Before buying a Phuket luxury villa for sale, make sure that the property is built for or can be easily modified to protect you from the tropical heat of Southeast Asia. If you’re a foreigner who’s about to purchase your first holiday home, then you need to be prepared to deal with the local climate while keeping the house clean and orderly. Luckily, there are many passive cooling techniques you can easily employ to keep the interiors cool and relaxing.
Property characteristics to include in your checklist
- Look for a house that’s positioned to minimise the interior’s exposure to direct sunlight. Ideally, the building’s longer side should be aligned north to south.
- High ceilings allow for hot air to rise, so you’ll get to enjoy a cooler zone closer to the ground. Air can also circulate better if you’ve got tall ceilings.
- A house with a steep roof can help hot air to escape from the interiors faster. This roof shape is also great for shedding off rainwater quickly during the wet season.
- Overhangs and long eaves provide shade for windows and walls, so direct sunlight can’t easily enter the home.
- An open floor plan encourages the continuous flow of air. Additionally, having windows and doors strategically placed on opposite sides of a room allows for better cross-ventilation so cooling breezes can flow through.
- Ceiling materials like ceramic tiles have low thermal conductivity, so they don’t trap heat. Alternatively, you can apply a special reflective coating or paint on the roof to reduce heat absorption.
- Window treatments like sheer curtains, shutters, or blinds can block sunlight and provide insulation from the heat.
- Double-glazed windows provide great heat insulation, though they can be expensive. As an alternative, you can use low-emissivity or low-E glass since this can reduce heat gain while still allowing natural light to shine through.
- Planting trees in strategic spots around your property can help provide shade to the roof and walls so they don’t get exposed to too much heat. Position these trees and other large leafy plants on the east and west sides since these can help create a cool microclimate around your home.
- Install some ceiling fans in the different rooms around the house since these help to create better airflow while keeping the area cool. These can also help reduce your energy bills since you won’t need to rely on air conditioning all day.
- Paint the interiors in light colours so it can reflect heat and light rather than absorbing it. This also helps to make your living spaces look more calming and relaxing.
- Place some plants indoors since these can help to lower interior temperatures while providing a cool ambiance.
With this checklist in hand, reach out to Sunway Estates today so we can help you find the property that can best meet your needs. Soon, you’ll be chilling in your gorgeous new Thailand villa while enjoying all the country’s other delights.
