Keep yourself and your home cool in hot weather

To help reduce overheating in sunny, hot weather, we can make small changes around our homes.

Replacing concrete and tarmac in gardens and driveways with gravel, permeable paving and planting areas can help reduce the heat sink effect. Where possible, planting directly into the soil is best, as shrubs, trees and climbing plants create shade and help bring moisture into the ground.

External shading is also important. Installing external shutters or hanging sheets outside windows can help keep sunlight out, while closing windows and curtains during the day and opening them in the evening can help keep indoor temperatures lower. Retrofitting homes with insulation, solar films and air-to-air heat pumps with cooling functions can also help reduce overheating.

For more advice on keeping your home cool during hot weather, visit the Energy Saving Trust website.

With the Met Office reporting record-breaking summer heat, and as our climate continues to change, hotter summers are likely to become more common. To help you stay safe outside in the heat, here’s our Green Estates Team’s guide to staying cool:

Protect yourself from the sun’s UV radiation

Applying sunscreen and wearing a sunhat are musts during the summer. We suggest using SPF 30 as a minimum, although SPF 50+ is better. Remember to reapply sunscreen throughout the day, especially when you stop for lunch, even if you are using an 8-hour protection product.

A sunhat keeps the sun out of your eyes and off your head, helping to reduce the risk of heatstroke and sunburn. A full-brim sunhat is better than a cap, as it shades your head, face and neck and helps protect you from harmful UV rays.

Drink plenty of water

For our Green Estates Team rangers, summer can be challenging. Many sites are exposed, with limited shade, and tasks such as repairing fencing or installing benches can be physically demanding. When we work in the heat, we lose water through sweat and breathing, so it is important to keep drinking to help prevent dehydration, headaches and tiredness.

As we sweat more on hotter days, we also lose important salts, including sodium and chloride. A simple homemade electrolyte drink can help. Mix 500ml filtered tap water with the juice of 1 fresh lemon, 1 tablespoon of local honey and a pinch of good-quality salt, such as Cornish sea salt or Himalayan pink salt.

Start your day earlier

Mornings are usually cooler because the ground loses heat overnight and the sun’s rays are less intense when it is lower in the sky. Starting earlier can make work and outdoor activities more comfortable, and may help you feel more productive.

If you start earlier, you can finish earlier and avoid the hottest part of the day, which is often from early afternoon into the early evening. A 5am or 6am start can also bring the bonus of a beautiful sunrise, more wildlife and some spectacular colours.

Take plenty of breaks

Spending a lot of time in the sun and heat can take its toll, so take regular breaks to help avoid becoming overtired.

Seek out shade

When taking a break or working outside, look for shade where you can. This will help keep you cooler, reduce the risk of heatstroke and support your energy levels.

Trees are among the best providers of shade, creating cooler microclimates beneath them. Their leaves block sunlight and release water vapour through transpiration, adding to the cooling effect.

Wear light-coloured, cooling clothing

Light-coloured clothing, especially white, reflects sunlight, while darker colours absorb it. Wearing lighter colours can help keep you cooler, and lightweight, airy clothing allows breezes to reach your skin. Covering up in this way can cool you more effectively than wearing less, as the fabric reflects more sunlight than your skin would.

You can also wear clothes soaked in cold water, which will slowly evaporate and help keep you cool.

Treat yourself to an ice cream

At the end of the day, or even part way through, an ice cream can be a welcome reward for all your hard work in the heat. Go on, treat yourself.

Have a cool bath or shower to finish your day

At the end of a hot day, a cool shower or bath can be a welcome relief. We have found it helps wake you up as well as cooling you down.

We hope these tips help you over the summer. The best thing you can do on very hot days is limit your time outside, especially in the hottest and most exposed areas.

Enjoy the sunshine and warm weather, but please stay safe.