With temperatures recently hitting 34C in some parts of the UK, and with more heat-waves predicted this summer, Barratt Homes has created some simple tips to help people keep cool and safe in their homes this summer with seven handy tips:
- Maximise the breeze - It may sound simple but opening your windows is still the best way to cool down. Try to stimulate air flow from room to room. Leave doors and windows open to ensure air is pulled both in and out.
- Be careful about security too - Summer is a peak period for burglaries, so you also need to be vigilant when it comes to home security. When opening windows for ventilation consider using window locks. Most new homes are fitted with these as standard, or you can buy them to fit if you have an older home.
- Cool bedrooms down before you sleep - According to The Sleep Council, bedrooms should remain at a cool 16-18C to aid sleep. Make sure you open windows early in the evening, so that bedrooms have a chance to cool down. Opening windows just before bed will mean it takes longer for the temperature to come down – leaving you tossing and turning.
- Keep your curtains or blinds closed - During the heat of the day when the sunlight is strongest, keep blinds and curtains drawn. This might mean keeping your windows shut for a few hours when the sunshine is at its maximum, but just open them again when this has passed.
- Check your insulation - Remember, insulation works both ways. As well as keeping your house warm in the colder months, it will keep roofs, walls and floors cool in the heat of the summer. Those with new-build homes should have good insulation as standard, but with older houses it is always good to check how much insulation you have.
- Strategically placed fans - Not everyone is a ‘fan’ of fans but if you do use them, position them so they push warm air towards the windows rather than to the centre of a room. This will help to cool the air down quicker.
- If in doubt – cool yourself down from freezing water in a hot water bottle to chilling water in a demister spray as a handy refresher, there are plenty of ways to keep yourself cool. Dampen towels with cold water and place them near to fans, or even put your pillowcases in the freezer before bedtime.