WE don’t do weather do we? Here are a few hints about keeping our homes cool in this heat.

Let cool air in – open windows on opposite sides of your home to encourage air flow. Best time is overnight or early morning when it is cooler. Opening a loft hatch also helps heat escape. Where there is only one window, keep internal doors open to help the air circulate.

Keep the sunshine out – when it is warmer outside than inside, keep windows closed and shut curtains or blinds.

Use a fan – these help circulate the air and create a breeze. They are cheap to run – generally costing less than 2p per hour. If it is cooler outside than inside, put a fan near an open window to draw in the cooler air. Placing a bowl of ice cubes a safe distance from the fan helps lower the temperature of air circulating.

Escape! You could head to the nearest air conditioned building for some respite.

Insulation helps – energy efficient homes are easier to keep comfortable all year round. You could consider improving your property’s wall and roof insulation, replacing windows with “low-emissivity” glass which has a coating that reflects UV, helping prevent too much heat from the sun entering the home and holding heat inside in winter, ensuring the property is well ventilated via extractor fans and trickle vents, or installing window shutters to provide external shading.

You may be able to get help with paying for improvements to make your home energy efficient. Our CA TNMWD energy advisers will be pleased to help with this.

This link will take you to our Living Standards survey and we would welcome any submissions to help us with our research: Living Standards Survey 2026 Final Version – Fill in form.

We have been analysing results so far and a graphic will soon be available on our website: www.citizensadvicetnmwd.org.uk.

People know Citizens Advice for giving free advice to people. We also research injustices in society and campaign for change. Research like this enables us to demonstrate credibility.

If you would like to join us as a volunteer helping people with the many problems they are bringing to us, contact [email protected] for more information.

Rosanna Teale

CEO and Trustee Support Officer

Citizens Advice Torridge, North, Mid and West Devon