Heatwaves are deemed to be the deadliest form of natural hazard in Australia.
Australia’s Heatwaves: A Deadly Reality
Australia is no stranger to extreme heat, but recent summers have been pushing new boundaries. The current heatwave gripping southeastern Australia is just the latest in a series of record-breaking temperature events. With power outages, infrastructure failures, and soaring temperatures, it’s a stark reminder of how dangerous heatwaves can be.
Severe heat isn’t just uncomfortable—it can be deadly. Heatwaves lead to dehydration, heat stress, and heat stroke, and can worsen existing health conditions like heart, lung, and kidney disease. Elderly people, young children, and those with chronic illnesses are particularly at risk.
The deadliest heatwave in Australian history struck in 2009, just before the catastrophic Black Saturday bushfires. Over 374 people lost their lives due to extreme heat, with emergency centres overwhelmed by a surge in cardiac arrests and heat-related illnesses. This tragic event underscored the hidden dangers of extreme heat, proving that heatwaves can be just as lethal as fires and storms.
With heatwaves becoming longer, hotter, and more frequent, the question isn’t if another deadly summer will strike—it’s when. That’s why keeping cool naturally and preparing your home for extreme heat is more important than ever.
The uptrend of deaths was due in part to the following factors:
- Most households are not heatwave-ready
- Majority of Australians have a poor grasp of the gravity of the heatwave problem in the country
- When temperatures rise the supply of electricity can be disrupted due to high demand, leading to brownouts or blackouts.
- In extreme temperatures, the risk of fire incidents increases and the supply of electricity can be disrupted by the energy distributors to minimise fire risk and safety concerns.
- Homes with poor levels of insulation and ineffective air conditioning tend to be hotter than outside, then retain that heat into the evening.
With proper awareness and preparation, grim outcomes can be avoided. Homeowners only need make a few improvements in their home to protect their thermal comfort and their well-being.
In preparation for summer seasons, ecoMaster’s Lyn Beinat shared four simple yet impactful ways to make homes naturally cool in summer.
ecoMaster CEO Lyn Beinat talks about the ways to be naturally cool in summer before the attendees of the Bendigo Sustainable House Day.
In preparation for summer seasons, ecoMaster’s Lyn Beinat shared four simple yet impactful ways to make homes naturally cool in summer.
1. Maintain Your Air Conditioning Unit
Your air conditioner works hardest in summer, so keeping it in peak condition is crucial. Regularly clean or replace filters to maintain airflow and efficiency—dirty filters can force your unit to work harder, wasting energy. Aim to check and clean filters at least once a month during summer, especially if you’ve had dust storms or high pollen days. A well-maintained air conditioner can cut energy consumption by up to 15%.
2. Shade your Home
The most effective way to reduce summer heat is to prevent the sun from hitting the walls or glass in the first place. If that can’t be done (because of neighbouring properties, height of walls / windows or topography), then stopping the heat at the glass in the next best. The third way is to deal with the heat inside the home with effective window treatments.
Here are some low cost ways to apply shading in the key areas of your home:
Good Solution: Apply shading inside your home.
- Install Renshade on your glass windows and pergolas
- Install heavy curtains on tracks
- Install Invisible Pelmets on top of your curtain tracks
Better Solution: Divert the sunlight from your windows
- Put on light-coloured window coverings
- Install awning blinds on the eaves
- Install shade cloth on areas that are directly facing the sun secured by bull dog clips
Best Solution: Apply external shading
- Use deciduous vines as shading on your pergolas
- Roll down blinds at verandah or eave edge
- Install shade sails
3. “Cocoon” Just One Room
Rather than try to deal with cooling a whole home, a better approach may be to work on cooling just one room. This technique is called cocooning, or more recently, Climate Safe Rooms. Read more about them here. This will make it easier and more cost effective to maintain a comfortable temperature for the least cost.
Here are just a few of the steps you can take to protect one room from heatwaves:
- Super-insulate the ceiling and include a reflective component on top of ceiling batts
- Remove holes (downlights) from your ceiling and replace with surface mounted lighting
- Seal your fireplace using a Chimney Draught Stopper
- Draught-proof the room by applying Draught Dodgers and Draught Excluders on the doors and windows
- Caulk gaps and cracks using an invisible sealant like UltraClear
- Install Underfloor Insulation
- Improve the windows by installing secondary glazing (or bubble wrap)
- Install Wall Insulation from the outside (pump in wall insulation); a low cost alternative (from the inside) is to use full height bookcases against a hot wall
4. Keep Yourself Cool
Remain cool all throughout the day!
- Put shading in place
- Close your curtains/windows/doors during the day
- Stay in your ‘cocooned’ room
- Wear loose clothing
- Drink plenty of water
- Stay in touch with neighbours
- Keep your phone close by
- For those in fire danger areas, listen to Radio 774 for updates
PEOPLE ALSO ASK:
⇒ Where can I learn more about this from an industry expert?
ecoMaster has been working in the energy efficiency / retrofit arena for over 20 years. During that time we learnt an enormous amount about diagnosing issues, distinctions on various products as well as developing the best installation practices. We have done the research, so you don’t have to. All that information has now been condensed into a series of ecoMasterClasses. Click here to gain access.
⇒ What defines a heatwave in Australia?
A heatwave is typically defined as three or more consecutive days of unusually high temperatures compared to the historical average for a particular area. The Bureau of Meteorology also categorizes heatwaves into three levels: low-intensity, severe, and extreme, based on their impact on human health, infrastructure, and ecosystems.
⇒ Why is Australia so prone to extreme heatwaves?
Australia’s geography and climate make it particularly susceptible to heatwaves. Our location in the Southern Hemisphere, large arid and desert regions, and exposure to high-pressure systems that trap heat all contribute to our propensity for heatwaves. Climate change has also amplified the intensity and frequency of heatwaves, increasing average temperatures across the continent.
⇒ How can I protect myself and my home during a heatwave?
Read this article: It was written to help you protect yourself, your family and neighbours.
Stay Cool: Use fans or air conditioning, and keep windows covered during the hottest part of the day.
Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol or caffeine.
Cocoon a Room in your Home: Create a climate safe room in your home to escape the heat and help keep indoor temperatures cooler.
Avoid Outdoor Activity: Limit physical activity during peak heat hours, and seek shade if you must be outside.
Check on Others: Look out for elderly neighbors, young children, and pets, as they are more vulnerable to heat-related illnesses.
What’s Next?
We hope this article has helped you learn how to stay safe during the long, hot summers of Australia. By making your home energy and thermally efficiency, your home will be more comfortable all year round, and reduce your energy costs and carbon emissions.
Next, explore Do’s and Don’t – How to protect your loved ones from Heatwaves.
If you found this article helpful, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel. You’ll find many more helpful “How To” videos there. You can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay in the loop. For more great information on how to make your home more energy and thermally efficient subscribe NOW to ecoBites. ecoBites are free bite size chunks of the latest energy efficiency information making it quick and easy for you to absorb.
Recent Comments