5 Ways to Beat the Heat in Your HDB Flat (Without Raising Your Aircon Bill)

Heat and humidity are two of the biggest things that everyone in Singapore has to deal with every year, but that doesn’t mean you have to deal with it all the time. Here’s how you can cool down your HDB flat without raising your electricity bill or adding to global warming:

1. Draw the blinds
You might think that opening your windows might allow air to circulate, but the truth is that you may just end up heating your HDB flat even more since sunlight can enter more directly.

This is when you want to draw your curtains and blinds while keeping the windows themselves open.

2. Add refreshments
Serving cold water or fruit juice is not just a good way to cool down without having to switch on your air conditioner, but it’s also a great way to stay hydrated when you or everyone at home is feeling sweaty.

If you don’t already have a water cooler in your home, simply keeping a pitcher or two of cold water in your fridge helps everyone cool down.

Other than cold water or fruit juice, adding chilled fruit can easily turn a hot day into a great summer season any day of the year.

3. Switch out your incandescent bulbs
If you still have incandescent bulbs in your HDB flat, you’re better off switching them out for LED lights, which are cheaper, more energy-efficient, last longer, and give your room a much cooler atmosphere.

You can also keep everything cooler by keeping unused appliances unplugged, since the electricity they use can easily turn into heat.

4. Switch to fans
Electric fans are a good alternative to keeping cool without raising your electric bill too high. If you have a ceiling fan, use it instead of your air conditioner as a way to cool down by keeping the air circulating throughout your home.

When you do use an electric or a ceiling fan, make sure that it’s up to standard. Its blades should be angled by at least twelve degrees and at most sixteen degrees to create the right amount of airflow.

5. Add more plants
Plants absorb and filter heat and light, which makes them a simple way of improving air quality in your home. Many plants are also low-maintenance and grow quickly, which doesn’t make them too much trouble to have in your HDB flat or condo unit.

This means that by getting the right indoor plants and placing them in the right areas where they get enough sunlight, you have an easy way of keeping your home as cool as possible – and you only have to water them every other day.