Ways to keep cool in the heat

Three things you can do now

Use a fan

A 100W electric fan only costs about 3p an hour to run – and they can make a big difference to how hot a room feels.

For a fan to work, it needs to be sucking in and distributing cooler air – otherwise you’ve just turned your room into a fan oven. If the air outside is cooler, place the fan by a window, pointing into the room. You could also try putting it on the floor, where the air is coolest (since hot air rises).

Freezing a bottle of water and putting it in front of the fan will also cool the circulating air.

 

Think before opening windows

In the UK, most of us are used to throwing open the windows whenever it’s warm and sunny. But once the air outside is hotter than inside, this is counterproductive. Instead, keep windows and curtains closed on the side of your home that gets the sun. Open the windows at night – ideally on both sides of the house to create airflow through the building.

 

Turn off appliances

As well as avoiding using hot appliances like ovens and hairdryers, it helps to unplug as many electronic devices as possible. TVs, computers, phone chargers etc. all give off a certain amount of heat, so turning them off can help prevent your home getting unbearably hot.

 

 

Next steps for a cooler home

Before considering air conditioning, there are several ways you can adapt your home to keep out the heat.

 

Create more shade

While curtains will help, ideally you want to block the sun’s heat before it hits your windows. Consider installing external shutters or a retractable awning on south- or west-facing windows. These can be lowered when it’s getting hot, without depriving you of sunlight on days when you want it.

You could consider fitting solar control film to your windows – this reduces heat and glare while still letting light in. Or if planning to upgrade your windows, consider getting solar control glass for windows that get a lot of sun.

Climbing plants on a trellis or pergola will also create more shade – or planting a tree if you’ve got space in your garden. More planting in towns and cities also helps cool the area overall. If planting near a window, be careful not to block out more light than you intended!

 

Insulate

We tend to associate insulation with keeping warm – but a well-insulated home reduces heat flow in either direction, meaning it will keep out the heat as well as the cold.

Making sure your hot water cylinder and hot water pipes are insulated is a good first step. For bigger improvements, start by checking you have at least 270mm of loft insulation. Upgrading to modern, energy-efficient windows is a bigger investment but can make a massive difference to comfort both in summer and in winter.