How do you keep your DC's room cool I this weather?

[PolytheneGirl]

How do you keep you DC's room cool in this weather. I'm having a nightmare with my DS's room. It only get the sun in the morning, I have thermal blackout curtains which have been closed all day, windows open and fan on and it is still roasting!

None of us got any sleep last night because he was so over heated and made himself sick.

Any ideas?

[gamerchick]

I would take down the curtains as they'll be retaining the heat, when my bedrooms used to get loads of direct sun I stuck tinfoil to the windows.

people thought I was nuts but it helped. You need white to reflect the heat rather than black if you're not keen.

[gamerchick]

*reflect the sun rather

[BoysBoysBoysAndMe]

Keep as many windows and doors open to create a vacuum and hopefully some breeze.

I'd open the curtains if they're heavy and just pop up a light sheet. This will also help waft a bit of breeze rather than heavy curtains.

Putting ice in front of the fan should help a little too.

[ColinFirthsGirth]

We sometimes get wet but wrung out towels and hang them over the window - if the window is open it seems to cool the room down overnight. We also use a fan when they go to bed until the children go to sleep.

[LeoTheLateBloomer]

I have a fan for DD's bedroom.

When I was with ex he used to hose down the outside of the house which took the heat out of the bricks. It was remarkably effective.

[purrpurr]

If you have a loft, open the hatch. Open all upstairs windows and doors. The breeze should help circulate the warm air which should rise obligingly up through the loft hatch. This works really well for us, our house is a heat sponge.

[valiumredhead]

Windows open and curtains pulled but not the black out blind and the fan on and cool shower just before need.

[PolytheneGirl]

I really though I was doing the right thing keeping the curtains shut as the thermal linings said they would keep the heat in in the winter and out in the summer.

I've kept all windows and doors open all afternoon. Will try all your other suggestions. Bed time now. Wish me luck

Thanks.

[redcaryellowcar]

We bought white heat reflecting blinds which are supposed to help dss room faces almost due south socan be like an oven, in the afternoon we open window lower blind and pop fan on, its still arm but not stifling. We also open all upstairs windows and close curtains in the other south facing bedroom!my cousins who live in oz suggest damp towel draped over fan, hth.

[redcaryellowcar]

We bought white heat reflecting blinds which are supposed to help dss room faces almost due south socan be like an oven, in the afternoon we open window lower blind and pop fan on, its still arm but not stifling. We also open all upstairs windows and close curtains in the other south facing bedroom!my cousins who live in oz suggest damp towel draped over fan, hth.

[PlainOldVanilla]

Great thread I was thinking of starting one myself .

[Chumble]

Pull curtains and blinds, only open windows on latch not fully open as hot air comes in. Keep door open and open windows in cooler parts of house to create air flow throughout house.

In very hot countries people use blinds and kep windows closed during hot hours.....

[teacher123]

We bought a portable air conditioner last year when ds was about 3 months anspd struggling horribly with the heat. It has a hose that you hang out the window like a tumble dryer. Cost £200 but worth every penny. We put it on for an hour before each nap and bed, and then leave window open and fan on. Last year his room got up to 30 degrees, and he was just inconsolable. Our house gets crazy hot in summer, but at least it's cosy in winter!

[PoppyAmex]

I'm from Southern Europe and we get up to 41c temperatures in the Summer - easy solutions:

• keep blinds down all day
  
• keep all windows open all day/night
  
• believe it or not, it feels cooler to have a muslim or light sheet on than nothing at all (DD is currently wearing a Aden + Anais muslim sleeping bag)

[Sconset]

I always find sleeping with a muslim makes me feel hotter!

[SarahLou78]

Brilliant thread - DS was up and down all night last night as I took off / put on items of clothing. He is currently naked inside a 1 tog sleeping bag with the fan on. Windows been open all day and it's still 26 degrees in his room! Hoping for a better nights sleep but worried he'll be too hot inside his sleeping bag. Knew I would worry as a parent but the masses of things we find to worry about is incredible.

[night1971]

muslin

[PoppyAmex]

Oh crap!

[PoppyAmex]

And I wrote it twice too!

[valiumredhead]

Ds was prem and I only ever had him in a vest and lose sheet, no need for gro bags or sleeping bags in this weather.

[valiumredhead]

Loose-silly phone!

[PolytheneGirl]

DS's room was much cooler tonight. He's in just his pant under a cotton sheet with the fan on, loft hatch open, etc. Touch wood, he's sound asleep.

Thanks for all the hints. Hope your DC's are all comfortable too!

[CaurnieBred]

We gave up one year after dd was inconsolable in the heat: fan and damp muslin just not working. dh was sent up the loft to get the travel cot and we put her down in the living room. It was much cooler there and she went to sleep.

[Goldmandra]

The best thing we did as to put roof lights in the loft. They are open 24/7 at the moment and they stop the heat building up in the loft then radiating down into the house at night.

I shut DD1's blackout curtains while the sun is on the room, leaving the window open behind them. It definitely seems to help.