If, in some regions, equipping an air conditioning system is almost automatic, this is not the case everywhere. In the northern half of France, we tend to invest in heating for long winter months. But when an episode of heat wave comes, difficult to cool off.
“How did our grandparents do without air conditioning?”. Many French people have undoubtedly asked themselves the question in recent days when temperatures have reached new records everywhere in France. Although the scorching episodes are more frequent today, our elders always have good advice to share.
The power of cross -ventilation
Among all the tips inherited from the past, Crossed ventilation is undoubtedly one of the most effective and simple to set up. This technique consists in organizing the ventilation of the house to create a natural air current which crosses the parts. This renews the stagnant warm air with a cooler breeze. The old builders also conceived their houses in this perspective: they favored openings placed strategically on opposite or perpendicular facades in order to promote the circulation of air.
Concretely, this method is based on three essential principles:
- Open in large, eveningthe windows placed face to face or opposite, to allow nighttime, cooler, to circulate and sweep the heat accumulated during the day.
- Close, in the morning, shutters and windows on the sun exposed to the sun To prevent heat from going inside.
- Leave open only a few openings located in the shade, to maintain soft ventilation without creating a hot air call.
In the Mediterranean villages, it is not uncommon to observe these morning gestures again: drawn curtains, loungers ajar, houses plunged into a semi-penumber until evening. This ancestral habit turns out to be very relevant to the increasingly frequent scorching episodes.
Why does it still work?
The secret of cross -ventilation lies in the art of taking advantage of temperature differences and the air pressure generated naturally between the outside and the interior. The nocturnal freshness refreshes walls and floors, which store the cold to restore it during the day, thus slowing down the rise in temperature. Conversely, the hot air remains confined to the outside thanks to the closing of the openings on the sun side.
While air conditioning is called into question by the authorities (for economic, ecological or health reasons), These techniques can establish itself as interesting alternatives. The fact remains that the scorching episodes sometimes reach such peaks that it becomes difficult to refresh the accommodation at night. In the south of France, temperatures did not descend under 30 degrees in the middle of the night. Without air conditioning, it is difficult not to suffer from heat.
- Faced with strong heat episodes, the ancients used the method of cross ventilation
- This method allows you to keep a fresh house without air conditioning, by playing on the strategic openings depending on the moments of the day.
- It stands out as an effective, economical and ecological alternative to air conditioning.
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