Blasting your air-conditioner in the summer can provide you with immense relief but what happens when you get your energy bill? In an effort to stay cool, one should also explore natural cooling alternatives within the home that will reduce your electricity costs. Keeping healthy indoor plants that cool a home is one of the best ways to reduce the temperature of a house in summer. It is also an environmentally friendly way to cool your house down.
The biggest advantage of keeping certain species of indoor plants is the fact that they cool a room and remove toxins from the atmosphere. You get the combined benefit of cool purified and fresh air.
How plants cool a room
Plants cool down a house through the process of transpiration. During transpiration, plants lose water which cools down the air around it. In the process, toxins are removed as well. Accoridng to Dr Leonard Perry, professor at the University of Vermont adds that “a USDA estimate is that proper use of plants could decrease air temperature in an office by as much as ten degrees. Plus, the moisture released by these plants helps maintain indoor humidity in the human comfort zone of 30 to 60 percent, and helps prevent materials such as wood from cracking when dried out.”
1.Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera is always on every list of indoor plants because of its fantastic health and cooling properties. The gel in its leaves can be used for treating several skin conditions, while the plant itself cools down the temperature and removes formaldehyde from the atmosphere.
2. Areca Palm
The Areca palm is one of the most popular indoor plants used as a decorative fixture, air purification and as a natural dehumidifier. The areca palm also removes toxins such as benzene formaldehyde and trichloroethylene from the air.
3.Weeping Fig
Weeping fig or the ficus tree can cool down temperatures, reduce atmospheric pollution and improve air quality.
4. Boston Fern
Boston Ferns de-humidify and cool down air. Among healthy indoor plants, they are regarded as among the best for air purification. Along with aloe vera, it was one of the plants researched by NASA in studies on plants that purify the air.
5. Snake Plant
Known also as mother-in-law’s tongue was also included in NASA research as plants that cool air. It is a perfect bedroom plant which unlike other plants emits oxygen at night which reduces indoor temperatures while you sleep. The snake plant also absorbs toxins like nitrogen dioxide from the air. It can be maintained with irregular watering and low light. Keep at least 6 to 8 plants around and within your home to get maximum effect
6. Baby Rubber Plant:
The baby rubber plant releases high levels of oxygen into the atmosphere and removes toxins like formaldehyde. It needs planting in rich soil and requires filtered light.
7. Golden Pothos
Also called the Silver Vine, the plant is regarded a some of the best healthy indoor plants that cool and purify a home. It improves air quality by removing pollutants like formaldehyde, benzene, xylene and carbon monoxide. The biggest advantage of keeping a golden pothos is the low maintenance as it doesn’t require much watering and just partial sun.