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Original poster

How are you keeping bedrooms cool in this heat?

111 replies

Cones · 11/07/2022 18:16

The sun shines in the bedroom from two angles from lunchtime till sunset. The walls are warm to the touch where sun has heated the whole room. This is with curtains and blinds closed, but because the walls are being heated, it’s like a furnace.

open windows about 8pm ish but the room stays too warm until around 1am.

is an air con unit the only option or is there an alternative?

OP posts:
IWouldBeSuperb · 11/07/2022 21:17

@WestIsWest

Do you move it from room to room to cool each one?

We've just got one but it seems like such a faff to drag it around and seal into windows etc. But if we don't then we seem to be trying (unsuccessfully) to cool the whole house!

Floralnomad · 11/07/2022 21:19

We are SE , keep curtains and windows closed until about 6 pm then open them with fly screens down and close them about 10/11 pm , each bedroom has 2 fans - it’s working so far .

declutteringmymind · 11/07/2022 21:20

We close the curtains and open the windows for the part of day the sun beats through the windows. Leave the curtains slightly open and open an opposite window to create a through draft.

NormalForNuneaton · 11/07/2022 21:21

We're currently on holiday in Spain and I'm sleeping so well with the aircon so I'm dreading returning home to a sweltering bedroom.

Tempted to look into getting a portable unit at home

OperaStation · 11/07/2022 21:22

tiredanddangerous · 11/07/2022 19:57

Hot water bottle filled with cold water and put in the freezer. Don't use it for hot water again afterwards though.

I did this the other day? Why can’t I use it for hot water again?

TrainBrainCrain · 11/07/2022 21:25

@OperaStation because the the integrity of the rubber will be compromised now and it’s at a high risk of leaking or exploding once it’s used for hot water again (learnt this the VERY hard way 😫)

OperaStation · 11/07/2022 21:53

TrainBrainCrain · 11/07/2022 21:25

@OperaStation because the the integrity of the rubber will be compromised now and it’s at a high risk of leaking or exploding once it’s used for hot water again (learnt this the VERY hard way 😫)

I’m so glad you told me!

Oldraver · 11/07/2022 22:00

Our bedrooms in the loft are currently at 32 degrees, absolutely nothing works. They have a stupidly 55 cm opening in a recessed dormer

Were sleeping downstairs

Oldraver · 11/07/2022 22:01

Sorry the window has a tiny opening

BorisJohnsonsHair · 11/07/2022 22:06

The irony is that air conditioning is a big contributor to global warming...

JaninaDuszejko · 11/07/2022 22:07

Move to Orkney?

Alternatively sleep in the rooms to the north or east in your house with the windows wide open.

TeresaGreenintheSpring · 11/07/2022 22:10

I’ve moved from a south facing bedroom to the spare north facing bedroom. Sash windows open top and bottom and the interlined blinds shut all day. I have got a fan but haven’t had it on - the noise gets on my nerves.

TheDogsMother · 11/07/2022 22:10

powershowerforanhour · 11/07/2022 20:06

I find that living in the west of Northern Ireland works a treat for this problem. It has been overcast for a fortnight (before that it was overcast and pissing rain every day) and currently 10-15 deg cooler than the south of England.

On the rare occasions that the mercury climbs above about 25deg and we're all sweltering , trying to get a through draught does help a bit

Can we all come round to yours ? 🤣

bellac11 · 11/07/2022 22:12

BorisJohnsonsHair · 11/07/2022 22:06

The irony is that air conditioning is a big contributor to global warming...

Yes, in countries where its common, they have public information warnings about turning it up, like we do for turning our heating down!!

SortingOffice · 11/07/2022 22:13

I bought a portable air con unit a few years ago.
We have a cottage with attic bedrooms and no loft which are like a furnace. After a very hot summer when air con was sold out everywhere I bought one the following January.
It's absolute bliss. Gets used a few days a year and after an hour my bedroom is arctic.

dudsville · 11/07/2022 22:24

Our house is right in the middle, one side gets the early morning sun and starts heating up so we'd wake early, the other side gets the sun from about 1pm. Twice a day we go around closing and opening windows and curtains. Last year we did resort to sleeping downstairs, but it's far from ideal. We're older and thin mats on the floor or the issue of getting up and down from the floor just bring new problems. Finally bought a portable air con unit. It brings the bedroom back to a comfy temp and then it's switched off, so it's only used a couple of hours a day on hot days. Such a luxury.

WildFlowerBees · 11/07/2022 22:27

We've dragged our mattress downstairs, fan on, it's a little bit cooler at least.

myyellowcar · 11/07/2022 22:28

Please recommend your air con units. My bank card is literally poised and ready. Do you have to vent them out of the window?

DeePlume · 11/07/2022 22:37

My house is really old so it's cold in the winter but also cool in the summer. Also got windows open after dark, fan ans empty duvet cover to sleep under as I hate not having anything on me

thesonicoscillator · 11/07/2022 22:43

Feel your pain, we live in Italy, it hasn't been under 33 since April and max of 39. We have no air con and the bedroom is in the attic. It's currently 36°C in there and it's 11:45pm, so we've been sleeping in the living room on the sofa for weeks now, Nothing keeps the walls cool.

Nutrigrainygoodness · 11/07/2022 22:43

A few years ago I bought 2 tower fans.
I'm currently under the duvet with a fan pointed at me. It sounds like dd is doing the same.
I am the perfect temperature.
You could lie in the empty bath (dcats suggestion)

SuziSecondLaw · 11/07/2022 22:44

Bought an air con unit that we really couldn't afford. No regrets 🤷🏻‍♀️

RoseValleyRambles · 11/07/2022 22:48

We got one of the challenge Aircon units f rom Argos. Well reviewed by which, and comparatively cheap. Does a great job - you just need an opening window within reach of the 1.5m vent duct.

saleorbouy · 11/07/2022 22:49

Spray or moisten the widow pane and attach tin foil. It will reflect the sun and cut down on the solar gain in bedrooms.

BeeEllEyePeePeeEye · 11/07/2022 22:50

GrumpyPanda · 11/07/2022 20:05

I put rescue blankets over the windows in the daytime. The thin silver type - worth raiding your car's first aid kit if you replace it immediately, or order for pennies online. They're amazing, really cut down on the heat that gets through whike still letting in light. Then in the evening, a proper American-style high velocity fan to get the cooler air in. Planning to install A/C but didn't get around yet.

We've just moved and had been doing this in the loft bedroom, but then read about them causing windows to crack and got scared off. We've got a sucker on black out blind for now and a cooling fan thing that you put ice blocks in the water drawer. We definitely need to sort the set up for next year as it's intolerable up there.