Shutting Curtains AND Windows In This Heat?

I couldn’t sleep last night ( not because of the heat, though) so I opened the window next to my bed with a slight cool breeze wafting over me. It was bliss. Still couldn’t sleep unfortunately.

tbf the whole house feels like a greenhouse

I suppose it depends on whether there is a breeze and what direction your windows face?
I keep mine shut in the one room as otherwise it is like a greenhouse

escaped

We're building up to another heatwave here in Western France. Prompted by this thread, and helpful interest on here, I researched this for anyone who might be concerned for their dog's welfare.
I've bought a cheapy paddling pool.

pettravelpass.uk/blog/f/dog-heatstroke

Thank you for the link.

Dogs love a paddling pool, or ours always have. Also, I find walking at 5 in the morning and after 8 at night is best for dogs during heatwaves.

Love to see pooches in water😍

escaped

We're building up to another heatwave here in Western France. Prompted by this thread, and helpful interest on here, I researched this for anyone who might be concerned for their dog's welfare.
I've bought a cheapy paddling pool.

pettravelpass.uk/blog/f/dog-heatstroke

We need pics 😃

We're building up to another heatwave here in Western France. Prompted by this thread, and helpful interest on here, I researched this for anyone who might be concerned for their dog's welfare.
I've bought a cheapy paddling pool.

pettravelpass.uk/blog/f/dog-heatstroke

I have tried it but I don’t think it works for my house. My windows are big, down to the floor downstairs and if the sun is shining on them even with blinds it heats up the house. I have to leave them open and it creates a through draft which even if it isn’t cooler, it feels like it. I tried to shut all the windows and blinds on the first hot day, they were open until the temperature rose then I closed them and by 5pm the house was unbearable.

Thank you watermeadow and grandMattie I'll use lie and lay correctly from now on.

RillaofIngleside

We had air-conditioning fitted in the living room and bedroom 5 years ago. Best thing we ever did. It's not expensive to run and we are on an EV tariff for cheap electricity at night anyway. It's not noisy either. We can sleep in a cool bedroom every night, and cool down in the day if we need to.

We've 3 small air con. My husband engineered, fitted in our bedroom, the kitchen, and family room. Not expensive to purchase or run.

We're homebodies, our home needs to be comfortable.

Windows and doors open as soon as the temperature drops below 24, then do this in reverse in the morning. Curtains and blinds closed during the day. A fan in stuffy rooms to keep the air circulating. I also put up a sun umbrella outside the French windows to deflect the sun.
OH thinks I am mad and jokes about aliens coming, but when it is this hot I tape tin foil on the outside of back windows. Not for everyone, I appreciate

Being picky, I think the 21st June is the longest day, and Midsummer Day is the 24th June.

I close windows and curtains at the back of the house, when the sun is on it, for half the day, and ditto the front in the afternoon - except for the sitting room, because a tree in the front garden does help to shield it.

We had air-conditioning fitted in the living room and bedroom 5 years ago. Best thing we ever did. It's not expensive to run and we are on an EV tariff for cheap electricity at night anyway. It's not noisy either. We can sleep in a cool bedroom every night, and cool down in the day if we need to.

RosieandherMaw

If the air temperature outside is hotter than the temperature inside keeping windows etc open lets hot air in.
When it is cooler eg early morning, keep them open.to let cooler air in. Creating a through draught is tempting and a good idea unless it is the equivalent of sitting between an open oven door and a woodburner.
It’s to do with thermodynamics I believe- heat cannot pass from a cooler to a hotter - so incredible as it may seem, opening the windows can bring the temperature up. Curtains etc need to be kept shut to keep the sun out, but if you have a cooler side of the house you can sometimes open doors or windows to create a through draught.

Exactly this.

It's been 33 in the shade here today (E.Midlands) but nothing compared with the 41.5 we had a few years ago when we were the hottest spot in the UK. On that day the tomatoes in the greenhouse cooked on the vines! We are a couple of years older now and decided that we would look after ourselves and not attempt a walk or anything strenuous. Tomorrow - Midsummers Day - we will be in town singing for Make Music Day. The forecast is for cooler on Sunday.

We close south facing windows and doors and curtains, but leave north facing windows open, and the sun never shines through north facing wndows. It seems to be effective.

Right now, sitting with the French doors open and the front lounge window open so I’ve got a lovely breeze blowing through…….

The temperature is perfect now. Windows doors and curtains open. Its about 26 deg but there is a breeze. The sun is lighting up the bottom of the garden but the back of the house is now cooler. Husband with severe emphysema is more comfortable.
I will do a bit of watering.
Tomorrow 31 32 deg is forecast. So another day of open windows etc first thing then close up when the sun comes round past the horse chestnut.

Those GNs loving this sun has it been 31 where you are? Or cooler? Having a seaside childhood in shorts and an Aertex tee shirt from May till October I love the sunshine, but 30 deg inland is a step too far.

Our friends in Italy always have the windows and curtains closed in the hot weather. One of the best things my late husband ever did was to replace our patio doors with French windows which can be opened wide. I throw them open when I get up and the cool morning air cools the whole house down. If it gets really hot later I can shut the doors and close the curtains.

Whitewavemark2

I tried that the last excessive heatwave, although in the U.K. it seems to go against the grain, but I remember how say the Spanish shut up shop as soon as early morning air starts to heat up, and they shut their windows and blinds. They have the experience so should know what they are doing.

It does work. I’m not talking artic temperatures😄, but it definitely drops it a notch it two, and anything is welcome when it is so hot.

That is how we used to do it in South Africa. It is a matter of closing up before the outside temperature is higher than the inside temperature. And, only opening up when the outside temperature is equal to or lower than the inside temperature. Keeping the rooms dark, as in drawing the curtains or letting the blinds down, definitely helps keep the rooms cooler. We usually keep the curtains/blinds open on the north side of the house where the sun doesn't shine. My mother used to keep those (sunless) windows open about half an inch or less, to allow a slight exchange of air.

Very happy to help out BlueBelle! I too love the bright days and hate the thought of walking around in a darkened house, especially now I live in the north of England and not in London where I spent 40 years. We have our fill of dark and damp days here through the winter when I’m longing for brighter times. Sunshine warms my heart as well as my creaky joints, maybe I’d feel differently if I had to get up and go to work every day but as that’s not the case I’ll enjoy the sunshine times while I can. Obviously using appropriate sun protection when I need to and using a fan to keep me cool in bed at night. Happy Days

I’m lucky that the house faces roughly south so all the windows are open until the sun comes round then the south facing windows are closed and curtains partially closed (I hate sitting in gloom). There’s an electric fan at floor level and a taller one on too. The dogs love the floor level one, they also have cooler pads and the tiles in the hallway and kitchen are cool.
In the afternoon the back windows are closed and the front ones opened.
There’s been a breeze today so more comfortable than yesterday.
I definitely have very low tolerance for heat so I’m hoping I have it sussed now!

Well that’s a bit miserable wishing away the very, very few warm days we get You cold lovers get 355 cold days we get about 10 warm days a year and you all wish it gone

Where are the summer lovers🙋‍♀️ come and help me out here !

Franbern

My patio type balcony, get sun full on from early afternoon onwards. And, with large glass patio door,plus full length windows on either side of that, the first couple of years I was here I found the temperature indoors very hot, even with a coolant tower fan osecellating.

The I got some awning put up on that balcony, that I can easily unwide to protect all that glass from the sun. It is made of a material that throws back the suns rays. Had this now three years and it is really wonderful, So Patio door wide open, and window on opposite side of the room, to give through breeze. Awning wound open and I rarely now have to use the fan.

I do love open windows in the summer months, gives my whole flat a thorough airing. Being on the first floor it is quite safe to leave them all open on the security latches during the summer months, day and night. I would hate to have them closed and curtains closed during the day and the sunlight. Bad enough that they all get closed so early in the afternoons in the winter months to shut out the blackness.

An awning is definitely the way to go, if you can have one. I have huge French windows too, and they are brilliant when open in the early morning and the evening.
I have had terrible trouble sleeping in this heat so I bought a cooling coverlet. Bliss! It apparently is filled with chopped plastic bottles, or similar! Whatever it is, it does the trick and I don’t get hot and sweaty in the night now. I still get hot, it’s not a miracle cure but it really helps.
If you have one of those wheat bags that you warm up in the winter, you can put it in the fridge for a while before you use it.
As someone said, it’s all back to normal after Sunday. Can’t wait!