Keeping cool in hot weather is something that here in the UK we don’t have to worry about all year round, but to me it seems like every year when summer arrives I’m amazed at how hot it is and have to remind myself of all the things we can do to stay cool. This summer we’re in our new house, our last flat got really cold in winter as it had three sides open to the elements, whereas this house is terraced so we get warmth from either side. We’ve just had the loft fully insulated too. This means that it can get rather warm especially on the days when the temperature reaches over 25 degrees, the air conditioning benefits would be amazing if we could have that installed!
So here a few tips that I have tried and tested to keep you and your home cool during a heatwave.
The first is to keep your curtains closed when you can, which stops the air in the room from heating up in the sun. It can also be beneficial to keep the windows closed as well although this seems counterintuitive it stops really warm air from getting in. When I was a hotel manager we would leave the bedroom curtains closed during the day to keep the rooms cooler for the guests checking in, although we did warn them this would happen!
A tip for keeping yourself cool especially during a hot, muggy night is to have a cool (but NOT COLD) shower before bed. If you have a cold shower your body actually starts to heat itself up because it thinks that you’re going to be too cold, so a warm shower is the way to cool down properly. You can also use a hot water bottle with cold water that’s been left in the freezer for a couple of hours beforehand in your bed. This will help to cool down the sheets/cover you use but do wrap it in an old T shirt because it will start to condensate and you’ll get soggy feet!
If you happen to have a furry animal as a pet you might want to gently encourage them to sleep somewhere that is not on you or on your bed thankfully for us this isn’t a problem as Rambo likes to sleep in his own bed but I’ve got lots of friends who are having problems with this at the moment.
Finally, and probably the most obvious one is to invest in a decent fan which will last you for years to come and do a proper job of cooling the air around you. This year we’ve been sent a Devola fan from AirConCentre.co.uk and it has been doing a great job of keeping us cool during a really warm days. It can be floor standing or placed on a worktop/table as it is height adjustable. We’ve mostly been using on the kitchen counter as this room gets really warm in the mornings as it gets all the sun. What is great about the Devola Fan is that it has a remote control which should be impossible to lose because it attaches with a magnet to the very centre of the fan when it’s not in use. It’s great for when I’m sat at the table working and want to turn it up/down/off without having to lose my train of thought (or get distracted by the snack cupboard!)
With an eco function timer function, controls on the fan itself as well as the remote, 12 speeds, a digital display and the ability to oscillate both sideways and up and down this fan should suit any home. We’ve also used it in the bedroom when it’s to hot to sleep and I was worried about the noise but it’s practically silent which is really welcome! With a white base, blades and case the upright is a brushed chrome the fan would blend into any surroundings really subtly. If you’re not sure what type of fan would be best for your needs then there’s a handy fan buying guide too.