As temperatures soar across the UK, many of us instinctively fling open our windows to keep our homes cool. However, experts say this could actually be making things worse. After consulting several specialists, their guidance is clear: keep windows, doors, blinds, and curtains firmly closed throughout the hottest periods of the day.
Why Closing Windows Helps
This approach keeps your home sealed off and reduces solar heat gain, helping maintain cooler indoor temperatures. The experts further advised opening windows and doors only in the early morning or late evening, when the outside air is cooler than the inside air, to properly ventilate your home.
Tina Loveland, Senior Designer at Appeal Shading, explains: "Once sunlight has passed through a window and converted to heat inside a room, you're fighting a losing battle. Blinds and shutters intercept that heat before it reaches your living space." She notes that a quality fitted blind on a sun-facing window can cut solar heat gain by 40-70%. Light-coloured or reflective fabrics work best, as they bounce energy back through the glass.
The Simple Rule to Follow
Max Wilson, co-founder of Pocket Storage, recommends treating your home like a fridge between 10am and 6pm by keeping everything shut on the sun-facing side. He explains: "Opening your windows will either cool or warm up your house depending on how warm it is outside. The major mistake most homeowners make is opening all their windows and doors for the entire day."
John Klee, a heating technology expert at BestHeating, concurs that keeping windows, doors, and blinds shut during hot weather is vital for maintaining cool rooms. He also recommends purchasing thermal or blackout blinds and placing an ice-filled bowl next to a fan to create a cool breeze.
Additional Tips for Cooling
Edward Simon, director at Direct Fabrics, stressed the importance of blocking heat at the window before it enters. He suggests fitting blinds close to the frame to reduce the "chimney effect" and combining multiple window treatments with reflective linings. Darren Coates, sales director at SolarFrame, warned that conservatories can become exceptionally hot and should be sealed off from the rest of the property during daylight hours.
Martyn Bridges, director of external affairs at Worcester Bosch, recommends using natural ventilation strategically once the sun has gone down. He also suggests turning off household appliances when not in use, as they can generate unnecessary heat.
In summary, the best approach is to keep windows, blinds, and curtains closed during the day to limit heat build-up, then open windows in the evening once the temperature outside has dropped. This simple strategy can help keep your home comfortable during a heatwave.
