Its that time of year again when temperatures soar and trying to stay cool is the top priority. In the UK houses are not designed well for extreme heat. With climate change and temperatures increasing we thought we would provide you with some ideas of keeping your home cool.
Short term solutions to keep your house cool
1) Close your curtains
It may be tempting to throw those curtains wide in the morning. Of course you want to see the beautiful weather outside. However your glazing will be turning your rooms into a greenhouse. When direct sunlight is on those windows keep the curtains closed, if you want to take it one step further why not think about black out blinds.
2) Bed sheet hacks
Firstly one of the easiest ways to keep cool at night is to use cotton sheets. These natural fibres are good at regulating temperatures. Bonus points if the duvet is feather, again the natural fibres will help keep the temperature down.
To get a nice fresh nights sleep you may want to try popping your sheets into the freezer for half an hour before you go to sleep. This will help you get a good nights rest.
Wetting the bed sheets is another hack that can be handy, try using a damp sheet, the evaporation of this through the night will keep you cool. Just be careful to put a towel down.
Wet sheets can also be used to hang in front of door and window openings, this combined with any breeze there is will keep your rooms cool.
3) Ice Ice baby
Freezing bottles of water can help in multiple ways. Firstly it means that you will always have cool water to keep you hydrated and fresh. A lesser known hack is to pop your frozen water bottles or ice water in front of any fans you are using. As the water heats up it will cool the rest of the room down.
4) Keep the heat sources down
Although it may seem small, most electrical appliances including lights emit heat. So when you are not using them try and switch as many appliances off as you can.
Cooking is also a big source of heat. Planning on baking a cake? maybe wait until a cooler day, this will only add heat and moisture to the home.
Steamy showers in the hot weather are a no no, even in the cooler evenings. This will increase the humidity of the house and make it more uncomfortable in the lost run. Things like dishwashers and washing machines have the same effect, so avoid these where you can.
5) Sleep downstairs
Hot air rises, so sleeping lower down in your property may keep you cooler at night. Whilst it may seem dramatic moving your whole bed, maybe start with sleeping on the sofa. Or have a little camping session in your sitting room.
Long term solutions to keeping your home cool
1) Insulation
Insulation is your best friend against getting too hot in the summer. Oftentimes people think of insulation only in its heating capacity. However insulation works both ways keeps your house both warm and cold. If you are finding that your house is cold in the winter and much too hot in the summer maybe its time to think about re-insulating your house. Insulation comes in many formats and not all are appropriate for different houses. A good place to start is looking at your house EPC for its recommendations. You can also visit the government website here for advice.
2) Shade
Direct sunlight is what will be providing a lot of heat in your home. You can utilize your garden space to reduce this effect, garden shades and shutters are a fantastic way to keep your house cool in the summer months.
3) Rethink your decoration
Another way to keep your home cool is to re-think how you decorate. In the winter the big soft fluffy rugs may be a must have, but perhaps think about giving them a rest in the summer. Trade them out for a thinner design to keep you cooler.
Hard wood floors, stone and laminate are all better at keeping your home cool. A stone floor is sure to be appreciated by any furry friends you have during the summer!
Hopefully this blog has given you a few ideas on how to beat the heat this summer. In our surveys we will always try to alert you if a feature of the house is going to experience extreme heat. We cover, Stone, Stafford and the Greater Stoke-on-Trent area, get in touch today!
How to beat the heat this summer!
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