How to keep your house cool this summer

During the warmer weather you may be wondering should you open windows to cool the house or should internal doors be open or closed in heatwave?

Six ways to keep your home cool

1. Around 76% of sunlight that enters your home through the windows turns into heat and so a simple but effective way to keep home cool in summer naturally is to keep windows and curtains or blinds closed. Consider buying blackout curtains or blinds as these will block out the sun’s rays. This can also help ensure you’re not waking too early on lighter mornings.
2. Leaving internal doors in your home open helps air circulate, but if one room is particularly hot and you don’t need to use it, you may want to consider closing the door.
3. If you don’t already live in a Redrow home with low energy lighting, fit low energy LED lights throughout your home. LEDs emit less heat than traditional bulbs. This means using this type of lighting will help keep the room cooler. Plus, they’re also more energy efficient so your bills will be lower as well as the temperatures. Win, win.
4. Utilise a fan and place a bowl of cold water or ice in front of it. This DIY low-tech version of air-conditioning creates the effect of a cool breeze.
5. In summer we naturally tend to eat more cold meals than hot, but some foods will still need to be cooked. Step away from the oven and use an air fryer or barbecue to cook meals. If you do need to use the hob or oven, consider eating alfresco or in a dedicated dining room, away from the residual heat of appliances.
6. Mopping your floors isn’t simply about keeping your house clean, it can also help keep it cool. Mop in the morning and as the water evaporates it will cool the air in your home.

Five ways to keep cool when working from home in summer

During the warmer weather, home workers may start to miss the coolness of an airconditioned office, but there are some small changes you can make to help you stay cool while working from home.

1. Move your workstation to a cooler part of your home. This could simply mean repositioning your desk into a cooler spot or relocating to another room. You may need to move several times throughout the day and therefore may want to use a portable mini desk to rest your laptop on.
2. When you’re deciding where’s best to work from in your home, it’s important to think about lighting. Make the most of the natural light in your home rather than sitting under a lamp to work.
3. Turn off anything that generates heat if it’s not needed. Unplug your laptop or mobile when they’re charged and only plug back in when the battery power has almost run out. This should help your gadget retain its battery life and could also lower energy bills.
4. If you have a dedicated separate room you use as a study, open the windows at the end of the working day, when it’s cooler, to let some air flow into your work space and shut the door behind you.
5. Working from home offers more flexibility than office life, so if your employer allows it, consider switching up your working hours so that you’re not working during the hottest parts of the day.

Five ways to enjoy a good night’s sleep in summer

If you’re tired of tossing and turning while trying to keep cool at night, the following tips may help aid a restful night.

Have a lukewarm shower or bath an hour or two before bed. This will help lower your core temperature and aid a good night’s sleep. Gradually reduce the temperature towards the end of your shower to cool the body. Good ventilation in the bathroom will help control the ambient temperature, reducing steam and removing humid air. After you’ve showered be careful not to pat yourself dry rather than rubbing, which could cause friction and raise your temperature.

Think a hot water bottle is just for winter? Think again. Fill a hot water bottle with cold water and place in your bed to help reduce the temperature during hot summer nights. Alternatively, you could use ice packs from the freezer.

Change your bedding to cotton or linen sheets. These natural, breathable fibres allow air to circulate, which can help keep you cool while you sleep. Swap to a low tog duvet, and use a natural fabric cover on hotter nights, or sleep under the cover without the duvet.

Cool cotton is also a great option for your sleepwear.

A cooling mattress topper can add an extra layer of comfort while also helping regulate temperatures. Or you may wish to use a cooling mattress protector, which could be a bonus on sticky summer nights. Options include eco-friendly materials, such as wool or cotton, or synthetic materials designed to stop you overheating.

Four reasons why buying a new build home can keep you cool in summer

Keeping in cool in summer is easy in a new Redrow home, here’s how:

1. New windows are better at keeping the sun’s heat outside in summer. We avoid excessive glazing in our homes so as not to lead to disproportionate heat loss in the winter and the risk of overheating in the summer.
2. Cool air can’t escape through the window frames – plus they’ll shut tight to keep the warmer air outside.
3. Low-energy light fittings are installed in all properties as standard.
4. Make the most of the sun by adding solar panels and converting the sun’s rays into energy for your home via My Redrow.

Why not make the most out of your summer and discover how to make the most out if your garden.