The Great 'Ways to keep cool' Hunt

pboae · 2 July 2009 at 2:50AM

I'm sure I read it somewhere in this thread, but I can't find the post now. But opening your loft hatch really helps. If you are a good moneysaver, you'll have insulated your loft. The hot air rises, and then gets trapped in the house by the insulation. Open your loft hatch and the hot air carries on rising up into the attic space. That gets rid of the worst of the hot air, and helps keep the air moving in the house. Loft spaces are (or should be) well ventilated, which is why we insulate them, so the air keeps on circulating.

I also keep the curtains drawn in the south facing rooms. I am thinking of getting insulated roller blinds for behind the curtains too. They should help in winter and summer.

For my dog I freeze slightly damp towels for him to lie on, that really helps a lot. I also make him doggy lolly pops, little pots of frozen water with a little bit of something stirred in first, gravy or a spoonful of the tomato sauce from tinned sardines, whatever is to hand. He loves them and because they lose a lot of heat through their mouths, licking ice cools them quickly.

[Deleted User] · 2 July 2009 at 5:54AM

I put a cooler on last night, set in the doorway with `ventilation` from a window either side. Anyway the loft hatch is open and has been for a couple of weeks now, my dh made a mesh cover for it with metal radiator mesh from b and q, which stops insects. The cooler was on a timer and was very effective and we slept all through

We went to T last night and there was a huge amount of heat coming up off the tarmac, it reminds me of the old fashioned storage heaters which were filled with bricks. Pity help all those having to be in the likes of London, it must be stifling

I am concerned about all those who are susceptible to being burgled as burglers must be having a whale of a time at the moment, in and out of open windows day and night

ceridwen · 2 July 2009 at 6:42AM

kittie wrote: »

I put a cooler on last night, set in the doorway with `ventilation` from a window either side. Anyway the loft hatch is open and has been for a couple of weeks now, my dh made a mesh cover for it with metal radiator mesh from b and q, which stops insects. The cooler was on a timer and was very effective and we slept all through

I am concerned about all those who are susceptible to being burgled as burglers must be having a whale of a time at the moment, in and out of open windows day and night

I keep wondering whether I should have my loft hatch open or no - I follow the bit about hot air rising - but the loft itself gets stiflingly hot in the summer - so I would worry that hot air could go the other way instead....

Re burglars and open windows - that is a problem I am concerned about...I would like to feel free to leave my windows open when I need to - but with the risk of burglars etc I only feel able to do so when I am in the room when I'm up and about and, in the case of a downstairs window - when I'm actually in the room concerned too. Any suggestions on dealing with that welcome - as to how I can have my windows open without having to worry about those "(expletive deleted) characters"?? (I would love those metal shutters as per the Continent - but that would look Fort Knox-like in this country and be likely to attract (unwelcome) attention....so I wonder whether theres any sort of "low visibility" strong internal grilles or something one can attach to the inside of a window/readily remove oneself when required or something).

I've also wondered whether to have one of those Velux(?) type windows put in the loft - so that I could open a window up there if required (to be better able to follow the "open the loft hatch for hot air to rise" advice). Anyone done this and know how much it costs etc?

[Deleted User] · 2 July 2009 at 8:41AM

ceridwen, don`t forget that hot air rises. Do you have any spaces in the loft open to the air? We have some at the rafter feet

Trinny · 2 July 2009 at 5:12PM

moggins wrote: »

Tonight I am off to bed early to try and get up and do the housework before it gets too hot tomorrow. I just can't cope with this heat, I'm suffering from swollen feet, headaches, migraines and just sheer exhaustion.

I'm loathe to keep the fan on as my electric bills are high enough as it is, anyone have any brilliant suggestions for trying to keep cool enough to get some work done?

Do the hot jobs when the sun has gone down
Get up early and do them before the sun comes up - when we were on hol in Jamaica - most of the locals are up at 4 to do their chores - some of em even go for a run before sunrise as its too hot later

Open enough doors/windows to get a through draft
Drink plenty
Get your shorts etc on

Enjoy - its not going to last much beyond the weekend and most of us normally have to pay for a foreign holiday to enjoy this kind of heat

treat it like an OS holiday abroad

Feet up - cool drink - good book

Trin

rosieben · 7 July 2009 at 11:05PM

1_step_closer wrote: »

I keep a flannel in the fridge to wipe me down - and placing it over my feet just before i go to bed. I find if my feet are cooled down the rest follows................
1 step

my dsis was suffering badly in the heat last week and I told her about the flannel in the fridge; she tried it and said it was wonderful! she asked me to say thanks to you for the tip! :T

buxtonrabbitgreen · 7 July 2009 at 11:15PM

I said it wouldn't last long. I found the best thing to be cool was to wear a dress. Sleevless and not fitted anywhere.

bellaquidsin · 8 July 2009 at 8:22AM

buxtonrabbitgreen wrote: »

I said it wouldn't last long. I found the best thing to be cool was to wear a dress. Sleevless and not fitted anywhere.

I'll second that - and NO bra.

Bella.

Rainbow82 · 7 July 2013 at 1:36PM

Firstly I apologise if there is already a thread for this, I'm on my phone and can't check too well.

Does anyone have any old style tips for keeping the house cool in the summer. Our house is currently absolutely boiling and there is no way we can afford the electric to run a fan (or even buy a fan lol), we are in a small first floor flat and can't have the windows open too wide because the cat likes to try to jump out if them even though he can go through the door! Do any good tips, curtains open or closed etc. Thankyou in advance for any replies.

theoretica · 7 July 2013 at 1:43PM

Dampen the curtains - or other cloth hung in front of the window. Curtains closed if the sun is shining in to shade, but open if not to let the air through. Windows open at both top and bottom slightly or more at the top as hot air rises and you want to let it out. This might help with the cat too. Could you put some sort of mesh in the open window to keep him in?