The Met Office has warned that conditions could become "very warm again by the start of August". Weather maps based on GFS forecast models suggest temperatures could reach as high as 36°C on Wednesday, July 29, with large parts of the country shown in deep red. If those forecasts prove accurate, parts of the UK would be hotter than much of Greece, where temperatures are expected to reach around 35°C, bringing another bout of intense heat for many Britons and their homes, reports the Express.
Simple kitchen hack to beat the heat
With warm, humid conditions forecast to persist into next week, households across the country face the prospect of further sweltering, uncomfortable nights as they struggle to keep cool indoors. The vast majority of British homes are built to retain warmth, and, unless you're fortunate enough to possess air conditioning, cooling rooms down swiftly is frequently more challenging than it sounds.
However, there exists a remarkably simple, budget-friendly solution to address this issue, requiring nothing more than placing an item from your kitchen onto your windowsill: a bowl containing cold water. According to energy specialists, positioning a bowl of cold water on windowsills or worktops, near an open window, during warm weather, is a surprisingly efficient (and inexpensive) method of reducing the air temperature inside a room.
How it works
This works because cold water absorbs warmth from the surrounding air before converting it into vapour, which subsequently reduces the overall air temperature, and when positioned before an open window, the breeze assists in distributing this cooler air throughout your home, bringing down the temperature.
LEAP Energy Advice stated: "Although it may seem peculiar, placing bowls of water around the house can aid in cooling the hot air. This simple technique can be surprisingly effective." Should you wish to accelerate the cooling process, you can attempt filling bowls with ice cubes rather than cold water and position them before a fan if you possess one.
DIY air-conditioner tip
LEAP added: "If you need to cool down quickly, try placing a bowl of ice and cold water in front of your fan's blades. This will cause the air blowing from the fan to pass over the icy water, creating a refreshing sensation on your skin. It's like having a homemade, DIY air-conditioner!"
Combining a fan with a bowl of water isn't strictly necessary, as the water alone can assist in cooling the surrounding air, though you'll achieve superior results if you can also generate a breeze. Naturally, running a fan will affect your energy bills, yet it remains a fraction of the expense compared to operating an air conditioning unit, which can cost up to 40 times as much, making the reward of a pleasantly cool room arguably worthwhile.
British Gas endorsement
The technique is endorsed by major energy supplier British Gas as an affordable method of keeping your home, and yourself, cool when temperatures rise. British Gas said: "While fans aren't the most expensive appliance to run, using one is still likely to impact your fuel bills - but there are some things you can do to get the most out of the energy you're paying for." "To really cool down a room with a fan, place a deep dish of ice in the front of it to whip up the water mist and chill the breeze." "You can also point a box fan out of an open window in the evenings - this pushes the hot air out instead of just blowing it around the room."
