How to keep cool at home in the summer heat

By JR | Blog

With the current heatwave and many homes without air conditioning, we thought we’d share with you some tips on how to keep cool at home.

 

Close your curtains and blinds

Did you know that a high percentage (around 25%) of unwanted heat can come from your windows? They act a bit like a greenhouse!

So, if the sun normally streams in through your windows, keep your curtains or blinds closed.

And, while it’s a good idea to open your windows, you might want to keep them closed when the sun is directly on them. When it’s hotter outside than inside, closing your windows will stop hotter air coming in.

Open your windows again when the air outside is cooler – at night and early morning is usually best. This will help to get cooler air flowing and will help create a breeze to cool things down.

 

Drink more water to stay hydrated

When it’s hot, your body naturally perspires more. This can make you dehydrated, so be sure to drink plenty of cold water throughout the day. If you think water is boring, you can add squash, slices of fruit or herbs to give it some flavour.

Avoid tea, coffee, other caffeinated drinks and alcohol as far as possible, as these will also dehydrate you.

 

Cool your body temperature

One of the easiest ways to keep cool is to reduce your body temperature. Do this by drinking cold water (see above) or by cooling your pulse points.

Placing an ice pack or cold compress on the pulse points at the back of your neck, behind your knees or on your wrists will help to cool you down.

If you don’t have any ready-made ice packs, make your own from a cold wet towel or some ice or frozen vegetables in a plastic bag, wrapped in a thin cloth or tea towel to protect your skin.

 

Use a fan to create a cross breeze

If you place a fan right next to you, it’s likely to be noisy and blow stuff around! Instead, place your fan near a window or in a hallway. This will create a cross breeze to draw in cooler air to the warmer areas.

A tower fan is a good option, as these sit on the floor to blow air more effectively around your room.

Remember, a fan simply moves air around rather than actually cooling it. So a good tip to create some cool air is to freeze a bottle of water and place it at an angle in front of your fan. You could also use a bowl with ice or iced-water for a similar result.

 

Get domestic air conditioning installed

Have you considered having air conditioning installed in your home? Air conditioning units are no longer simply for offices, shops, hotels and other commercial settings.

These days domestic air conditioning units are quite slimline and compact, so they don’t take up a lot of space or look unsightly.

They don’t take too long to fit – around a day, depending on your property and how many rooms you want air conditioning installed in. And, they have the added benefit of being able to produce warm air for you in cooler months.

At Stevenson Heating, we are accredited to install and maintain domestic air conditioning. We also have a range of fans for sale, including desk and tower fans.

Contact us on 020 8462 8822, email info@stevensonheating.co.uk or request a callback to find out more or get a quote for having air conditioning installed in your home.

 

First published July 2020, updated July 2022.