If you are fortunate enough to have air conditioning installed in your home over the Brisbane summer, you are one of the lucky ones. In Queensland, it is almost an essential component to your house during many months of the year, not just summer.

With or without the breezy relief that a split-system or ducted air conditioner brings, there are some small and simple adjustments and additions to your home, be it a flat, apartment or house, that will also help beat the heat.

1. Install dark-coloured block-out curtains in all of your main rooms and bedrooms that get direct sunlight. Keep them closed during the hottest periods of the day and see the difference it makes to your home’s temperature. Keep all doors and windows closed during the day and only open them at night to let some fresh air in.

2. Don’t use the oven on blistering hot days! If you must (Christmas time is unavoidable!), run your air conditioner during this time. Cooking in the oven or on the stove will only increase the intensity of the heat in your house, and nothing is more unpleasant than slaving away over a hot stove while your house is also baking hot. If you are happy living off cold food in summer, contact your local electrician in Brisbane to have a regular fridge and freezer electrical check-up. Broken seals can end up costing you a fortune in electricity bills and a malfunctioning fridge in the heat is the last thing you need.

3. If you have indoor pets, definitely consider investing in an air conditioner or following the other tips featured above. Animals are incredibly susceptible to heat and will often spend the summer months sleeping under the bed more than the rest of the year. Running a couple of fans in the main rooms will also make it more comfortable for them. Cats seem to love the cheap ice-packs you keep in the freezer, and have been known to lie on them to cool down. Not all cats hate water after all! Change their water regularly, avoid giving them milk that could curdle quickly. Look after your furry friends; after all, they are part of the family too, but their fur coats makes them are a lot more sensitive to the Brisbane heat than you.