As the temperatures are set to soar even higher across the country in the coming weeks, people are preparing for what could be a sweltering heatwave.
One of the best places to find some refuge from the summer heat is your home. However, most UK homes aren’t equipped to deal with excessively warm weather. This has led to many of us wondering how to keep a house cool in summer. To help, here’s our guide on how to cool a house down.
Close the Windows
Should you have windows open or closed when it’s hot? If your house feels too warm, it’s tempting to open the windows to try and cool things down. This works in the colder months, but in summer you’re just letting that warm air into the home. Keeping windows closed in the daytime helps maintain the cooler temperature in the house. At night, the weather often dips in temperature – this is the time to open up the windows and let some cooler air in.
If you do want to get some fresh air in the house, open your windows wisely. By opening windows on opposing sides of the house, you’re creating the ideal pathway for air to flow through. This helps provide a breeze and freshen air circulation throughout the home.
Stop Sunlight Entering the Home
Think about how you can limit the ways the sun can enter your home. In the UK, we generally favour having south-facing gardens and homes. This is where the sun shines most, and many of us want to take advantage of those (often rare) warm, sunny days. Plenty of homeowners actually install the biggest windows, doors, and even conservatories on these south-facing walls, to maximise the amount of sunlight that can enter the home. In colder months, this can be beneficial.
In the summer, however, our tendency to optimise the amount of sunlight in the home is almost a design flaw. The hot sunlight filters into the home through the windows, heating up entire rooms.
To minimise this effect, close the curtains or pull the blinds on your south-facing windows. You might also want to think about whether it’s worth replacing your glass with solar control glass.
Strategically Place Bowls of Cold Water
This one sounds strange, but it works. Placing bowls of ice cold water around the home helps to absorb heat. The warm air will move towards the cold air, cooling as the two balance one another out.
Placing the bowl of cold water in front of a fan is even better for cooling the home. This leads to an air conditioning effect, as the fan circulates the colder air. The ice will melt, so keep replacing it to maintain the effect.
Remember: If it’s really hot outside and you’re feeling the heat, you might be tempted to have a drink of ice cold water yourself. This could be dangerous. If your body is too hot, the freezing water may send you into shock.
Instead, take small sips of cold (not ice cold) water. Room temperature water can actually rehydrate you faster, so if you’re feeling very dehydrated, sipping on some room temperature water is your best option.
Turn Off Appliances
It’s easy to overlook how household appliances can have such an impact on our home environment. They’re everywhere in the home – from toasters and kettles, to smart speakers and computers. The issue is, leaving these on can contribute to how warm your house is. Any electrical equipment emits small amounts of heat, as the electrons move rapidly when devices and appliances are plugged in.
If you’re not using them, turn off any appliances to minimise the amount of heat generated. Think about your TV left on standby, phone chargers, lights, dishwashers, washing machines… Each one of these will be generating some degree of heat if they’re not turned off. Unplugging these appliances is even better. Making this a habit whenever things aren’t in use can also reduce your electricity bills over time.
Invest in Energy-Efficient Windows
Energy efficient windows are ideal for sustaining comfortable temperatures in the home. In the UK, many people install them to keep warmth inside during the cold winter months. But – they do work the other way around, too.
Energy efficient windows such as solar control glass or low-e glass work by reflecting heat to help balance the temperature. In winter, the glass reflects the warmer air back into the home. In summer, it will reflect hot air away from the home.
Double glazing can also keep heat out, so it’s considered an energy efficient form of window.
Dine Al Fresco
Using the oven and managing a stuffy kitchen when it’s too hot doesn’t sound very tempting. Instead of turning on heating appliances and adding to the rising temperature, why not make the most of the weather and eat outside?
Eating fresh, colder foods tends to feel more appealing in the summer anyway. Set up the garden for a summer of al fresco dining. This is the ideal time to get creative with making salads – mix things up with grilled halloumi or fish. Lay out a spread of picnic foods instead of cooking a Sunday dinner. Set up a charcuterie board, or sandwiches, pastries, hummus, and dips – appetisers you can graze on rather than indulging in a heavy meal. Have a barbeque while the weather is cooperating!
Check Your Windows and Doors
At Cloudy2Clear, we’re specialists in repairing failed double glazing throughout the home. If your windows and doors aren’t in top working condition, they might be letting the hot summer air into your house – even if your windows are closed.
Checking your windows regularly to see if there are any signs of damage to the seal, condensation, damp, and air flow, will enable you to keep your house cool this summer. If you do notice any signs suggesting your double glazing has failed, we can help.
We repair failed double glazing, worn out seals, chipped windows and everything in between. In doing this, we do our best to keep costs down. This is why we replace only the faulty or damaged section, so there’s no unnecessary waste – and no unnecessary costs. To discuss how we could help keep your home cool this summer, get in touch via our contact page. You can also call our team on 0800 61 21 119 for a free quote.
