MoneyMagpie Editor and financial expert Vicky Parry shares tips to keep cool in the summer heat without breaking the bank
Summer is well on its way and with that comes our annual non-preparedness for heatwaves in Britain.
The good news is that there are things you can do to make sure you keep cool for cheap or free when the heat is on, as long as you act now to plan for the hottest days of the year ahead.
Buy fans now
There’s nothing worse than realising your years-old dusty fan has finally given up the ghost, when it’s 30C outside. Not only because it’s broken when you need it, but buying a replacement will be expensive.
Shops and online retailers are notorious for ramping up prices for anything in seasonal demand. Check your cooling equipment now.
If you have a fan or two, or even an air conditioning unit, make sure it’s in full working order and remains efficient. For those who remember struggling last year with a single fan between the entire family, now is the time to buy a new one (or two). Fans are one of the most cost-efficient ways to stay cool, costing around 2 to 8 pence an hour to run.
To be even more economical, look for fans with timers and eco settings that mean they only switch on when the temperature hits above a certain temperature. This makes them ideal for sleeping at night, too.
Tower fans tend to be better for dispersing cool air across a room, while pedestal fans are more direct and ideal for sitting at a desk or on your sofa. Some, like the Levoit Quiet Pedestal Fan, have a mode with both vertical and horizontal movement, for broad and rapid cooling like a tower fan as well.
Close windows and curtains
When the sun is shining, we want to let the light in! But in fact, this can heat your home by several degrees. Keep your house cool by only having the windows open at night, with gaps in the drawn curtains to allow air to circulate. When morning comes, make it a priority to close your windows and curtains to keep the sunlight and warm air out.
To cool a stuffy house quickly, as the temperature outside begins to drop in the evening, open the windows on your top floor on one side of your house and the ground floor on the opposite side. This creates a natural ventilation as warm air rises, pulling cooler air through the home.
Use a hand fan
Whether you’re stuck on the Tube or in a stuffy office, finding ways to control your personal temperature when you don’t have control over your environment is important.
You can start by getting into the habit of always taking a thermal bottle of water with you when you’re going out – even better if you drop some ice cubes in it. Keeping hydrated will help your body manage the heat.
A handheld fan is another gadget that you should have with you at all times. You can go old-school with a manual fan that folds into any bag – perfect if you don’t want to worry about batteries running out. You should also look into getting a small travel-sized fan to keep you cool. One with a clip can be handy for clipping onto prams, desks, and other surfaces, while there are others that can be popped into a bag and used in the park, on a desk, or almost anywhere like the Air Flex Portable fan by Morphy Richards.
Reduce heat in a single room
If the heat rises when you’re at home, try to plan ahead for the day. Choose your favourite room and make that Cool Central. Much like in winter, when it is cheaper to heat a single room than an entire house, the same goes for cooling.
You might choose to invest in a portable air conditioning unit to reduce the air temperature in the room. They aren’t cheap, but can be efficient to run and are a worthy investment if you spend more hours at home than away from it.
Alternatively, make sure your curtains and windows remain closed, set up a fan, and keep the air circulating. Some people find it best to keep a door open with a fan in the hallway as well as in the room to create a ventilation system, but you’ll have to experiment with the best setup for your house.
Use cooling mats
You might have seen cooling mats for pets, but they’re just as useful for humans, too! There are two types: ones you put in the freezer and self-cooling ones that activate on pressure. The freezer ones are significantly cooler to the touch, but take energy to freeze and get quite damp. The self-cooling ones don’t get damp and can reduce your temperature by a degree or two.
Don’t forget your pets
While we’re talking about pets, make sure they stay cool, too! Keep animals indoors wherever possible, and remember that if it’s too hot for you to be barefoot then it’s too hot for them, so don’t walk dogs in peak sunshine hours.
You can invest in ice bowls, which have a liquid inside that freezes to keep your pets’ water cool through the day. You can also fill a bowl with water, pet treats, and even their favourite toy to freeze and provide them to lick through the day to remain cool.
If you’re giving your pet frozen items, make sure you give it a few minutes from the freezer to avoid giving them brain freeze or tongue burn.
Dunk your feet
Keeping your feet in water while you’re relaxing at home is one of the most cooling things you can do in a heatwave. Even better if you can pop some ice cubes in the water, too!
If you’re at work and not able to lounge with your feet in a paddling pool or bowl, make sure you regularly run your hands and wrists under cold water to bring your temperature down. You can also use a wet bandanna around your neck to keep yourself cool.
Hide in the cinema
The cinema is one of the few places you can guarantee will be air conditioned during the summer and thanks to all kinds of cinema ticket deals available throughout the week, it’s a cheap way to stay entertained when the heat rises!
Look for other activities that can keep the heat down too, such as swimming, finding a spot in an air conditioned coffee shop, or wandering your local free (air conditioned) museum.
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