Top Tips on How To Make Your House Cooler This Summer

All set for sun this summer? As well as dusting off the barbecue and stocking up on sunblock, it’s also essential to keep your home cool during a heatwave. When the mercury rises, follow these tips to get some relief from the sizzling heat and make your house cooler.

Fire up the barbie, not the cooker

Sick of slaving over a hot stove? It’s not surprising. Cooking can make a big contribution to the heat in your home – so if you’re serious about cooling things down in your house, it makes sense to take mealtimes outside. Have a barbecue (or a salad) and your kitchen will thank you. Hopefully, it goes without saying, but hot summer days are no time for tumble drying, which will also heat things up inside. Peg out your laundry on the line and it’ll be fresh, dry, and wrinkle-free in no time.

Have a blast, with increased ventilation

If you don’t have air-con, ventilation is vital to maintain a cooler temperature in your home. Let the airflow all the way through the room – for example, in through one window and out through another. In a loft conversion, open the skylights to get that cross-breeze flowing (but consider blocking out the sunlight shining right in, with a blackout blind). In addition to open windows and doors, a fan is a great way to get things circulating: place a bucket of ice in front of the rotor for the ultimate blast of cool air.

Insulate and feel great

The best way to keep your home cooler in summer is not to let it heat up in the first place. This can be achieved with good insulation, which keeps your house cool in summer and warm in winter. Loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, and solid wall insulation can all make a big difference to how much heat can get into your home, helping you to enjoy a distinctly cooler interior in summer. If you’re thinking twice about the cost, look at it as an investment that’ll save you money on energy bills, as well as offering warmer winters and cooler summers in the years ahead.

There are also lots of other ways to insulate your home; for example, using blackout curtains to block out the light and heat. And if your windows are single glazed, now might be the right time for an upgrade.

Shut out the light

We touched on this when discussing insulation, and it’s something you’ll know from experience: curtains, blinds, and shutters play an important role in blocking out the midsummer heat, and making your home seem less like a greenhouse. The golden rule is to close your curtains when the sun is at its strongest, in the middle of the day. You can open them in the evening when the weather is cooler, and let the airflow through the room.

Of course, there are times when it can be a little depressing to sit in the dark! If you’re planning to be indoors a lot during the day, consider investing in Venetian blinds that can be adjusted to bring in light while channeling the heat away, or using a combination of curtains and blinds to block the worst of the heat while still letting in daylight. If you have a dormer loft conversion, custom-made shutters can be a great option to stop the heat from getting in through your windows, while bespoke blinds are essential for your skylights.

Try these cool summer life hacks

Sometimes, cooling your home isn’t enough. You need to cool yourself, too!

When the heat is on, these simple tricks will save your sanity:

• Fill a hot water bottle and stick it in the freezer for icy comfort
• Have a cold shower
• Carry a water mister and use it on your pulse points whenever you need refreshing
• Treat yourself to ice cream!

Can we help you stay cool in your loft space?

If you’re thinking of a loft conversion, make sure it’s summer-ready. As a loft conversion company with years of experience, we can help you get your attic rooms prepared for the hottest time of year, with advice on insulation, bespoke blinds, ventilation, and more.

For a free site visit, call us on 0330 108 8838 or fill in our contact form to request a call back at your convenience.