Cooling options for your Ultimate Alfresco
While the weather is beautiful at the moment, and we love being outdoors in our alfresco areas, patios and pergolas. However, we all know that the Australian summer can get hot. And that can reduce the time we spend outdoors.
To make sure you can make the most of your alfresco in the summer months, here are four cooling options to help you keep your Ultimate Alfresco area cool this summer.
- Ceiling fans
- Misting fan/system
- Portable air conditioners
- Plants
Ceiling fans
Ceiling fans come in all shapes and sizes these days, so you should be able to find a design that suits your alfresco area.
They cool your alfresco by circulating the air and providing a pleasant breeze. While ceiling fans don’t actually make the air cooler, they help people feel cooler by moving the air around them. They also have the added bonus of the breeze keeping pests like mosquitoes and flies away.
While we live in a relatively dry climate here in Albury Wodonga, we do get some humid days and ceiling fans work beautifully in humid conditions.
Misting fans/system
A misting fan works like a ceiling fan, with the addition of releasing a cooling spray across your alfresco.
Misting fans use a combination of wind chill (the fan) and evaporative cooling (the mist) and give off a refreshing fine water spray. They are less effective in humid weather and therefore suit our region most of the time. You can choose standalone misting fans or set up a misting system for larger alfresco areas.
Portable air conditioner
While it may seem that “outdoor” and “air conditioning” don’t go together, there are times when a portable air conditioner is the best solution.
Portable air conditioners best suit alfresco’s that have an enclosed area. This is because the ‘walls’ act as a container for the cool air. Portable air conditioners can provide the greatest temperature reduction compared to most outdoor cooling methods.
Plants
Plants are known to cool an area because they lose water during transpiration, which cools the air around them. They are also a more environmentally friendly way to help keep your alfresco cooler. And they generally make outdoor life more enjoyable.
You can have a number of options:
- hanging plants from your alfresco ceiling and surrounds
- placing potted plants around your alfresco to create a cooler environment
- planting trees around your alfresco to create natural surrounding shade that extends your alfresco area
Cooling your alfresco area means you get to spend more time enjoying your outdoor space – and we all love that.
If you are considering adding an alfresco to your home and need inspiration and help about cooling options feel free to contact our alfresco specialist for further advice.
Letitia Awdjew
T 0260 406555
E info@ultimatealfresco.com.au
