essential shade.
• Paint your roof in a light colour and investigate reflective paint or glazed roof tiles. The idea here is simple – bounce that heat right back from the surface!

Quick tips to cooling your home

Some quick tips from our expert real estate agents for a cooler home: 

• Keep the windows and doors closed during the hottest part of the day, then throw them open at night to let some airflow through your home
• Ceiling fans are a great addition to your home, even if you have AC
• Opt for cotton bedding, it’ll keep you cooler
• Turn off heat-producing appliances when you can – lamps and computers generate a lot of heat that you just don’t need
• Dry your laundry and/or dishes the natural way, give your tumble-dryers and dishwashers a summer holiday!