[locusjag]

Here's a good way to beat the heat starting from when you build your home.

Choose Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) blocks over red bricks. AAC blocks are way better at thermal insulation (and also at sound insulation, termite/fungus resistance, earthquake safety etc.). There aren't enough builders/contractors/laborers in the market who have sufficient experience working with these blocks, so you can reach out to the manufacturers of AAC blocks and they will provide you ample contacts of trained builders, laborers etc. For instance, in Tamil Nadu, Renacon is a manufacturer. You also have the likes of the Tatas, Birlas etc,. in the AAC block making business.

AAC blocks are also cheaper to build a home with, since there's lesser labor costs involved, way lesser cement and sand required. Transport costs are lesser too as the blocks weigh less, as long as you have a manufacturer located near you.

A home built with AAC blocks will simply not absorb the heat (or cold) from the external world. You can save a lot of money on air conditioning, heat protective paint costs etc.

Caveat - Walls built with AAC blocks tend to crack if certain procedures aren't duly followed during construction. Please have a detailed conversation with someone qualified to weigh its pros and cons.

[deetee]

Best way to beat the heat is to let it out naturally and help the cool air circulate in. Basically, give the natural convection an unobstructed pathway. But this has to be done while planning the home itself. And this was how people from earlier centuries were able to manage in hot tropical climates even without air conditioning.
While my in laws were constructing a first floor over the ground floor, I suggested them to plan with atleast 14ft high ceiling. About 1 ft below the ceiling we have put a ventilator (big one, of size 1ftx2ft). And there was a window right below the ventilator. At their place, the usual summer temperatures are 40C day time and 26-28 night time. While daytime the terrace gets hot and radiates heat inside, by night ambient temperature cools down. Hot air inside room rises up and exits via ventilator while fresh cooler air comes in through the window. Ceiling fan is about 2ft below ceiling ( lower than ventilator). So, in one of the rooms we added an exhaust fan to the ventilator to push out hot air faster( then,we didn't know how much it would help, so did that arrangement in just one room). In practice, this room with exhaust fan in the ventilator cools faster than other rooms without it. Also, the main hall had false ceiling, so no ventilator. That hall is cooler than other rooms without false ceiling during day time but at nights the rooms with ventilator cool down faster and are more pleasant than the hall. Ofcourse, for further comfort one can use coolers or air conditioning but I personally didn't find it necessary there even during peak summer.
The apartment culture has basically done away with high ceiling and ventilators and thus blocking natural convection which inturn forces us to depend on coolers or air conditioning to beat the heat. But if someone has an option to add these to their home during construction itself, it is the best way to beat the heat.

[ObsessedByFIAT]

I recently got heat resistant paint applied on the terrace of my home. Forget the name, but it was some Eco paint of which I required 20 kgs.

The process was as follows:
1. The entire terrace was cleaned with water using a 100 bar machine.
2. Left to dry
3. Since it has been a long time, used this opportunity to also apply water proofing chemical, though I don't have any leakages. Did this as preventive a measure.
4. Left to dry
5. Applied three coats of the heat resistant paint giving it sufficient time to dry between coats.
6. The paint was applied while the roof was still comparatively cold. Like early morning.

Temperature difference noted:

1. The temperature of the roof before applying paint: ~50 to 55 degree centigrade
2. The temperature inside the room before applying paint : ~34 to 36 degree centigrade

3. Temperature on the roof after treatment : ~ 36 to 40 degree centigrade
4. Temperature inside the room : ~28 to 30 degree centigrade

The roof gets cooler much sooner now, which also affects the temperature inside the room.

The entire cost with labour and paint came to around 18k for a surface area of ~ 650 sqft.

Pretty satisfied for now with treatment. Let's see how long it lasts!