The world is warming and Britain’s summers are heating up, with new record temperatures seemingly reached every year. If your house suffers from being too hot in the summer months then these five tips to keep your home cool should help you stay comfortable whatever the weather.
1. Keep curtains shut during the midday sun
Curtains will keep the suns rays from heating up your property during the day, so when it is particularly hot you should keep them closed during the hottest hours of the day to stay cool. In rooms that get a lot of sun, choose curtains with pale linings to reflect the heat and avoid dark colours as they will absorb some of the heat and warm up the room instead of reflecting it. You an still open them in the early hours of the morning or later in the evening to let a breeze in, but for the peak hottest hours - keep them shut.
If you need to fit a new curtain rail to your windows to keep the light and heat out during the day, then book a CanCan handyman today.
2. Consider installing external awnings, blinds, or shutters
External awnings will prevent the suns rays getting to your windows and warming up your room, but blinds and shutters will also help keep the room cool whether they are installed on the inside or outside of your windows.
Shutters are particularly popular in London homes with bay windows, and are generally made from wood and painted white, which will reflect the suns rays away from your home when shut.
Venetian blinds are also popular in properties across the capital, but be careful to choose either wooden or uPVC blinds (and avoid metal) if you are looking to keep your property cool. And again, white or another light colour will work best in reflecting the heat from the sun and keeping you cool inside.
If you would like to put up some venetian blinds then hire a handyman, or if you would prefer to add some wooden shutters then a carpenter would be perfect for the task.
3. Open your windows before bed
It is important to keep your windows closed during the day, with the curtains drawn and blinds closed to keep out the warmth from the sun. However, once it gets dark opening your windows will let some fresh cooler air into your home. Opening the windows shortly before bed, and leaving them open during the night should help keep you cool.
If your windows have started to become sticky or have seized shut, or if you need your window locks replaced so that you feel comfortable opening and closing the ground floor windows of your home then book a skilled multi-trader handyman to fix the issues on the spot.
4. Install energy-efficient light bulbs
Incandescent light bulbs are better radiators than producers of light, and with LED lightbulbs cheaper to buy, cheaper to run, and longer lasting, there is little reason for anyone to still be using these traditional lightbulbs in 2023. If you are still using incandescent lightbulbs anywhere in your home then now is the time to switch, and if you need some friendly help from someone with a ladder to change some bulbs or update some light fittings around your home then a qualified electrician would be the right person for the job.
5. Insulate your home
Insulation does not simply keep your home warmer in the winter - it is also key to keeping your home cool in the summer. The actual impact of insulation is to slow the movement of heat between inside your home and outside – it’s a winner all year round and an investment that will pay for itself many times over.
Loft insulation is perhaps the most effective and cheapest ways to improve the insulation of your home, as it traps the heat from escaping into the atmosphere in the winter, and in the summer it protects the home from the heat of the sun hitting the roof. Double glazing, floor insulation, and wall insulation can also all help keep your home cool throughout a heatwave – if you would like to talk to a professional to help you work out the best way to insulate your home then book in a visit from a trusted handyman from CanCan.