There’s a simple, free way you can keep the temperature down in your home this summer
Summer is a time to unwind outdoors and soak up the glorious weather, but the heat can become stifling if you’re confined indoors. British homes are built to retain warmth, which is why they frequently feel stuffy, and running a fan constantly can push up your energy costs.
However, Micaela, the founder of Stylish London Living, has revealed that cooling your home is surprisingly straightforward – you simply need to open your windows at the correct time. Micaela said: “I keep all windows and curtains closed during the day when the sun is at its strongest, then open them wide once the temperature drops in the evening.”
Throughout the day, sunlight streaming through windows will rapidly warm up your property, particularly during the peak hours which typically fall between 11am and 6pm.
Drawing your curtains during daylight hours works like insulation to limit the amount of heat entering, while opening windows in the evening helps expel any warm air lingering inside.
It may sound straightforward, but spending a few moments opening and closing windows will lower both the temperature and moisture levels in your home to keep you comfortable during summer, reports the Express.
How to keep your home cool in summer
If you do have a fan, switching them on in the evening is far more efficient than using them during the day, as it helps drive the warm air out of your property.
You can also position a bowl of ice in front of a fan to replicate the effect of a natural air conditioner, rapidly cooling your home and making those sweltering summer nights far more bearable.
Keep interior doors open in the evening to allow air to circulate freely between rooms, and move bulky furniture and heavy curtains out of the way, as these can obstruct airflow.
That said, it’s crucial to shut windows and curtains in the morning at around 8am to keep the heat at bay and ensure your ventilation strategy works effectively.
If a particular part of your home gets a great deal of direct sunlight, it may be worth investing in blackout curtains to limit heat build-up. If you do open the curtains, try to spend time in rooms with north-facing windows instead.
Micaela explained: “Your home has natural cooling potential that you might not be utilising! I’ve discovered that our north-facing rooms stay naturally cooler, so during extreme heat, we relocate our daily activities to these spaces.”
