With temperatures due to hit record highs later this week, Groundwork is reminding people to beat the heat
through simple energy saving tips.
Climate change is already causing warmer temperatures in the UK yet 40% of adults say they’ve never seen information on how to protect themselves during a heatwave.
Those most at risk, including older people aged 65 years and over, babies and young children aged 5 years and under, and people with underlying health conditions are also those most at risk of other energy-related vulnerabilities.
Green Doctors – who are energy experts providing in-home support to install energy saving measures, tackle causes of damp, mould and condensation and provide advice on billing and fuel debt – have released some simple cost-effective tips aimed at helping communities to stay cool in the heat.
Beat the heat
focuses on keeping the individual, as well as the home, cool. Tips to take on board wherever you may be include removing all unnecessary clothing like a jacket or socks and eating cold and water rich foods like cucumbers and watermelon, as well as regularly drinking cool water or rehydration drinks.
The primary advice though is about how to keep your home temperature as low as possible. Green Doctors advise turning off lights and electrical equipment that aren’t in use, turning all heating off and closing blinds and curtains on windows during the day before opening them when the air feels cooler outside than inside at night. It doesn’t cost you anything and will increase your comfort whilst staying indoors in the heat.
When it comes to adequate ventilation, Green Doctors suggest bedrooms at the top of the house should open the windows a few hours before bedtime, releasing hot air that rises upwards in the house, and windows on both sides of the building should be opened to allow air to flow through. Furthermore, all windows and doors not facing the sun should be kept open when possible.
Another tip that has both aesthetic and practical benefits for your home: buy cooling plants such as aloe vera, rubber plant or a spider plant to improve humidity in rooms which has a cooling effect. Alternatively, you can create cooling green spaces outdoors with lots of shade such as shrubs, trellises and arbours.
In cases of concern with being unable to cool down, the advice is always to dial 999 if there are signs of heatstroke. To support vulnerable people, Green Doctors advise ensuring that those with underlying health conditions have medication, plan activities for times of the day when it is cooler such as the morning or evening and keep those you care for out of the sun at the hottest time of the day.
