5 Ways to Keep Your Property Cool in a Heatwave
When a heatwave hits, your home can quickly become uncomfortably warm. Whether you're renting or own your property, keeping it cool is essential for comfort and wellbeing. Here are five simple, cost-effective ways to lower the temperature without relying on air conditioning.
Simple, practical steps to stay comfortable when temperatures soar
1. Block Out the Sunlight
Direct sunlight streaming through windows is the main culprit behind rising indoor temperatures. Control it, and you're halfway to a cooler home.
• Close blinds and curtains during the day, especially on south and west-facing windows where the sun is strongest.
• If you don't have blackout blinds, even lightweight curtains or sheets hung inside windows will make a noticeable difference.
• Keep external blinds or shutters closed if you have them—they're even more effective at stopping heat before it enters.
2. Smart Ventilation
Opening windows isn't as simple as throwing them wide open in the heat. Timing and strategy matter.
• Open windows early in the morning and late in the evening when the outside air is cooler than indoors.
• Once it's hotter outside than inside, close windows and curtains to trap the cool air you've built up.
• Open windows on opposite sides of your home to create cross-ventilation and encourage air movement through the rooms.
• Check that extractor fans in your kitchen and bathroom are working. They pull warm air out of the property.
3. Reduce Heat from Appliances and Lights
Every appliance and light bulb in your home generates heat. During a heatwave, minimising this internal heat gain helps.
• Switch to LED lighting if you haven't already. LEDs use far less energy and produce significantly less heat than older bulbs.
• Avoid using the oven on the hottest days. Opt for salads, cold pasta, sandwiches, or use the microwave instead—it produces less ambient heat.
• Turn off your boiler or immersion heater during summer. You won't need hot water heating, and it's one less heat source in your home.
4. Use Fans Strategically
Fans don't lower the temperature, but they create air circulation, which makes rooms feel cooler and helps distribute cooler air throughout your home.
• Portable tower fans or pedestal fans are affordable and effective at moving air around.
• Position a fan near an open window in the early morning to draw in cool air.
• Ceiling fans, if installed, should have their blades set to rotate counter-clockwise to push cooler air downward.
5. Cool the Air Naturally
There are clever, low-tech ways to cool down a room without air conditioning.
• Fill a spray bottle with water and mist the air. As the water evaporates, it cools the surrounding air.
• Place a bowl of ice in front of a fan to create a DIY air-conditioning effect—the fan circulates the cooler air from the melting ice.
• Hang damp towels or sheets near windows or doorways. As air passes through them, it cools down.
• Keep bedding in the freezer for 30 minutes before bed for a cool night's sleep.
A Few Final Tips
• Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
• Wear light, loose-fitting clothing indoors.
• Check on elderly neighbours, friends, or family members—heatwaves can be particularly challenging for vulnerable people.
• If you're seriously concerned about your health during extreme heat, contact your GP or call 111 for NHS advice.
'Warm' Regards,
Megan Cutforth
Greater London Properties
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