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8 tips to cool down your backyard in Arizona’s hot summer months | Scottsdale

Everybody knows that summer in the desert is hot, but it doesn’t have to be unbearable. Recently, landscape architect Thaumas P. Ehr, taught us 8 tips to keep your backyard feeling cooler in Arizona’s hot summer months.
As real estate experts in Scottsdale, we love sharing great ideas we come across while representing sellers and buyers.  Subscribe to our blog post to keep up-to-date on our latest real estate and lifestyle information.

Keep your backyard cool

Keep your backyard cool


1) Install Misters: Misters can help cool you down by 20 degrees. As longs as misters expel water at 5 microns of pressure, misters won’t make you look like you just left your shower. If you don’t want to install misters up above, consider installing them along the ground to spray cool air upward.
2) Add a water feature: Ponds, pools and waterfalls serve more than an aesthetic purpose.  Since the can become their own little microclimates, they can also cool down an area by 10 degrees.
3) Sprinkle water over paved surfaces: If you install irrigation heads next to the decking around your pool, you can reduce the surface temperature by 30-40 degrees! Also cool down paved surfaces by installing lighter colored materials – darker materials absorb and retain more heat.
An easy trick:  If you’re about to have a get-together outside, or about to have a showing at your home, hose down the area first.  It’ll drop the temperature of the area by about 20 degrees.
4) Low-maintenance yards: The last thing you want to worry about in the summer is yard work.  Why not consider artificial turf?  Because honestly, what’s better than zero-maintenance? The only caveat for this option is if you’re a pet owner. Artificial grass tends to retain pet odors.
5) Plant shady trees: Big trees = shade, and that’s a beautiful thing. Trees planted in choice areas can help cool down homes dramatically. Just make sure that when you plant them, they’re given plenty of water and room to spread out.
6) Install an outdoor shower: This one is pretty self-explanatory, but that in no way diminishes how amazing it is to take a shower outside. If you’re not building from scratch, accomplish this by tapping into the water lines from your main house or casita.
7) Hang outdoor drapes: Use outdoor drapes to block the sun’s rays. Just make sure to choose a material that won’t bleach too badly from direct sun exposure.
8) Add shade: Ramadas or shade sails, when built with concrete or steel columns, can become permanent shade features outside your home. Retractable shade awnings are another option as well.
Interested in moving to warm and sunny Arizona?  Contact an Arizona Real Estate expert on the Matheson Team today.
Reach out to us for more information on real estate and lifestyle in the Scottsdale area.
Don Matheson
Realtor | Founder
The Matheson Team – RE/MAX Fine Properties
21000 N. Pima Rd., #100, Scottsdale, AZ 85255
480-405-4228 
[email protected]
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