How to Keep Your House Cool in a Heatwave: 7 Simple Tips That Really Work

Mad hot

We hit 35°C here in Wimbledon today, and if you’re wondering how to keep your house cool in a heatwave, I’ve got one tip that’s made a huge difference.

Shut your curtains

Seriously.

And if you don’t have curtains? Hang a blanket over the window instead.

It might sound odd, but wool is a brilliant natural thermal insulator. We usually think of it as something that keeps us warm in winter, but it also helps slow the movement of heat, making it surprisingly effective at keeping hot air out when the sun is beating down. And my old Welsh blanket curtain (IKEA hack!) works a treat to Keep the House Cool in a Heatwave.

I woke up this morning after last night’s spectacular thunderstorm (I did immediately check whether the garden had flooded…) and the house was still beautifully cool. The wool blanket over the sunniest window definitely earned its keep.

The UK Government recommends keeping windows and curtains closed when it’s hotter outside than inside, especially on windows that get direct sunlight. It’s simple advice, but it really does make a difference.

Of course, I promptly undid all that good work by cycling over to Morden Hall Park 🥵🚲 to film some promotional videos for the Pizza Shed in the Rose Garden.

Excellent pizza. Questionable life choices in 35-degree heat.

Back home now, another tray of ice cubes has gone into the freezer 🧊, the fan is doing its best, with an ice pack dangling in front of it. Very glamorous, but it works. Sometimes low-tech solutions are the best ones.

These extreme temperatures are becoming less of a novelty and more of a pattern. Heatwaves, flash flooding, and wild weather are all reminders that the climate crisis isn’t something happening somewhere else, or sometime in the future. It’s here.

While no single person can solve it alone, our everyday choices do add up. As well as making our homes more resilient to heat, we can:

• switch to an ethical bank that doesn’t invest in fossil fuels
• choose renewable energy where possible
• walk, cycle or use public transport when we can
• buy less, repair more and support local businesses
• talk about climate solutions with friends and family

None of us will do all of these things perfectly. But collectively, millions of small decisions can shift markets, influence policy and help build a fairer, lower-carbon future.

For now though, if you’re trying to survive this heat:

• Keep curtains or blinds closed during the hottest part of the day.
• Use a wool blanket over sunny windows if you don’t have curtains.
• Stay hydrated.
• Open windows overnight if it’s cooler outside.
• Try to avoid strenuous activity during the hottest hours.

Hope you’ve managed to stay as cool as possible.

And if you’ve got your own heatwave hacks, I’d genuinely love to hear them. Pop them in the comments, we’re all learning how to cope with these increasingly hot British summers.

Big love,

Ali x

read more here: why Britain’s homes are so hot by Phineas Harper