MSE Forum Poll: What's your main way of staying cool during a heatwave?

MSE_JC

The final week of May is bringing a bank holiday, a half term school break and soaring temperatures, meaning the air will be filled with the smell of sunscreen and the sound of ice cream vans.

When the mercury shoots up, what's your primary go-to for dealing with the heat?

Vote in the poll then share your thoughts in the thread.

emsi_b

A corner of my house is externally shaded by lots of trees, and being north facing. When it's hot, this bit it always a good 5 degrees cooler (same in winter, unfortunately)- I decamp to there when working, and sleep downstairs on the sofa bed if it's too unbearable upstairs. Works a treat! Unfortunately will take time to implement for anyone else, but I thoroughly recommend reviewing outside space and how to manipulate airflow and shading to your benefit.

Jemma01

Temperatures in May won't get to 37, so we're fine. I do shut the curtains so the room cools at night.

AboutUs

When it's high 20's or into the 30's, I use radiator foil, the one with bubble wrap in the middle cut to shape and with suckers fitted and fix that over external windows facing the sun. Stops a lot of heat coming in.

Edit. I also use a portable air con.

twopenny

I open the windows and doors on the shady side. As the sun goes around the house I open the other side.

Also open all doors for a through draft in evening cooling the house.

I've planted a tree opposite my bedroom which keeps the rising sun out in summer.

The back patio acts like a radiator reflecting heating. I have Dutch blinds and attach foil blankets £2,50 for 10, with clothes pegs keeping the heat off the room. It also lets a breeze and some light in. The pavers actually stay cold.

In the past I've used car windscreen reflector things to attach to the sun facing windows.

Hammer56

Needed to be able to select multiple answers. As per other replies…

• Close curtains and blinds on the south side, once direct sun has gone open curtains blinds and windows
• Open windows, especially upstairs, and on the north side, to allow rising heat to escape.
• use fans to keep air moving so warmer air rises upstairs where it can escape
• we have a portable air con unit for when it gets above 30° outside, it will keep the lounge at about 22°, comfortable for our dogs.
• I will take the dogs into the woods, down by the stream in a bit of a valley as that stays cool. (Which is where I am as I type this)

Re the portable air con unit. It was a good investment. It isn’t needed every year, but it is good in real heatwaves, which I really don’t like now I’m getting on a bit.

Don’t waste money on those cheaper evaporative coolers - they are hopeless. I had one you put freezer blocks, or put ice into the water tank, but it was really no better than a fan, any cooling from the ice blocks was minor and short-lived.

Catherine_91

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82007451#Comment_82007451

I'm one of those who's bought an evaporative cooler! I find it slightly better than just a fan, plus the energy consumption is something like 10% of an air con unit if I remember correctly.

subjecttocontract

Hot weather is an excuse to carry on working as my office is air conditioned. When it gets really hot I give the gardeners and housekeeper a few hours off. Fortunately here in the UK it doesn't get really hot very often.

BridgetTheCat

Poor man’s aircon - 3/4 fill a plastic bottle with water and freeze it overnight. When the heat ramps up stand the frozen bottle in front of a fan to get cool air.

Bridlington1

I go outside, just not in the shade, the North Sea's lovely this time of year.

advent2020

sit/sleep in my A/C car.