As the seasons change, living in a location with extreme weather can be challenging. If you plan to sell your home soon, the climate also demands forethought when renovating and designing a house. You need to consider appliances, window treatments, paint colors, exterior features, backyard setups, and more. When it comes time to renovate or purchase a new home, buyers will likely pay special attention to what materials have been used to upgrade the home, and how well-equipped they are to keep their family comfortable through the seasons.

I specifically wanted to look into renovating when it comes to warmer weather locations—and what better place to start than Texas? Freemodel has recently expanded our reach into the Lone Star State, and we’re proud to be working with over 20 project directors across various metros. I sat down with a couple of our Houston project directors to talk about how they approach home renovations with extreme heat in mind, and how that affects their design choices.

Let’s meet today’s interviewees:

Anne-Marie Nguete

Graduated with a degree in interior design. Has a passion for working with people of diverse cultural backgrounds and helping to put their ideas together towards a unique form of innovation and design.

Danielle Hames

Has over 13 years of experience in the interior design field. After years of working primarily for one builder and just a handful of real estate agents, Danielle began her own independent work in the fields of model home design and home staging in 2012.

Let's talk Texas heat! How hot does it get where you are? What can someone expect about each season?

Anne-Marie: When it comes to its climate and weather conditions, Houston is known for being very humid. The beginning of the year (January-beginning of March) has the coldest days, and during that time it rains a lot. However, from mid-March to mid-May, the weather becomes warmer. From the end of May to the end of August, the weather is very hot; with July and August being the hottest months. It is usually during that time that electricity bills are at their peak since it is quite impossible to be indoors without air conditioning, as the outdoor air is as hot as over 100*F. From September to early December, the weather is less warm as we’re approaching colder months, but there are still very sunny days here and there, and quite a lot of rainy days. From mid-December we have entered the colder months where temperatures can reach as low as 17*F.

Danielle: Houston differs from other Texas cities a bit. It has slightly lower temperatures in the summer, but increased humidity, which makes for a hot, sticky climate that can be—how shall I put this?—less than ideal! But late fall and winter, and even some of spring can be glorious! And because Houston rarely sees a hard freeze but gets plenty of rainfall, all of the vegetation stays lush and green most of the year. Just watch out for mosquitoes!

When it comes to extreme heat, what interior or exterior home features/amenities do people rely on most?

Anne-Marie: Some of the most effective interior home features for extreme heat include having high ceilings, as it will allow for the airflow to circulate more easily through a wider space; window treatments such as curtains, blinds and shades is a great common way to keep heat out of the house, including ceiling fans in smaller rooms and most bedrooms is also very common, as well as exhaust fans particularly in kitchens and bathrooms. Interior wall finishes also play a huge part in keeping the house cool during extreme heat, which is why most people rely on high solar reflective index (SRI) paints to repel indoor heat. For the exterior, having various exterior shading amenities such as overhangs for windows or porches for doors is one of the most effective ways that people rely on to reduce indoor heat.

Danielle: Efficient air conditioning systems are a MUST in Houston! Sealing air and moisture leaks, and installing Low E (low-emissivity) windows can all help keep electric costs lower. Attic ventilation is also crucial to keep the pilot lights lit in newer water heaters over the summer. So if you're getting your roof redone anyway, be sure to have vents installed if you don't have them. And we Houstonians love our covered patios, swimming pools, and ceiling fans!

How do you renovate and design with heat in mind?

Anne-Marie: To design with heat in mind, it is important to study and analyze the movement of the sun around the structure of the house. When renovating and changing the layout of the house, the direction of the sun must be considered for the spatial organization of the house and especially the main rooms. It is better to arrange bigger rooms such as the living room or the kitchen facing the south, east and west and important to avoid placing smaller rooms like bedrooms or bathrooms in those directions since they are the areas with the hottest exposure. Considering adding windows in enclosed spaces or replacing existing windows with energy-efficient and air sealing new windows, is also an effective way to renovate with heat in mind. Plus, adding window treatments to all windows is a must!

Danielle: Well-insulated windows and attics help keep cooling costs down in spring and summer. Covered patios with ceiling fans are a must in Houston! Heat-tolerant plants are ideal for landscaping, although drought-tolerant plants may suffer from excessive rainfall.

What brands of appliances, windows, and various amenities do you love when it specifically comes to keeping a home cool?

Anne-Marie: Some of the best energy-efficient brands I love for home appliances are Sub-Zero, Samsung, LG, Whirlpool, Frigidaire, and KitchenAid to name a few.

While Houston may have slightly lower temperatures than other parts of the state, it is no stranger to hot, sticky humidity, which can make a household miserable if not properly addressed. According to our experts, efficient air conditioning, sealing moisture leaks, and attic ventilation are three of the most necessary upgrades that clients and agents should be aware of addressing before listing a home. If a property features a pool or a good patio space, those areas could also be worth adding a bit of maintenance work to, and staging with drought-tolerant plants and furniture to show their full potential!