Newly built properties too warm? Help with finding an alternative

TripleH

In our old flat (new build in last 2 years) during the summer we had a big blackout blind (well a big piece of fabric) on the window all the time when it was hot (about 8 days constantly without opening it at one point). We had a big fan in the corridor circulating the airbase well.

At night we sleep between 2 sheets with a duvet on top, when hot we just sleep under the sheet. Although at about 4am it has cooled down enough that you might want a duvet or blanket to hand (learnt this from campervanning round Australia).

74jax

sky_aster said:

Thanks, that's really helpful. I've tried keeping the curtains shut which has helped, although it gets more boiling if I shut the windows too! 

I haven't thought of the film, that sounds like a good idea. I'm renting atm so I'm a bit stuck with what I can do, I would love a ceiling fan lol.

Helpful to hear your traditionally built new house doesn't have the same issues, I did wonder if timber framed properties might be particularly bad. This set of flats is all timber incidentally. 

I'd prefer the low energy bills that come with newer properties, although I'm sure I've spent loads with having the fan on so much this summer! 

Do you have a thermometer?

Are you saying if it's 26 outside its higher inside with the curtains shut?

Do you have heavy curtains? Could you change for lighter ones maybe? 

Do you face south? If so could you leave the north curtains open? 

JJR45

In theory a new house should be cooler as it has better insulation should stop heat radiating through roofs, floors and walls.
If it is hotter with windows closed in the day and the curtains shut, could you have a humidity issue?
That would make it feel a lot warmer and would particularly explain why it feels cooler with the windows open.

scottishblondie

Our timber framed 2012 house was great. We didn’t need the heating on between March and November in Scotland. We always kept the sun facing blinds shut during hot weather and the house stayed pretty cool.

Our current 1920s is almost unbearably hot in the sunshine. We need all the windows open. And it’s freezing in the winter.

ThatDawnOne

Excellent advice about the film - we are moving into a 1900s house but the bedroom has two west-facing windows and I already know I will be hot at night (currently sweating in a draughty 1820s stone building so it's inevitable)

Racky_Roo

My last 2 flats and current house were all new or under 5 years old when I moved in and didn't find any got particularly hot. I do follow the keeping windows/shutters/blinds/curtains closed during the day and open at night rule too. My last flat was timber framed and actually was one of the coolest. It was south west facing too in most rooms

Murphybear

We lived in an old Devon farmhouse for a while.  Most of the walls were 3ft thick.  It was cool in the hot weather and warm in the cold.  

2 drawbacks, it was back of beyond on the edge of Dartmoor and trying to get a mobile signal through thick walls was a bit tricky 

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lookstraightahead

Can't imagine a hot house. I live in a 19th century house and have the windows open all year round.

sky_aster

ProDave said:

WE live in a new self build super insulated house.  The "gets hotter at night" is down to the decrement delay of a well insulated house.  In a poorly insulated house, the heat from the sun shining on the walls gets through very quickly and warms the inside.  With lots of insulation, that takes longer so the heat from the mid day sun does not start to make it's way through the walls for very much longer, often well into the night.

Keeping our house cool is very simple.  Keep all windows tight shut in the day to keep the heat out.  Then when you go to bed, as soon as you turn the lights off, open all the upstairs windows.  This lets the excess heat out and the cooler night air in to cool the house.  Obviously not a practical suggestion for a ground floor flat.

That's really helpful, makes sense. 

I have to keep the windows open all day, even on the sunny side with windows closed otherwise it just boils even more 😕