Keeping cool is challenging in the UK, where few homes have air conditioning. Many rely on fans or frozen hot water bottles at night. Staying cool at night can be even harder because most UK homes are designed to retain heat, making sleep uncomfortable during a heatwave.
Simple solution with bowls of water
Energy experts at the Local Energy Advice Partnership (LEAP) call this technique "surprisingly effective." They explain that placing bowls of water around the house can help cool hot air, providing a simple way to lower indoor temperatures.When you place a bowl of water on a windowsill, the water absorbs heat from the air passing over it and slowly evaporates. This process, known as evaporative cooling, cools the air and helps lower the indoor temperature as the cooled air circulates inside. Adding ice cubes to the bowl can enhance the cooling effect, as colder water absorbs more heat.
Boosting the effect with fans
Pointing an electric fan directly at the bowl speeds up evaporation and pushes the cooled air across the room. LEAP experts say this cooling trick works best when you put a bowl of water or ice near an open window or in front of a fan, as moving air helps distribute cooler air throughout your home. For a quick way to cool off, they suggest setting a bowl filled with ice and cold water in front of your fan. As the fan blows air over the icy water, it produces a cooling breeze, giving you a "homemade, DIY air-conditioner."Instagram user Samsmith1986, with over 2,000 followers, also recommends this hack, calling it a "simple life hack that can really make a difference." In a video on Instagram during the heatwave in June, he said: "You have to try this if you can't sleep during this heatwave. Grab yourself a bowl of cold water. Place it on the windowsill at night time. Now, the cold water draws in the heat and converts it into vapour. How cool is that?"
Public reaction and limitations
The video was inundated with comments. One user replied: "Just tried this now and it's defo cooled the room." Another recommended: "Put a bowl of cold water behind an electric fan. As it evaporates, the fan blows the cold vapour at you! It's fabulous!"Although this method can help, it generally offers only modest relief compared to air conditioning. In humid conditions or when there is little airflow, its effectiveness may be limited.
