If your home feels too hot, you could benefit from leaving your blinds down all day, experts have revealed.
This week, it has been undeniably sweltering. With many homes across the country designed to retain heat, it has been unbearably stuffy. But as well as whipping out your best fans and best portable air conditioner to help cool, it’s also helpful to keep your curtains or blinds drawn where you can.
If you’re desperate to keep your home cool this summer, keeping your blinds shut during the hottest parts of the day can help block sunlight streaming through, which can otherwise cause indoor temperatures to rise. Here’s everything you need to know.
What's the hack?
Keeping your curtains drawn during a heatwave is not a new home cooling hack, but it is one worth reminding ourselves of now that the temperatures are soaring.
‘In a heatwave, keeping your blinds or curtains closed during the hottest parts of the day is one of the simplest and most effective ways to keep your home cool,' explains Yvonne Keal, senior product management specialist at Hillarys.
'Sunlight streaming through windows can quickly raise indoor temperatures, so closing blinds, particularly on south- and west-facing windows, helps to block out solar heat before it even enters the room.'
Blinds act as a barrier, reducing heat gain and helping to maintain a more comfortable indoor temperature. This can make a noticeable difference, especially in rooms that receive direct sunlight for long periods.
Blackout blinds or thermal-lined options are particularly effective, but honeycomb blinds, such as Duette®, are especially good in a heatwave. Their unique cellular structure traps air within pockets, creating an insulating layer that helps keep heat out in summer and warmth in during winter.
In addition to keeping your blinds drawn during the hottest part of the day, experts suggest keeping your windows closed. While this may sound counterintuitive, it’s about treating your home a little like a cool box and preventing heat from entering your home.
‘If you have blackout curtains, keep these closed as well for an additional barrier. During the day, windows are best kept closed, or you’ll just be letting more hot air in. It’s best to open windows early morning and late evening when it’s cooler to allow fresh airflow through the home,’ adds Heath Showman, founder of Lifestyle Blinds.
‘One of the best ways you can keep a room cool, however, is by creating external shading to block sunlight before it even hits the glass window. Exterior shutters, or outdoor structures such as a pergola or gazebo, can help keep rooms cooler when positioned directly outside sun-facing windows or doors.’
Alternatively, here are a few more cooling products we swear by to help beat the heat.
The best portable air conditioners are rapidly selling out, but this one is still in stock. You can control from the sofa with WiFi connectivity, offering powerful blasts of cool air.
This fan has quiet operation, decent wind speed and is easy to use. Plus, it one of the best fans you can get for under £100.
An air cooler is a great, affordable alternative to air conditioners. Reviews praise this one's effective cooling power. It also has a whisper-quiet sleep mode making it great for bedrooms.
Were you already aware of this cooling or hack? Or, will you be testing it out for yourself this summer?
