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★How to keep your house cool during a heatwave
Posted on: 26th July 2021 | Filled under: Property Market News
Written by: Mark King
The MET Office has issued a rare Amber, extreme heat weather warning after consultations with Public Health England. The warning says to prepare for temperatures to reach a staggering 35 degrees in some areas of the UK.
There have also been concerns regarding people’s health and wellbeing during such extreme weather conditions. The vast majority of people do not have air-conditioning in their homes, and the rising heat presents a lot of challenges.
As much as we enjoy visiting idyllic locations, and sitting by the pool with a good book, it’s not quite the same at home when you’re stuck to your bedsheets, unable to sleep and have to start work in 3 hours.
Here are 10 tips for keeping your house cool during a heatwave
1. Close all windows, blinds & curtains
Ensure that all windows and exterior doors are closed to prevent hot air from entering into the home.
Close any blinds and windows as glass creates a reflective glare which creates heat and in extreme cases in can result in a fire.
Once the temperature drops, open any windows, curtains and doors to allow cool air into the house.
2. Prepare ice-water bowls
This simple but very effective solution is very easy to prepare, fill up as many bowls as possible with cold water. Add some ice cubes into each bowl, you can buy big bags of ice cubes from most supermarkets if you have none prepared, and place the bowls around the house. This will create cooler air in each of the rooms and help to bring the temperature down.
This method is especially effective when placing the water bowls in front of, or directly under ceiling fans, not only will this help to keep the water cold for longer, but it will also. Circulate the cool air around the house.
3. Eat Alfresco
Many of us do not need an excuse to fire up the BBQ and preparing food outside is a great way to keep the house cool. This method of cooking means you won’t have to use the oven or hob, which is ideal as they create a lot of heat.
Many supermarkets stock disposable BBQ’s that are easy to use, or an alternative is to have a picnic serving a selection of sandwiches, salads and pastries.
By cooking food outside, it keeps any excess heat out, and it also provides the perfect opportunity for you to enjoy your outdoor space.
4. Freeze bed linen & pyjamas
As much as many of us would like to retreat into our freezers on a hot day, the idea is impractical, and as whacky as it seems, freezing clothing and bed linen are one of the most ingenious hacks around.
Simply pop any bed sheets, pillowcases and pyjamas into a plastic bag and tie it closed. Pop the sealed bag in to the freezer for a few hours before going to bed.
5. Switch the lightbulbs
Using natural light as often as you can, will save energy and money, but when needs must, consider switching the lightbulbs to reduce the heat throughout the house.
Many of us are unaware of how much heat is generated from ceiling lights and lamps, especially those fitted with halogen lightbulbs. Switching to LED bulbs is a far better way of lighting up space when trying to keep the house cool.
6. Turn off all unnecessary devices
Devices such as consoles and televisions give off a lot of heat and this also applies when on “stand by” mode. The majority of machines have internal fans to stop them from overheating, the fans work to extract any hot air from the machine, which is then circulated around the room.
To avoid this, turn off all machines and devices that are not in use so that no warm air is created unnecessarily. To avoid this, turn off all machines and devices that are not in use and unplug them to make sure they are off.
7. Dry Laundry Outside
Avoid using the tumble dryer and dry any washing outdoors on a clothes maiden or washing line.
Tumble dryers produce a lot of heat and it can be impossible to get rid of on a hot day. Another alternative is to do the washing on a cooler day, there is no judgment here.
8. Turn a hot water bottle into an ice pack
If you don’t have an ice pack to hand, don’t panic, this nifty hack is very effective for calming temperatures, saving the day when a cold compress is required and it is also ideal for pets to lean on and sleep by on a hot day.
Fill the hot water bottle with cold water, secure the lid and allow it to freeze. Once frozen, it can be carried around or placed in bed for a couple of hours before you go to sleep. Cooling any sheets helps to achieve restful sleep.
9. Take Cooler Showers
The Shower creates a lot of steam, which is virtually impossible to get rid of without ventilating the area.
Open the windows when you take a shower so if any steam is created, it has a way to escape, and it’s wise to allow wet hair to air dry instead of using a hairdryer.
10. Sleep Downstairs
As heat rises, the upstairs will always be the warmest area of the house, and during such intense heat, it will be much more comfortable to nap or sleep downstairs.
Sleeping downstairs is handy when you have little ones as it can make an otherwise uncomfortable and restless night more fun.
We hope these tips help in making the heat a little more bearable. Take care, use SPF & stay hydrated.
