Overheating - adapting your home

Quick wins

• Open windows when it's cooler outside than inside, especially at night.
• Close curtains, blinds or shutters during the day, or use awnings to shade the windows
• Use desk or ceiling fans to create a cooling breeze
• Use low-energy lightbulbs and appliances. Better still, turn them off!

More ways of protecting your home against overheating

How to adapt your home to minimise overheating (PDF)
How to adapt your home to minimise overheating (RTF)

Where does the heat come from?

Heat from the sun soaks into the walls and roof of your home during the day, warming them. They take time to cool, so the heat given out warms the house at night. You can counteract this by:

• using light colours on your outside walls and roof to reflect the heat
• insulating your home to prevent heat reaching the inside of the building

Heat from the sun passes through windows and heats up the air and furnishings inside your home. Limit this by fitting external shutters and awnings on windows. The louvred (slotted) shutters are best as they let the air through if you open a window.

Provided the air outside is cooler than the air inside, the best way to cool your home is to open a window. If possible, open windows on opposite sides of the room or house for cross-ventilation. Fans can help too, and provide a 'wind chill' effect.