The Great 'Ways to keep cool' Hunt

Jennifer_Jane

Agree with theoretica (although not heard of dampening the curtains before, and mine are silk, anyway). I currently have the front door wedged slightly open but on the chain to get some air going through on the cool side of the house. Otherwise, when it's really hot (I lived in Africa for some decades), keep wrists cools with a bowl of iced water and a towel.

But curtains closed on the hot side, and open on the cooler side is the first thing to do. I agree that being up higher is difficult.

Rainbow82

Thanks, I'll be dampening and closing curtains, the windows only open at top but they are quite small and push easily so cat still gets half out, silly thing. I like the idea of mesh though, he struggled to lift the bamboo blinds so I might try to open the windows and close the blinds where we have them. Damn silly cat, love him but wish he didn't love visiting his vet quite so much lol!

Sagz_2

Something like this may allow you to open your windows more: http://www.flat-cats.co.uk/flat_cats_online_standard.htm

beedeedee

Keep windows closed - (it's probably hotter outside) and curtains drawn. If you haven't got thick linings I'd get some quick, or perhaps put thick sheets up temporarily.
If you're well insulated it shouldn't get too hot. Open the windows at night to let fresh air through.

cwal

I have 2 cats and although I live in a house I still worry about them jumping out of the upstairs windows.
I have blinds and open the windows and drop the blinds as the cats can't move the blinds. I find keeping the curtains/blinds drawn all day is the best way to keep the house cool as it seems to stop the heat from building up (I do this on the south facing side of the house and have the blinds open at the front so I'm not living in the dark!!)

GwylimT

I'm in a ground floor flat and we keep all of the patio doors open (four in total) and the curtains shut when the sun is directly shining on our side of the building. Our communal areas have air conditioning so sometimes we shut the patio doors and leave the front door to the flat open (opens inwards) to steal the coolness.

I think we are quite lucky as we also have an underground car park under our flat and the air circulates quite well so it is very cool down there and keeps us quite cool as well.

FairyPrincessk

It also helps if you can avoid using many appliances. Ovens are particularly bad, as are tumble dryers. Keep lights turned off where possible, and try to wear loose clothing made of cotton or linen. A damp towel at the back of the neck or the wrists can help you cool down, as can having a shower and then leaving your hair wet rather than blow drying it. Definitely keep any sun facing windows covered.

pigpen

Sagz wrote: »

Something like this may allow you to open your windows more: http://www.flat-cats.co.uk/flat_cats_online_standard.htm

I was just about to suggest the same thing.

My mother got some cheap trellis from the garden centre and nailed that to the inside of the window.. that works too.

My house is fantastic.. it is really lovely inside in terms of temperature.. Everyone comments when they come in how cool it is inside.. I am currently sat inside, French doors open watching the beastlings make lots of mess in the garden.

krlyr

Another cheap cat-proofing solution for the windows - net curtains from a charity shop (or net tablecloth etc) and sticky-backed velcro on the window frames and sewn on to the curtains. Removable to open and close the window, but a lazy cat probably wouldn't bother pulling it off.

I've done wet towels in front of a fan to cool a room down, so dampening curtains should help a bit. In really hot weather I'd freeze the towels first, you could get a cheap pair of curtains to freeze and suspend in the window - just put a plastic bowl underneath to catch the drips from the excess water as it defrosts!

Rainbow82

Wow thankyou for all the replies, the flat cats link looked good, something to consider for next year. We kept the curtains on the south facing side today and it is a bit cooler and also on the window with a blind kept it down and window open as cat can't get through it.