Are you wondering why your kitchen is getting so hot in the summer? In this article, we’ll talk about the reasons for an overheated kitchen, and we’ll also talk about several ways you can reduce the amount of heat in your kitchen.
Kitchens can become hot in the summer for several reasons, mostly because the heat from a stovetop or oven radiates into the kitchen, making it uncomfortable. The other reasons kitchens become hot are the placement of the kitchen, the type of AC in the home, and the design of the kitchen.
Don’t worry, we’ll go over all of this in more detail. By the end of this article, you’ll know why your kitchen is getting so hot in the summer, and you’ll have a few tips and tricks for keeping your kitchen cool!
The Reason Your Kitchen is So Hot During the Summer Months
Let’s start with some reasons your kitchen could become overheated. At the end of the day, summertime will produce increased temperatures, but there are ways to mitigate overbearingly high temperatures.
Reasons for an overheated kitchen:
- You’re using the stove too much
- The kitchen faces south
- The kitchen is closed from the rest of the house
- Inadequate ventilation and AC
Let’s look at these in more depth.
Using the Stove Can Causes the Kitchen to Overheat
In the fall, winter, and spring, the extra heat coming from the kitchen is barely noticeable – in fact, sometimes it’s welcome, as it helps you stay warm. However, in the summertime, that extra heat can become uncomfortable.
This is more of a serious problem with old stoves, which aren’t very efficient and will often leak heat into the kitchen. This can also be an issue with large stoves, which produce a lot of extra heat. However, you might even see extra heat just from turning on the stovetop burners, which are still producing a lot of heat.
The Kitchen Faces the Sun
Sometimes, it’s just unlucky that a kitchen faces the sun. If your home is receiving the full force of the summer sun, you will notice the kitchen becomes warmer in the summertime.
If you’re building a new house, you can consider the direction of the sun as you plan your kitchen. Many people like it when the kitchen faces the sun, but this can cause the room to heat up in the summer.
Closed off Kitchens Cause More Heat
Modern homes often have open concept kitchens. These kitchens allow the air to circulate through the home and lead to a more uniform temperature. However, some kitchens do not have this open concept and are still relatively closed off from the rest of the home. These kitchens have less air circulation, and thus will become much warmer during the summer.
Furthermore, these closed-off kitchens won’t benefit from an AC unit that’s in another room. We’ll talk about this in the next section.
Lack of AC in the Kitchen
Some kitchens are unconnected to the central air unit. In this case, even when the AC is on, it’s not going to make a significant impact on the kitchen. Without adequate access to AC, your kitchen could become extra hot in the summertime.
If you have an AC duct in your kitchen but suddenly it feels warmer than usual, it could be that your AC unit isn’t functioning appropriately. Ensure that the ducts are fully open. If you have no AC connection to your kitchen, it becomes very difficult to control the temperature in the summer months.
Now that you know why your kitchen might be overheating in the summertime, let’s talk about a few ways to cool everything down.
How to Keep Your Kitchen Cool in the Summer
There are several ways you can keep your kitchen cool during the summer. As you’ll see, it’s important to get creative and to think outside the box. There are plenty of cheap ways to keep your kitchen comfortable in the summer. And there are some more expensive ways to keep your kitchen cool if you’re looking for a permanent fix.
Ways to keep your kitchen cool during the summer:
- Avoid using the stove
- Grill outside
- Shaded blinds or hedges
- Remodel
- Extend your AC units
Below, we examine these things in greater detail.
Avoid Using the Stove and Oven in the Summer
If you want to avoid excess heat in your kitchen during the hot months, then you’ll have to avoid excess use of the stove and oven. These appliances will cause more heat. If you can, eat meals that don’t require a lot of time in the oven.
Instead, you can use the microwave, eat meals that don’t require cooking, or take the chance to eat out more often. Also, there are other alternatives, like using a grill.
Grill Outside to Prevent Heat in the Kitchen
Many people think of the grill as a fun thing, and they associate it with camping and parties. But there’s a reason your dad used to start up the grill in the summer – it keeps the house much cooler!
Grills keep the heat outside, and they also make food taste delicious. Even if you’re not a big griller, you can buy stovetops for use outside, helping to reduce the heat indoors. Some people think you can only make burgers and hotdogs on a grill, but that isn’t the case. Buy a cookbook that lists grilled foods, and this will motivate you to get outside.
Use Shades or Plant Shrubs and Trees
If your kitchen is overheating in the summer, you can use shades to deflect some of the heat from entering directly into the room. Shades would help if your kitchen were facing the sun.
If you don’t want to hang any dark shades, you can also consider planting trees or shrubs outside the window. These will grow and eventually provide shade to the kitchen, preventing some of that heat. If you pick the right trees or shrubs, they will also be a pleasant sight outside.
Install a Small Fan in the Kitchen
There are some nice fans on the market. Many of them can be mounted to a corner or cabinet and can help make your kitchen more comfortable. Fans are a simple, inexpensive way to remedy a hot kitchen in the summer.
While we’re talking about fans, let’s talk about another type of fan. The one above your stove. These vents come in two different types. The first is a ductless vent. Ductless vents don’t pull any air outside the kitchen, they just recirculate the same air throughout the kitchen.
Ducted vents actually pull air outside the kitchen, ensuring that steam and smoke from a stove top are completely removed. To keep your kitchen more comfortable in the summer, consider installing a fully ducted vent. The ducted fans take a little more time to install, but they will help keep the air in your kitchen clean and fresh.
If you don’t have a ducted vent, at least ensure you’re changing the filter on your ductless vent. Let’s talk about another way you can make your kitchen more comfortable.
Remodel the Kitchen for a More Open Concept
If you have a small, closed-off kitchen, consider remodeling to remove a wall and make the kitchen more open. An open kitchen is less likely to capture and store heat. Not only that, but open kitchens allow people to come together before, during, and after the meal. Yes, a remodel is a more involved option, but it provides a lot of benefits.
Now, let’s talk about our final way you can ensure your kitchen stays cool in the summer.
Install AC in the Kitchen
If your kitchen has no access to AC, then you should consider installing a unit. If you have central air, then it would be wise to extend some ductwork to your kitchen. For this, you will probably need to contact a professional to properly run the duct work and to ensure that your AC unit is powerful enough to handle the load.
However, these days, there are some nice, inexpensive portable AC units that you can install in your kitchen all by yourself. Some of these units have wheels, allowing you to roll them wherever they are needed within your home.
Hopefully, some of these tips and tips have given you some ideas to improve the temperature in your kitchen. Now let’s go over our last take.
Final Thoughts on Why a Kitchen Gets Hot in the Summer
If your kitchen is becoming too hot in the summer, it could be for several reasons. First, it could be that you’re using your stove too often, or that your stove is inefficient. To combat this, try to grill out more, or eat meals that require relatively light cooking.
Second, if your kitchen is facing the sun, it’s wise to install some blinds or shades. You can also plant a tree outside your windows, which will grow to provide shade. Finally, do your best to install a good stove top vent and extend your AC unit to your kitchen.