This summer is one of the hottest summers on record, and whilst just a few months back, we were all looking at how to keep your home warm through one of the coldest winters we’ve had for some time… the seasons seem to be getting more and more pronounced, which means the need to stay warm and cool, are becoming more pertinent to our daily lives.
Countries such as the UK aren’t very well equipped for the extreme heat we’ve been experiencing this summer, as unlike places such as Spain and the South of France where intense hot weather is predictable, and therefore, measures are in place to counteract the intensity of the sizzling sun – such as shutters on the windows and air conditioning units installed in most homes, in the UK, we simply aren’t prepared.
Here, the focus is much more on central heating as opposed to air conditioning and when the weather is as hot as it has been, and still is, we simply struggle to cope. Often, we’ll rush out to the supermarket in order to pick up a few fans before they run out, but that’s pretty much the limit, and using fans in this way can be an expensive way to stay cool.
This article therefore offers a number of suggestions to help you stay cool this summer, in a way that won’t break the bank.
Turn up the thermostat
If you have air conditioning as part of your heating system, then you might want to consider turning up the thermostat a few notches, as most people set their air conditioning system to blast out such cold air that it can feel like they’re walking into a fridge! Not only is this an expensive way to keep cool in terms of summer energy use it’s also not very good for your health.
Make use of a timer
The majority of modern thermostats come with a timer, which means you can set it to come on just before you get home. This way you’re not wasting electricity on keeping the house cool all day, when you’re not even there to reap the benefit – and it usually only takes about 15 minutes to cool a house, so make use of your timer and save energy.
Limit the number of rooms you cool
If you’re like most people then there’s a strong possibility you only live in a few rooms within your house, or at least, spend 80% of your time in these select few rooms. It’s therefore frugal to only cool the rooms you’ll actually be in; and keep the doors closed to other rooms in order to see a huge saving in energy costs.
Insulate
Typically, insulation is known for keeping the heat in rather than the cool in, but if you’re using air conditioning then good insulation will trap the cool air within your property.
Adapt
Countries like Spain have adapted to deal with the intense heat, for instance, they’ll have a siesta in the middle of the afternoon when the sun is at its hottest. They also have shutters on their windows in order to keep the intensity of the sun’s heat deflected away from their property. You can do something similar with stylish made to measure plantation shutters, or simply keep the curtains closed – though if you keep the curtains closed, unlike with blinds, you’ll restrict the fresh air getting into your home which can make things feel quite stuffy.
Change your bedding
The majority of us tend to get most hot at night, so you’ll want to adapt your bedding to summer sheets rather than a thick winter duvet and consider turning your mattress over as many modern mattresses have a summer side and a winter side.
Ventilate
A much healthier and cheaper way to stay cool during the night, when sleeping, is to ensure a decent supply of fresh air comes into the bedroom rather than using air conditioning… as getting fresh air will be much better for your body, in particular your respiratory system in addition to joints, than having air conditioning blasting cold air into the bedroom.
The main problem with air conditioning is that it can really dry you out, in the sense that it can cause issues such as dry eyes, dry sore throats, and skin dehydration that results in dry skin conditions, or the exacerbation of existing conditions such as eczema.
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