Keeping homes cool

[Orangeinmybluelightcup]

Stating the obvious, it was sweltering last night! Homes in this country were not designed for the heat... Things are only going to get worse, from what I've read climate change is really starting to get a grip right now. Floods in Germany, fires in Siberia, the amazon is a carbon source now, not a sink. This got me wondering, what measures can we retrofit into our homes to help keep them cool, without using yet more energy ie air con?!

We are getting rid of our conservatory this month, replacing it with a brick built extension. It's like an oven in there, unusably hot, and that heat comes into the rest of the house.

In Italy they put the bottom of weighted curtains in long narrow buckets of water. The water capillaries up keeping the room cool. Ruins your curtains mind….

@superram

I would draw the curtains. Pull down my kegs. Put my bottom in the cool water.

Must be done in that order though.

Sounds soothing. Is a cool bottom better than cool feet?

@superram I hang damp laundry in the windows and doorways! I’m not sure if it’s psychological, but it feels cooler.

Lots of these things are about helping people cope, which is vital. But homes are going to have to change, be adapted, so we don't need to hang wet pants everywhere and dip our bottoms in buckets!

Environments outside of he home need to be addressed to. Pp have mentioned gardens being plant based rather than concrete. I would also like to see a return to tree lined streets and gardens with trees. They don’t have to be huge, but can make a real difference to how cool an area is. As pp said not all homes are going to be able to upgrade/adapt that easily.

Only on mumsnet do I get an ad for window shutters slap bang in the middle of this post lol

🤣

Window shutters
If not shutters then blinds and lined curtains or double blinds
Well insulated lofts
To stop it getting worse cut back on carbon dioxide producing activities. If we all reduced the easiest few things for us it would help.

@DinosaurDiana

The sun comes up on one side of my house, and down on the other, so which ever side the sun is on you put the blinds down/close curtains. On the other side you have the windows wide open. At lunch time I go round and swap the blinds/curtains. Keep anything switched off that makes heat if you can, like lights.

Thats what we do, my house is nice a cool inside.

@FedUpAtHomeTroels I've done that all day though and always do in the heat, the bedrooms are currently 35 degrees...

@Bargebill19 my garden is the coolest part of my 'house'!

Open loft hatch if you have one

Already open! Hence my point really that houses need to change...

Open skylight and doors. My house is ancient and only the attics get hot hot.

The sun doesn’t get around to the front of my
House until evening so my living room is always lovely and cool, upstairs though? Geez the heat is unreal

@BG21031 I live in a rural village, no shops, dentist or school is in walking distance. I also don’t have a garage or a drive and my house is set far away from the road so no idea how I would charge an electric car 🤷‍♀️

Oh an before someone suggests public transport? Not reliable enough and I work in community nursing covering a large rural area so rely on my car

We have a loft conversion that is sweltering in summer and freezing in winter. Just out of interest, any suggestions for what to do to improve this?

@whatnow90. Electric blanket.😇
(I’ll not get my coat it’s too hot)

@whatnow90 probably need to look at your insulation, ventilation, solar gain/lack of, could look at an air source heat pump

I know this is an NZ link my dad sent it me, they have no central heating there so these are normal... www.daikin.co.nz/articles/what-inverter-heat-pump-and-why-do-i-need-one

[quote Bargebill19]@whatnow90. Electric blanket.😇
(I’ll not get my coat it’s too hot)[/quote]
Haha yes we do actually have one for winter. And a pedestal fan at the bottom of the bed. Last night I punched the cats cooling mat and slept with that on me. But there must be something I can do more permanent to get better airflow up there?

I bought some ceiling fans from b and q for £60 each and they are brilliant

Aeg air conditioner the best investment. A little pricey at £499 (if on sale) as normal price is £599. But my house is cool. Literally put in one room and opened the doors. All areas of the house is cool. All windows and curtains closed as well.