Free or low-cost ways to keep your home cool during a heatwave

With a heatwave set to hit Britain by Sunday (22 June), temperatures are expected to soar.

While we all love the sunshine, the intense heat can make our homes uncomfortable, especially at night.

It might be tempting to rely on energy-hungry fans or pricey air conditioning, but there are much cheaper ways to stay cool.

Here’s how:

Open windows at the right time

Opening windows during the hottest part of the day can make things worse by letting hot air in.

Instead, open them at night or early in the morning when it’s cooler, then close them again before the temperature rises.

Keep curtains or blinds closed

Sunlight streaming through windows heats up rooms fast. Keep curtains or blinds closed during the hottest hours to block out the sun and help keep your home cooler.

Cover windows from the outside

In hot countries like Spain and Greece, exterior shutters are common because they stop heat before it enters.

If you don’t have shutters, hanging a light sheet or reflective material on the outside of your windows can help.

Switch off appliances

Electrical appliances like dishwashers, washing machines, games consoles and TVs, all produce heat. Avoid using them during the hottest part of the day and turn them off when not in use.

Cook outside or at cooler times

Cooking indoors can quickly heat up your kitchen. Try cooking outside on a barbecue, or cook early in the morning or late at night when it’s cooler.

Eat cold meals

Avoid heating your home and yourself by sticking to cold meals like salads and sandwiches during heatwaves.

Use breathable bedding

Beds can trap body heat, making it hard to sleep. Use cotton sheets as they’re breathable and help wick away moisture, keeping you cooler at night.

Sleep downstairs

Heat rises, so upstairs bedrooms tend to be the warmest part of the house. Try sleeping downstairs, on a sofa or even in a cellar if you have one.

You can also lightly dampen your sheets to help cool you down through evaporation.

Use a paper fan

They cost buttons but using a paper fan can actually be an effective way to cool down.

Place plants around your home

Plants cool the air through a process called transpiration (similar to sweating). Place a few affordable plants around your home to help bring the temperature down naturally.

Switch to cooler lightbulbs

Old-fashioned incandescent bulbs give off more heat than energy-efficient LED bulbs. So switch to LED bulbs to reduce heat and save on electricity.

Take cold showers

Cold showers are a quick way to cool down your body and they use less energy than hot ones.

These small changes can make a big difference in staying cool during a heatwave, without driving up your energy bills.

Here’s ten more expert hacks on how to reduce your energy bills during the summer.