Most of us are aware that 2022 was the hottest year in the UK ever recorded. Most of us struggled with the unfamiliar levels of heat, and the burning question on everyone’s minds now is: will it happen again this year?

On a global scale, Met Office is predicting another summer of notably high temperatures, thanks to greenhouse emissions.

Few houses in the UK have air conditioning, so it’s important to learn about other ways to contend with the heat.

  1. Invest in a fan

This one may seem obvious, but it’s a good idea to invest in a portable fan before a heatwave hits, while demand for them is lower.

A good portable fan is a guaranteed source of cool air and can be invaluable on warm, humid nights.

  1. Place cool bowls of water around the house

This little-known hack can help you cool your house down. Just make sure you don’t place them too close to sockets and wires, and don’t use any breakable bowls that you wouldn’t want to break.

This hack works even better if the cold water is placed in front of a fan, as the fan will then blow the cool temperature of the water around the room.

  1. Avoid generating extra heat

Using heat-generating appliances will simply add to the heat in your home and this is likely to linger in the air, creating more discomfort. Swap oven-cooked mealsfor colder alternatives like salads and sandwiches.

If you’re a hairdryer user, consider letting your hair dry naturally instead, or even sitting in front of a cool fan to speed up the drying process!

  1. Close the windows and draw the curtains

Though Brits love to fling open a window during summer heat, this may actually be counterproductive. A better method is to keep your windows and curtains or blinds closed during the day and if it’s safe to do so, open your windows on a latch at night. This keeps the hot daytime temperatures at bay and encourages cooler night-time temperatures to find their way in.

  1. Create a cross-breeze through the house

If you really do want to open your windows during the hot weather, then try to do it in a way that creates a cross breeze in the house. Essentially, this means opening windows that are opposite to each other (or if this isn’t possible, using a fan that faces an open window).

This works by creating a vacuum, drawing cooler air in and pushing warm air out. It creates a clear breeze between the two windows.

  1. When your light bulbs die, replace them with LEDs

When your incandescent light bulbs stop working, consider making the switch to LEDs. LED lightbulbs produce less heat. Yes, you’re unlikely to notice much difference from having only one or two LED lightbulbs. However, a whole house full of LEDs can certainly make a difference, temperature-wise.

With a few additional tricks up your sleeve, you can go into the next British heatwave feeling a little more prepared!