Households across the UK are being urged to use one common kitchen item — tinfoil — as a way of beating the heat. Weather in parts of the UK from today (July 28) to Thursday (July 30) will meet the heatwave requirements outlined by the Met Office.
What is a heatwave?
A UK heatwave threshold, according to the weather body, is met "when a location records a period of at least three consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold. The threshold varies by UK county."
Brits are being told they can use tinfoil to keep the heat out of their homes. Cambridge professor and BBC regular Hannah Fry suggested the "slightly impractical" advice would save Brits suffering in the heatwave.
Expert advice on tinfoil
Hannah said: "A lot of people, myself included, will close the curtains on a warm day, but it's like you're sort of trying to stop the invaders once they're already inside the room. It kind of helps a little bit, but nowhere near as good as if you hang a sheet on the outside of your window.
"If you really want to minimise the amount of extra energy that is coming in when it's absolutely boiling outside, you should get some tinfoil and basically copy what they do in space. Get some tinfoil and then attach it to the outside of your window."
People desperately trying to keep cool have urged others to roll out kitchen tin foil and spread it in your windows, especially any windows in direct sunlight.
How it works
Jessica Rawstron, a British Gas Smart Energy Engineer, explains how this works. She said: "This is an affordable and super effective tool for keeping your house cool in summer by keeping the sun's rays at bay. It's not very expensive and widely used in hotter climates, and it can reduce heat and glare by up to 99%.
"While you can have it installed professionally, it's not a tricky DIY project. It can give you a bit more privacy without sacrificing any natural light, and another bonus is that reflective window film can help to protect your furniture and flooring over time by blocking harmful UV rays and so preventing sun damage."
