Beat the Heat this summer

Find out more about how you can stay cool with low-cost tips for your home.

Heatwaves in the UK are unfortunately becoming longer, more frequent and more intense. For many vulnerable people, this isn’t just uncomfortable, but can be genuinely dangerous.

With these simple but effective tips you can help to make your – or your loved ones – home safer and cheaper to run. Future-proofing doesn’t have to cost the earth, and can make a considerable difference to internal temperatures.

Windows: dos and don’ts

Opening windows and doors might seem like a logical step, but can actually have the opposite effect.

1. Ventilate as much as you can when it is cooler outside – overnight, in the early morning, and in the evening – by opening windows and doors. To make the most of air flow at those times, open windows on opposite sides of your home and keep internal doors open. Once outside temperatures rise, close windows and doors.
2. Shade and cover windows – draw blinds and curtains or, if you don’t have them, hang light coloured sheets up to provide shade and reflect the heat. Reflective window film is also an option.
3. You might want to consider adding awnings to your home, particularly over south facing windows, if you have the budget and can.

Keeping your body cool

The sad truth is that it’s not always possible to keep indoor areas cool. Thankfully, focussing on your own internal temperature can be just as effective.

1. Hydrate. Drink before you get thirsty.
2. Wear loose-fitting clothes and put your clothes – or some bedding – in the freezer for a couple of minutes before use.
3. Having a lukewarm shower (not too cold) before bed has been shown to help you sleep on a hot night. Showers save water and money but, if you prefer a bath, save the water to water any plants.
4. Too hot inside? It may be cooler outdoors in the shade or at a local public building like your local library, so if you’re struggling to keep your home cool, see if there is a cooler place you can get to without walking too far in the heat. Stone buildings (like churches) can maintain their cool incredibly well.
5. A cooling sports towel (some of which hold ice blocks) around your neck and shoulders can be effective, as can dabbing cool water on your neck and wrists.

In the kitchen

The kitchen is often a hotspot of heat, especially in busy households with larger families. 

1. Keep cooking to a minimum during the day and cook when it’s cooler and you can open a nearby window to allow the heat generated to escape. Microwaves and Air Fryers are an efficient way to warm up food without creating more heat. Slow cookers are less heat-intensive than using the oven or hob.
2. Keep your fridge happy. Fridges and freezers account for around 13% of an average household’s electricity consumption, as they’re always on. Check your fridge and freezer doors close properly. Clean and defrost the freezer regularly and dust the condensing coils at the back to help them run as efficiently as possible. 
3. If you can, position your fridge and freezer out of direct sunlight and away from dishwashers and ovens, as a 5°C increase in the air temperature around a fridge or freezer can increase its energy consumption by 20%.

Fans and air conditioning

According to Which? Magazine, in most cases a good fan is sufficient and will use less electricity and cost a lot less to run than air conditioning.

1. Use fans if the air temperature is below 35°C, but do not aim the fan directly at your body, as this can lead to dehydration. 
2. Put a sealed bottle of ice or a wet tea towel in front of fans to circulate chilled air (don’t let the fan get wet, of course).
3. Hanging up a wet sheet or drying wet clothes on a rack inside can also cool a space, but remember to ventilate the area when it cools down, to avoid mould and condensation.

Avoid making more heat

Most crucially, when the outside temperature is hot, trying to minimise the heat you create inside is one of the most important steps.

1. Check your heating is switched off completely, rather than just turned down at the thermostat.
2. Turn off electrical items when they’re not needed. Lights, chargers, TVs, and computers can all generate heat. As well as keeping you cooler in the summer, switching off standby whenever you can will save you around £55 a year. A smart plug can make it easier to switch things off in one go.
3. Keep TVs and computers out of bedrooms which need to be cooler for sleep.

Other actions

1. Join the Priority Services Register and be the first to hear about power cuts. Encourage vulnerable friends, family, and neighbours to do the same. 
2. Sign up to the Heat-health Alert Service.
3. Look after your neighbours – especially anyone elderly, sick, or young. 
4. Don’t forget the wildlife! Leave water out for hedgehogs, birds, insects, and other creatures – use shallow bowls or add a few pebbles so smaller animals can drink safely and climb out easily. 
5. Insulate your home. Good insulation helps keep heat in during winter and heat out in summer. See our Energy Saving Advice page for other things you can do to increase comfort in all seasons. 
6. Plant drought-resistant trees or shrubs to create shade and reduce heat.