When summer arrives, we all wish for warm weather, picturing ourselves relaxing in the yard with an ice-cold drink while the kids play in a paddling pool. But if you don’t have the luxury of lying around while the temperature rises, you’ll be reminded of how difficult it can be to be at home — and, for some of us, to work from home. In this article, we shed light on how to deal with the heatwave at home.
How to combat heatwave at home
1. Shut your windows
Yes, you read that correctly! Keeping your windows closed will assist keep hot air from entering your home. Once it has cooled down in the evening, reopen your windows for ventilation — but only after you’ve turned off the lights to prevent insects from entering.
2. Keep your drapes closed
Natural light is beneficial to our health since it stimulates the production of vitamin D in our bodies and even makes us happy. However, allowing direct sunlight into your bedroom will simply make it hotter and more difficult to sleep. On a hot day, you’re unlikely to be in your bedroom, so once you’re up, lower the blinds, close the shutters, or draw the curtains. When you return to your room at night, it will be a cool sanctuary in which to sleep soundly.
3. Prepare your sleep for success
Getting a decent night’s sleep during a heatwave is one of the most difficult problems, but closing your blinds isn’t the only thing you can do. Because we sweat more in the summer, some of us feel the urge to shower more frequently. But how often do you wash your linens throughout the summer?
According to a poll, 21% of us sleep in the same sheets for up to two months without washing them. In general, you should wash your sheets at least once every two weeks for the best sleep and hygiene. When it’s hot, you should consider changing your bedding more frequently because you’re likely to sweat more during the night.
4. Safeguarding food
The Food Standards Agency recommends keeping your fridge at 5°C or lower. Purchase a fridge thermometer, as refrigerator dials are not always accurate. Don’t overfill the fridge (air needs to circulate) and open the door as little as possible to prevent cold air from leaving and keep your food chilly.
It’s also crucial to consider the route your food takes from the grocer to the refrigerator. According to a WRAP study, the temperature of some goods can rise by up to 11°C on the voyage from store to fridge, and it can take up to 15 hours to return to a safe range. Don’t take any chances during a heatwave: use a cool bag to transport chilled food home. After you’ve finished shopping, utilize your fridge’s fast freeze/chill buttons. This immediately reduces the temperature of newly added goods to safe levels in the fridge or freezer.
5. Use your fan to its full potential
A fan can assist move air around a room, but if it’s hot, it’s just circulating warm air about. To get the most out of your fan, place a bowl of ice at a safe distance in front of it (remember, a fan is an electrical device!) to cool the air. You now have homemade air conditioning.