As temperatures soar during the summer months, many people struggle to keep their homes cool. As heatwaves grow more frequent and severe, comprehensive and strategic actions are needed to ensure that all homes remain safe and livable. This piece delves into some of the most promising solutions to overcome that extreme heat. Learn how fans, central air conditioners and basic cooling methods can save you from the heat.
Keeping windows covered helps hold onto that cooler climate indoors. By blocking out sunlight—a major source of heat gain—these products allow users to block thermal radiation from penetrating into their homes. Even inexpensive measures, such as dangling draperies or barriers in front of windows, can go a long way to minimize heat entry. These techniques work best in the high-sun hours of the day. They provide a more comfortable and enjoyable environment for residents to experience indoors.
Choosing the Right Fan
No surprise here, the AirCraft Lume positions itself as the favorite Overall Fan Favorite. At £119 it’s superb value for money. Thanks to its style and quality performance, this pedestal fan is a favorite among residential consumers. If you’re looking to save some money, the Devola fan is a great cheaper option, costing just £49.99. This is about the best desk fan money can buy considering the cooling it provides vs cost.
Along with conventional fans, evaporative coolers offer an alternative, less expensive way to cool indoor environments. The Swan 5 Litre Nordic Air Cooler, £69.99, is another budget-friendly option that cools air by evaporating water. These heavy duty coolers really shine during the desert heat. Perhaps less so on a sultry British summer’s day.
Effective Cooling Techniques
The good news is, beyond fans and coolers, there are plenty of low-cost and no-cost techniques people can implement to cool down. Cold compresses provide immediate comfort. They work by concentrating on areas of your body, such as the back of the neck, armpits or wrists. Using a cold compress applied to the back of the neck is especially successful in reducing one’s body temperature rapidly.
Cooking can produce a large amount of heat inside a home. On a day in the middle of a heatwave, you’d be better off minimizing use of the hob and oven altogether. Choosing no-cook meals or using outdoor cooking to stay out of the kitchen can prevent heat buildup while cooking.
Portable air conditioning units are a great option for those looking for a more robust cooling solution. These units are less expensive to install compared to permanent “split” air conditioning systems. They’re quite energy intensive and their cooling capacity is often measured in BTU or British Thermal Units. Cheap portable air conditioning units start from around £130, with the more effective models generally costing from £300 upwards.
Maximizing Airflow and Reducing Humidity
To optimize airflow in a home during a heatwave, residents should consider opening windows overnight or early in the morning to let cooler air in. When the outside temperature starts to climb, keeping windows and doors closed is an effective way to keep cooler air contained inside. In fact, the most impactful thing you can do is have air continuously interacting with solid surfaces to keep conditions more comfortable indoors.
Dehumidifiers are equally important cooling specific rooms, like bedrooms and living rooms. On high humidity days, they help take that moisture out of the air and cool your home, making the space much more pleasant and comfortable. Though they are not intended as a long-term cooling solution, they often serve well for temporary use in especially hot weeks when extreme heat emergencies arise.