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Heatwaves in the UK can feel unbearable. Unlike other countries across Europe who have air conditioning built into their homes, many UK properties are designed to keep heat in, so cooling your home can feel like an uphill battle.
However, you can make your home more comfortable, even during those sweaty nights when it feels impossible to get to sleep.
If you don’t have money or space for air conditioning, here are our top tips to keep your indoor space cool during a heatwave.
1. Keep the heat out
This might seem obvious, but the most effective way to keep your home cool is to stop heat from getting in.
Keep curtains, blinds or shutters closed during the hottest parts of the day, to stop sunlight getting through your windows.
2. Open your windows at the right time
Instead of keeping your windows open wide all day, only open them in the early morning and evening. Ideally, open windows on opposite sides of your home to create a through-breeze.
You should also keep windows shut when the air outside is hotter than inside.
3. Switch off appliances
Everyday appliances can heat up your home, especially ovens, hobs, electronics and even lighting.
To prevent this, cook at cooler times of the day, turn off and unplug electrical devices when you’re not using them and try not to use appliances that heat up. Even small changes can reduce heat building up inside your home.
4. You’ll thank your fans
Fans don’t lower a room's temperature, but they can make you feel cooler.
Place them near windows in the evening to pull cooler air in. You could even try putting a bowl of ice in front of the fan to chill the room faster.
However, once temperatures reach around 35°C, fans may become less effective and just blow around warm air.
5. Change how you live
Because heat rises, upstairs rooms are usually much hotter. If possible, spend more time on the bottom floor of your home.
And instead of trying to cool the whole house, focus on one room. Pick one that gets less direct sunlight and isn’t used for cooking.
At night, swap duvets for lightweight sheets and take cool showers or use damp cloths to help lower your body temperature.
Don’t sweat the small stuff
If you can’t afford air conditioning, then these quick fixes should make the heat in your home a bit more manageable. And, if your home becomes unbearably hot, you can always head to public places to cool down.
It’s also a good idea to make sure your home insurance is up to date, as high temperatures can increase risks to your home.
