Insulation

• The same insulation that protects you from the cold in winter can stop the heat from coming in in the summer. Make sure that your attic and basement are both insulated. How much insulation is ideal will vary based on where you live. Similarly, make sure that your house is sealed around the windows, doors and other openings in the walls.
  
  

Passive Cooling

• Passive cooling is simply the process of cooling a house without the use of mechanical help. This does not include the prevention of heat, however. One passive cooling method is opening your home to a breeze. While your home should be sealed during the hottest part of the day, in the morning and evening when your home is warmer than the air outside, it can be helpful to open some windows and allow the air to pass through.
  
  

Shading

• Shading can keep your home cool. One such way is to plant a tree where it will shade your windows from the summer heat. If you do this using a tree that will lose its leaves in the winter, then you will still get sunlight in the winter, as well as shade in the summer. Another way to keep your home cool with shading is to install awnings on your windows and porch.
  
  

Whole-House Fans

• Whole-house fans are large fans that are mounted in the highest floor's ceiling in your home, not including the attic. These fans work similarly to the method of passive cooling, except they offer a little extra help. Instead of opening the windows and doors and letting the breeze flow naturally, a whole-house fan draws the cool air in and forces circulation.