Our upstairs is too hot, can anyone help?

[TheBreezeTheBreeze]

An issue we have had for a while now. 20's semi, carpeted upstairs. The upstairs traps heat due to the position of the house, which literally bakes like a bloody brick kiln on the front end most days when it's even mildly warm. Since early March it has been incessant.

We have recently had new windows and doors fitted and really need to pull in the purse strings, so can't afford to do anything elaborate.
Unfortunately, opening a window, however slightly, introduces insects, honey bees and wasps, but mostly regular flies that are a severe irritant. And often, even if we do open a window, depending upon the weather, it doesn't make much difference.
The upstairs rooms are extremely humid, so we run a Dyson fan in the bedroom when it get's quite warm (like tonight).

Are there any cheap fixes that can help us out? Someone mentioned placing a bowl of cool water beneath the fan, but it doesn't seem to do much. I would prefer not to splash out on an expensive dehumidifier at this point as we really do need every penny for other priorities atm. Any kind of air conditioning unit would really set us back.
Until we can do something like this, I would love to hear any tips or advice to get us through this summer.

Keeping blinds closes during the day helps

if you have a lift hatch, open it

Assume you've tried the obvious of all windows and curtains closed all day, then open the windows at night?

Thanks.
Blinds are definitely shut!

It's so awful my hair frizzes up like a sponge 10 mins after washing.
We did have a cheap-ish dehumidifier that did diddly squat last year, so not too keen on trying another. I imagine we'd need a rather expensive set up.

Sadly the fan can really dry my eyes and nose out. It's a real pain in the arse.

Insect screen on the windows so you can open them…? Doesn’t need to be expensive- either some mesh fabric attached with Velcro tape, or a bead curtain type setup

You can buy a ceiling fan for £40 in b and q.

Thats exactly what we did as our upstairs is baking all the time.
we keep the blinds and curtains closed during the day in the summer and then when we go up we put the ceiling fan on and open the window and curtain to let fresh air in.

it’s the best thing I’ve found

We keep blinds and windows shut during the day. Then in the evening once it starts to cool down we go up, open the blinds and windows (lights off!), put the fan on oscillate and shut the door. Leave it alone for the evening. This brings the temperature down so it’s bearable to sleep in. I do shut the windows and blinds again to sleep as I fear flying bugs.

We did buy an air conditioning unit one year but it was expensive, ugly, loud and broke after one summer!

We do have a few fans, and a very good tall one, but they can't reduce humidity, unless I'm missing something, I suppose they just throw the air around. It plays havoc with my sinuses.

I would honestly move if we could, for other reasons, but for the time being I just have to get on with it.

On the up side, our fuel bills are low in winter! It is a very warm home.

Why is it so humid inside? Are you in the UK?

Does the front of the house face south? Don't understand how it's getting overly hot this early in the year.

I have thermal blackout curtains in my bedroom that are kept shut most of summer as the sun hits our room most of the day but we keep the windows open for air. It does keep it cool as I have windows open at the other end of the house for a through draught.

Window solar film on upstairs windows has really helped lower the temperature in our south facing bedroom which gets unbearably hot. Bought on Amazon for around £25.

Yes, we had some dreadful experiences with hornets. It does make you less and less keen to ventilate! We also live close to a small wood, so plenty flying critters about.

Honestly by 3pm in the bedroom the front facing bricks are hot enough to fry an egg. Covering the window is almost useless, but we do it anyway.

No idea why.
We are in Lancaster in the north west so not exactly tropical!
There are carpets upstairs, no excessive textiles, no curtains, just blackout & venetian blinds.
Downstairs is pretty warm but fine in comparison.

Front bedroom faces west, slightly south west.

Have you got a thermometer? And maybe a hygrometer to see how humid it is? It sounds very unusual.

Dyson fans are very good and silent , I think they do one that’s combined with chilled air, like ac

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Portable-Conditioner-Colorful-function-Bedroom-White/dp/B0D2HVQHYJ/ref=asc_df_B0D2HVQHYJ?mcid=eaf2014d2a55385e86c94347bda97461&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=706345967659&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2537877649440549460&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9193053&hvtargid=pla-2327678200266&psc=1&gad_source=4

Something like this?

@zzpled it’s reached 26 here today so quite warm especially if it’s rising up to a loft

But it’s way too early in the year to get significant bees, wasps, hornets in any numbers — even flies. Just open your windows after the sun sets. Worry about insect season later — the obvious thing is to make your own anti-insect screen cheaply.

Tinted frosting for windows to keep it cooler inside. You can get rolls from anywhere online.

a plug in ac that fits into a slightly opened window.

I’d rip up the carpet long term, I also have a warm home, but I prefer it that way and use blackout curtains / no carpet.

Regarding bugs I’ve found if you let spiders live they kill everything else 😅

An open velux loft window would be most effective I think

A fan has no cooling impact unless it is blowing on you

I can't see where you have answered this if you have, if you have a loft hatch, open that so the heat rises up through it.

Also, running cold water into the bath and leaving it may take some heat out

I was also going to say open the loft hatch. It really makes a huge difference.

Never kill spiders, we have a few!

Sad to hear this sounds unusual, it feels a bit hopeless. Not the end of the world but I currently work from home, don't suit it, and would love to get back out there. Something to consider.

As for insects we have tons.
We have a shrub across the road that is swimming with what appear to be either small honey bees or wasps (i'm not an expert on this type of thing) .We had the bathroom and back room windows open for an hour earlier this evening and have three irritating houseflies now (whatever they are called).

There are midges, or tiny flying insects that are attracted to my screen, and there doesn't seem to be a time this past few yrs where something that could sting isn't finding it's way in. Even if you leave the windows open only a thin sliver of a crack, they seem to be able to flatten themselves on entry like Victor bloody Tooms from the XFiles
Perhaps it's the local wildlife, god knows. House and outdoors are clean, nothing attracting flies, etc.

Sorry, yes, we do, it is very tiny but will try it, thanks for the tip (the more the merrier).