With temperatures reaching stifling figures over the next few days, we’re all looking for ingenious ways to cool our homes. But before you freeze your pyjamas, shouldn’t you start with what’s actively making your home hotter?
You read that right; there are several things around most homes that are unwittingly ramping up the temperature. It might be an everyday habit that's part of your regular routine. Or it could even be something that you think is cooling your home, but is having the reverse effect. Keen to know what we’re talking about? These are the 7 things that are inadvertently making your home hotter.
1. Opening windows during the day
The first point is a mistake that many households make during a heatwave. While it might seem logical to throw open the windows to let in a breeze, it’s likely making matters worse in the daytime.
This is the case whenever it’s hotter outside than in; you’re just letting out the colder indoor air and replacing it with whatever’s outside. So keep an eye on the temperature, both inside and out, and only open your windows once the conditions are right. For this reason, opening windows at night is generally a better rule.
2. Letting the sun stream in
It might seem reclusive to shut your curtains and blinds in the day, but it’s recommended when the sun's shining. Sunlight will heat the room by way of the greenhouse effect; once the waves pass through the glass, they will be absorbed and then the energy converted into a radiation which can’t easily escape.
So, shut curtains and blinds whenever the sun hits your windows, and leave them open (where you can) at night so the breeze isn’t blocked. If it’s helpful, you can set an alarm on your phone to remind yourself to close (and open) different sets of curtains during the day. If one set goes forgotten, it can have an impact on the overall temperature of your home.
3. Misplaced fans
Fans are running around the clock right now, but if they’re not strategically placed, there’s little point in them. For instance, if your fan is just oscillating at the end of your bed, it’s just circulating the hot air around the room – it’s not cooling things down.
A clever way to make your fan work harder is to aim it out of an open window at night, when it’s cooler outside. That way, it’s pushing the hotter air out of the room and encouraging better circulation.
If you want it to better cool your room during the day: freeze a bottle of water, place a damp cloth on top and sit it in a tray. Then stick that in front of your fan for a makeshift air conditioner. This gives you hours of cooling.
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4. Endless clutter
Clutter isn’t actively making your home hotter, but it’s not helping when there’s lots of it. An excess of clutter will restrict the airflow in your home, so even when the windows are open at night, the breeze can’t circulate effectively.
Clutter also creates a claustrophobic environment, which accentuates the effects of the heat. It can take its toll on your energy levels, being a constant reminder of what needs to be done, and it’s more of a tripping hazard while you’re feeling lethargic.
The solution is regular, but small decluttering sessions in the late evening or early morning, once the temperature has cooled. A heatwave is not the best time for a wide-scale declutter, but you can still use the time to clear any obvious, fresh clutter, like floordrobes, and dry laundry that’s been forgotten on the airer.
5. Running the dryer
Tumble dryers are a speedy and convenient way to dry clothes. The trouble is that they release residual heat and moisture while running. Condenser dryers don’t ventilate the hot air like vented models, but they still use a heating element and release hot air as they work, which can significantly increase the ambient temperature of the room.
Heat pump tumble dryers do not ventilate the used air; they work on a closed-loop system that recycles it. These are the better option of the two for this energy efficiency. But they still release some moisture and heat during the cycle, particularly when the time comes to unload. FYI, you want to avoid excess humidity during a heatwave, because it stops sweat from evaporating and makes it more tricky to cool down.
To limit this, try to take advantage of the sun and dry your laundry outside where possible. If that’s not an option, switch to late night cycles so the effects are less adverse, and you can open windows alongside. For similar reasons, you’ll want to run the dishwasher later in the day too.
6. Using the oven
We’re so set in our ways that we often forget about the heat from the oven. Each time it’s used, it impacts the temperature of the room – the longer it runs, the hotter the kitchen will get, which is why time-consuming meals aren’t a priority right now, like roasts or slow-cooked meats. Even once you’re finished with it, the oven takes a good hour or two to cool – hours which are gradually raising the ambient temperature of the air.
There are a few alternative options here. You could opt to batch cook in the evenings and make sure the oven is filled to limit how often it is run and to make the most of its time. Or, if you have an air fryer, switch over for smaller meals where possible – this is a smaller space to heat and won’t have such an impact on the room. Or you can forgo cooked meals entirely, and switch to colder options, like salads, sandwiches, chilled soups and cold pasta.
7. Amping up the hairdryer
The hairdryer is something else we run daily which contributes to a hot home. It’s only when you switch it off and wipe the sweat from your brow that you realise it’s not helping things.
The hotter you run the hairdryer, the faster it dries your hair, which is why many opt for the top temperature setting. But that same heat is upping the temperature of the room, plus it’s likely damaging your hair, so it might be better to switch to a lower setting or even the cool setting (so things aren’t getting any hotter). Try to dry your hair away from the bedroom or your main living area, so you’re not raising the temperature where it matters.
