Households in England and across the UK are being urged to close their windows, as well as curtains and blinds, this Friday and Saturday. Temperatures have been roasting again this week as the sunshine returned in earnest, but this weekend it’s set to get even hotter as the Met Office forecast a real, bona fide heatwave that’s set to hit England and much of the UK.
The forecaster says temperatures could exceed 30C in parts of the country on Saturday, after a week of slowly rising temperatures. It warned: “Heat will build through the week. On Wednesday the highest temperatures values in the UK are expected to be around 27C. On Thursday this will rise to 29C and by Saturday increasing more locations will exceed heatwave values, with the highest temperatures expected to exceed 30C.”
Homes across parts of England in particular will be baking hot as the June sunshine cooks us in our well-insulated buildings, which were built to withstand the cold British winters rather than hot summer sun for extended periods.
For the very young and very old, even temperatures above 20C can be a problem. For example, the NHS guidelines state that a baby’s room must be kept no hotter than 16C to 20C, and temperatures inside can easily climb above that when it’s 27C outside.
The Lullaby Trust and the NHS says: “A room temperature of 16–20C is ideal for your baby, when growing up in the UK. This feels quite cold to a lot of people, so using a room thermometer can help check the temperature.”
It means that households in England are urged to always take steps to keep their house cool in warm weather.
And one way of doing so is to close windows, as well as curtains or blinds in the sunniest conditions, and tactically open windows in shaded areas and open all your windows again in the evening, when outside air temperatures are lower.
Energy firm OVO says: “Tempting as it is to fling open the windows at the first sign of summer, it’s not actually the best idea. To keep your house cool, you need to keep the hot air out.
“This means keeping windows closed during the day – particularly south-facing windows. Keep curtains, blinds and windows shut when the sun is shining directly on them, and when you’re out. Try opening windows on the most shaded side of your home, to avoid sunlight and hot air getting in.”
According to the advice from heating professionals at BOXT, many commonly believed cooling techniques might not only be ineffective but could also hit your wallet hard.
Andy Kerr, the founder of BOXT, explains: “Getting rid of unwanted heat in your home can be difficult in the summer months, especially when most UK properties are built to retain heat. While grabbing a fan or opening up all your windows are often mentioned as effective ways to cool your home, these methods may not result in the desired results.”
He added: “To help homeowners keep cool as the warmer months approach, we have revealed which common home cooling hacks are myths and why they don’t work so you can avoid them this summer.
“When temperatures are particularly warm, opening up all your windows will let more hot air into your home, heating up your home and making you feel warmer.
“Instead of opening all your windows, it is much better to strategically open windows to create cross breezes throughout the day and open your windows during the night to let cooler air in.”
Tony Wisson, the Met Office’s Deputy Chief Meteorologist, said: “The rising temperatures this week are a combination of several factors.
“Over the next few days, settled weather and warm sunshine will allow temperatures to rise day on day. Temperatures will then rise further towards the end of the week as winds turn more southerly and even warmer air over continental Europe will be drawn across the UK. We could very well see several places exceeding 30C, which will be the highest temperatures of the year so far.”
He added: “Temperatures are likely to peak in the low 30s Celsius this weekend before easing sometime early week. Some forecast models even allow temperatures to rise into the mid 30s of Celsius by Monday. While this is feasible, it is considered a lower-likelihood scenario.”