Summer brings the heat. People look for new ways to cool their homes. Fans and closed blinds are common choices. But what about houseplants? Can they truly lower the temperature inside a home? It’s a popular idea, especially when temperatures climb high.
Plants are Great for Your Home (Beyond Cooling)
Plants do more than just look pretty. Having them inside your house offers clear benefits. They can improve your mood. They help create spaces that feel pleasant, natural, and healthy. Some studies even suggest that caring for plants can reduce feelings of worry. It can also help you feel calmer and more mindful.
Plants also offer physical help around the home. They can clean the air of certain pollutants. They also add moisture to the air. This can reduce dryness, which is helpful in hot or poorly ventilated rooms. But the big question remains: do plants actually make your home cooler?
Can Indoor Plants Really Lower the Temperature?
Let’s get straight to the facts. If you place plants near windows, they can block some direct sunlight. This might help keep a room from getting too hot. They can also slightly raise the humidity in a room. However, the truth is, plants cannot really lower the air temperature indoors. They won’t make summer feel much cooler.
The number of plants doesn’t change this much. Some research looked at homes with a very high number of plants. Even then, the temperature dropped by only half a degree Celsius at most. So, why do places with many plants outdoors feel much cooler?
When plants are outside, they cool the air in a special way. This process is called transpiration. They release water vapor from tiny holes in their leaves. This process, known as evapotranspiration, takes heat from the surrounding air. This creates a natural cooling effect.
Studies on city climates show this effect is strong. In areas with lots of plants, like parks or tree-lined streets, temperatures can drop by 1 to 4 degrees Celsius. This is compared to paved areas like asphalt or concrete.
Indoors, plants still transpire. But their cooling effect is much smaller. An indoor plant releases only a tiny amount of vapor. The amount of air in a room is also much less than outdoors. Plants might slightly increase the air’s moisture. This can make a room feel a little more comfortable. But they don’t cool the air in a big way. The same science applies, but on a much smaller scale. This means the temperature change is barely noticeable.
Even so, plants can still help improve comfort inside. They work best when combined with other methods. Think about opening windows for good airflow. Use light fabrics and materials in your home. Block direct sunlight from coming in. Also, choose building materials that don’t hold much heat. With these steps, plants can play a helpful role in making your indoor space more pleasant.