Keeping cool.

[greenishfing]

I am not a big fan of heat these days. I could cope with it better when I was younger.
I keep all the curtains closed in sunny rooms in the daytime and try not to have the oven on for long. At the allotment I put up a big table umbrella outside the shed. The car, with it's aircon, is my haven.
Dropping to sleep on hot nights is a problem.
Has anyone any top tips for those of us who want to stay cool?

[Snoop Puss]

I never put the oven on at this time of year. As for sleeping, wet a flannel (not dripping wet) and drape that over part of your body. Works a treat for me at night. It's just enough distraction to stop you thinking about the rest of you feeling so hot. Last night was 26 ºC outside when I went to bed, bedroom 27.1 ºC. Flannel helps, every time. Also nice during the daytime to keep a wet flannel handy to wipe back of neck from time to time or inside of your elbows, anywhere where blood is close to the surface.

Keep as many windows and doors open as you can in the evening and at night. Easy for me here, but maybe not in a big city if you're worried about burglars. But let in as much cool air at night as you can, as it will also cool down the fabric of your building, maybe not by a huge amount but every little helps.

[bikermike]

horrible isn't it?

a couple of things I do.
make sure you are using your windows properly - drive convection - hot air rises so try to keep upper windows open on the sunny side and lower windows on the not-sunny side (if you live in a house, upper and lower floors).

Keep curtains mostly shut - if you leave them fully shut the air behind them gets really warm and then when it does get out, heats the room more.

2 uses for fans - (fans don't cool the air down) - (1) to point on you to improve your own body's evaporative cooling, (2) use it to prevent hot air building up - our son's bedroom can get warm as it's on a bit of dead leg, so we arrange a fan to blow air in to stop the hot air building up.

You can make a cheap crude form of aircon by putting a wet cloth over a fan (note, ideally a loose-knot one so it doesn't affect airflow too much).

[MillieBee]

My mum always swears by closing windows and curtains in the heat of the day. Her grandmother was brought up in India and that was their advice.
However, they wouldn't have had the flimsy paper-thin walls my house is made out of, so I keep windows (third floor only) open all the time and curtains part-drawn, leaving enough space for air to get through the window.
The heat doesn't bother me as I am half Greek. I don't burn easily. Long loose sleeves and a hat are all I need

[ESBkevin]

Use your plant misting bottle to spray your face with cool water. You don't need to soak yourself (hey do what you want), but it provides temporary relief when yoy reach that 'Oh heavens' moment. We have a little old lady across the way and I bought her a mister bottle yesterday because she doesn't like fans.
Take care of the vulnerable around us, if it's tough for us think how they feel.

[bikermike]

stating the obvious, but as far as you can, schedule your day to avoid the heat - the hottest part of the day is after when it gets maximum heat (thermal inertia). doing things in the morning if they are physical is sensible.
There is a reason why very little happens in the early afternoon of a hot country.

[Snoop Puss]

And watch out in the car. A friend of mine with a nice new car with good air conditioning got heatstroke simply from the sun shining directly on her skin even though the air conditioning was on.

Good advice from bikermike about staying out of the sun. Me, I'm back indoors around 9.30 am at the latest and don't go out till well after 7 pm. For example, it's 44 ºC out there now and blowing a gale. I looked at my courgette plants from afar just now. They're so wilted I can't imagine they're going to survive. Me, I can't stand out in the sun for more than 5 seconds, if that.

[Lumpy]

Not forgetting our Furry Grapes.
Our old Staffie Maggie the Sag is now 12 and was lying on the sofa absolutely gasping.
Cue large hand towel soaked in cold water then wrung out a bit. Dogs attention on her favourite custard cream biscuit so I could wrap the wet towel around her middle where her fur is thinnest.
She walked round for a bit with it in place then decided to go to bed with OH for his afternoon nap.
I laid the towel down her back and over her head and ears.

Result - one very cool and happy oldie.

[Lumpy]

P.S i took the towel off before she and he went for their nap.

[Small pumpkin]

Has anyone any top tips for those of us who want to stay cool?

Live in Scotland

[Nicos]

Try freezing a bottle of water, wrap it in a towel and take it to bed with you.
Also good for leaving in dog baskets etc.
I'm a great fan of wet flannels too. But don't stop at one!!
Remember to drink loads of water and leave a bowl out for the birds/hedgehogs/etc etc....they too need rehydrating

[greenishfing]

Live in Scotland

There are limits!

[Snadger]

We are lucky that our back room with woodburner and French doors is mainly lived in in the winter as it gets very warm, summer and winter with the doors shut.

The front room which is north facing is a lot cooler and is a handy 'bolt hole' during the summer.

[happyhumph]

Yesterday I kept cool by being knee deep in a customers pond.

Not an option for everyone I appreciate.....

[Nicos]

That reminds me!
Soaking your feet in a bowl of cold water really helps too!