Households across the UK are being urged to shut doors from 10am to 3pm this week as a weather warning has been issued. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has put amber and yellow heat health alerts in place across England from 9am on August 12 until 6pm on August 13, as hot weather builds across the country.
The amber alert covers the South East, London, East Midlands, West Midlands and the East of England, while the yellow alert is for the North West, North East, South West and Yorkshire and the Humber. The Met Office says much of central and southern England is likely to reach heatwave criteria by midweek, with temperatures peaking in the mid-30s in London on Tuesday.
With temperatures on the rise, it can be difficult to keep your home cool without expensive air conditioning so households are urged to take simple steps to keep the heat out – including shutting doors.
British Gas says: “Keep your doors closed. If you’re using a fan, closing off unused rooms during the day will keep the house cool in summer by focusing your cooling efforts where you’ll feel them the most. Similarly, opening your doors in the evening will get the air flowing and stop your home feeling stuffy.”
While NHS advice recommends keeping doors shut “as much as possible” in hot weather, if you are keen to let a bit of fresh air into your home then you should try to limit this to certain hours of the day.
The hottest part of the day is typically between 10am and 3pm, and this is also when the pollen count is highest, so by keeping doors closed during these hours you’ll be avoiding the worst of the heat and keeping pollen out of your home.
Glen Peskett, DIY expert at Saxton Blades, adds: “It’s important to get fresh air, and when the weather begins to improve, it’s even more tempting to open your home up to the warmer elements.
“However, during peak pollen times – usually between 10 am and 3 pm, and on windy days – it’s extremely beneficial to keep your windows and doors shut. This is especially important in bedrooms, where you want to breathe easy at night.”
Red Cross advice also recommends only spending time in rooms that are easy to cool down where possible, and to limit time spent in areas of the house with large windows when the weather is warm.
The charity says: “It can be hard to keep an entire home cool, so aim to create a specific area by choosing one or two rooms like a bedroom, or sitting room, to keep cool instead. Keep windows covered and shut and close doors to stop warm air entering.
“Try to avoid, or spend as little time in as possible, rooms that will be hard to keep cool like a kitchen where heat is generated by appliances and cooking devices, or rooms with large, windows where the sun is shining.”
