#heatwave advice

hey so i just heard that the uk is going through a heatwave (again..) so i thought i could give some advice as a person that lives in a city with temperatures over 30°C everyday in summer and as an architecture student

first of all if you have south facing windows and you have blinds, keep them closed or partially closed from 10am to 16pm, this will help keep your house cool basically use your blinds as "brise soleil", this is what i use in summer and it means that i only really need AC when the temperatures go to 35°C+, also keep the windows closed bc most of your house have probably double sized glass to keep the cool out but these also can help keep the heat out if you let them work in the shade!

open your windows at night, specially if there's a breeze coming from the north or east! those will help it cool it down and keep yor house cool during the day! letting all the trapped humidity go away, also to keep humidity out it's very important to used the least amount of hot water in your house, even for dishes or showers, steam and humidity are great friends

i would generally tell everyone who has rugs to roll them up, they trap a lot of heat and generally if you have wood floors they need space and air to properly expand with the heat, also if you have ceramic floors that floor is your friend

For my fellow UK folks. It's going to be well over 40c indoors given we're not blessed with things sensible nations get such as AC in any form. Check the temperatures your meds need to be stored at! Including supplements and vitamins! Put what needs it into the fridge, or a cooler safe place in the home if you can.

There's a strong possibility of more intense heatwaves across Europe and the UK this July. If you're looking for temporary passive cooling solutions during this period, the Heatwave Toolkit (Run by a chartered engineer) is a useful source of ideas.

"This website explores highly-effective, low-effort, low-cost, and rapidly-deployable solutions to keep homes cool during a UK heatwave. Most of these solutions are also landlord-friendly!"

Coverings for windows are an excellent idea, but the approach matters, and affects how powerful their cooling effect will be.

Internal coverings for windows are a good start to reduce heat in rooms, however they aren't perfect and can still let heat build up inside. Internal blinds, or coverings, can be used for this. Crucially, especially for double glazed windows, avoid applying internal films or foil directly on to the internal window surface. This can cause thermal shock on the glass and potentially lead to cracking!

The best solution, by far, is external coverings, such as shutters or even materials such as towels, external foil-bubble wraps or sheets. Very important to note that these should be secured safely to prevent them from blowing away in wind or falling.

Looking for more advice? The Heatwave Toolkit is a great basic resource with general, public friendly, tips for passive cooling for your house. Take a look at their website and definitely consider giving them a tip to help hosting costs if you've found their advice useful!

- make sure you have food at home. Easy foods as well, slaving over a hot stove is not fun in this wheater. Things like microwave meals are a good idea now.

- if you have to go outside by foot, bike, skateboard or anything else that isn’t a Airconditioned car or public transport, try to take a route in the shadows and if you can past cooled stores so you can take a break if you need to.

- bring enough water or other another hydrating drink! (Good thing of water is that you can also dunk it over your head if it is really hot. That’s how I survive the walk from the library yesterday).

- eat enough. Your body uses more energy in this wheater.

-keep your curtains, windows and doors closed as much as possible so the cold air stays in the house. If you have fans, put it on.

- if your workplace is not properly aircondionted, go home if you feel bad.

- put a wet washcloth in your neck or on your head. It will keep you cooler.

- there is a lot of water in cumcumber.

thanks anon! I actually can't even sleep in my room bc it's too hot in there (I've migrated to the lounge room where there's an aircon), even with the newly installed blinds and the fan.