Cooling a three bedroom terraced house in the UK
June 12, 2023 2:57 AM Subscribe
It's so hot and I'm trying to figure out longer-term solutions to the heat problem in my house. Help!
House is a very standard terraced three-bedroom house (mid-terrace, butterfly roof).
Things I already do to cool the house: keep blinds down, and run fans. I'm getting quotes for external blinds and indoor shutters this week (outdoor shutters are not allowed where I live.) House is reasonably well-insulated (double glazing, etc.) for its age.
I'd love advice on longer-term ideas like this:
1. MVHR -- but can this be retrofitted and will it actually make a difference?
2. Window units -- not popular at all in the UK but I did find this one. Is there a reason people don't use them in the UK? Do they work on typical wooden Victorian windows?
3. Whole house fan -- again, I don't see these much in the UK. Do loft fans work? Where would I get one of these? Is this what I am looking for? Or this?
4. Portable AC's? These seem unwieldy.
Any other ideas? I don't particularly want to get the house retrofitted for AC -- not even sure if that is possible, to be honest.
And I know, I know, it doesn't stay hot that long in the UK, but it gets worse every year and will obviously continue to do so. I also have a health condition that's aggravated by the heat. I am willing to be creative!
Thanks!
House is a very standard terraced three-bedroom house (mid-terrace, butterfly roof).
Things I already do to cool the house: keep blinds down, and run fans. I'm getting quotes for external blinds and indoor shutters this week (outdoor shutters are not allowed where I live.) House is reasonably well-insulated (double glazing, etc.) for its age.
I'd love advice on longer-term ideas like this:
1. MVHR -- but can this be retrofitted and will it actually make a difference?
2. Window units -- not popular at all in the UK but I did find this one. Is there a reason people don't use them in the UK? Do they work on typical wooden Victorian windows?
3. Whole house fan -- again, I don't see these much in the UK. Do loft fans work? Where would I get one of these? Is this what I am looking for? Or this?
4. Portable AC's? These seem unwieldy.
Any other ideas? I don't particularly want to get the house retrofitted for AC -- not even sure if that is possible, to be honest.
And I know, I know, it doesn't stay hot that long in the UK, but it gets worse every year and will obviously continue to do so. I also have a health condition that's aggravated by the heat. I am willing to be creative!
Thanks!
We bought a portable A/C a couple of years ago and it was very useful last summer. I tended to use it to cool my office space during the day and then we'd run it in our bedroom in the evening to just bring the temperature down enough to make it easier to get to sleep. Its not an elegant long term solution but its useful in the same way that a portable electric radiator is useful in the winter.
They are heavy, so if you have the space and the money I'd look at getting an upstairs and a downstairs one.
posted by crocomancer at 3:44 AM on June 12, 2023
They are heavy, so if you have the space and the money I'd look at getting an upstairs and a downstairs one.
posted by crocomancer at 3:44 AM on June 12, 2023
Apologies if you’re already doing this, or you’re talking about weather that doesn’t cool off at night at all, but opening the window at night and having a crosse breeze come through (or using window or box fans to draw in the cool Orr air) and then closing the windows the next morning (about 9/10am when things start to heat up again can be very effective. However this stops working as well when it’s above ~68F overnight.
If your house is brick or concrete I also recommend spraying it down with water in the morning and evening to help cool down the brick. Same with any pavement around the home to cool down the air coming in.
posted by raccoon409 at 3:51 AM on June 12, 2023 [7 favorites]
If your house is brick or concrete I also recommend spraying it down with water in the morning and evening to help cool down the brick. Same with any pavement around the home to cool down the air coming in.
posted by raccoon409 at 3:51 AM on June 12, 2023 [7 favorites]
In hotter countries, we have the so-called 'plantation' shutters on the outside of the windows, so that the heat doesn't get trapped behind the glass. But I see that you aren't allowed external shutters.
We also have awnings over all windows, which really help block out the light coming through and keep the house nice and dark. Is a retractable awning over your windows workable for you? Or something like a sun shade sail that you can use in the window.
posted by moiraine at 4:06 AM on June 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
We also have awnings over all windows, which really help block out the light coming through and keep the house nice and dark. Is a retractable awning over your windows workable for you? Or something like a sun shade sail that you can use in the window.
posted by moiraine at 4:06 AM on June 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
Research from across the world shows how effective white paint can be. You may not want to paint your roof - but if you can paint the outside it will have a big impact.
We also have a portable air con unit for our living room which is a lifesaver.
posted by london explorer girl at 4:07 AM on June 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
We also have a portable air con unit for our living room which is a lifesaver.
posted by london explorer girl at 4:07 AM on June 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
Window units -- not popular at all in the UK
I've never lived in the UK so forgive my ignorance. There's a type of AC unit widely used in other parts of the world where you have a condenser unit mounted outside on a wall and an evaporator unit mounted on an indoor wall. This doesn't require retrofitting the house - it's not a whole -building cooling system, but it can cool a single room or single floor very well depending on the size you get. Would those be allowed where you live, or are they disallowed like external shutters? (The external condensors can be hidden behind screens for aesthetic purposes, and your health condition seems like solid grounds for persuasion, but I know there's often a zealous lack of reasonableness behind these things).
posted by trig at 4:25 AM on June 12, 2023 [2 favorites]
I've never lived in the UK so forgive my ignorance. There's a type of AC unit widely used in other parts of the world where you have a condenser unit mounted outside on a wall and an evaporator unit mounted on an indoor wall. This doesn't require retrofitting the house - it's not a whole -building cooling system, but it can cool a single room or single floor very well depending on the size you get. Would those be allowed where you live, or are they disallowed like external shutters? (The external condensors can be hidden behind screens for aesthetic purposes, and your health condition seems like solid grounds for persuasion, but I know there's often a zealous lack of reasonableness behind these things).
posted by trig at 4:25 AM on June 12, 2023 [2 favorites]
Any other ideas? I don't particularly want to get the house retrofitted for AC -- not even sure if that is possible, to be honest.
A standard split system install is very cheap and simple where I live (Australia). The term you want is Reverse Cycle Air Conditioning - Split System. There is a small 13kg interior unit that emits cool / warm air, connected by a small tube carrying refrigerant liquid that penetrates your brick wall and connects a larger 36kg outdoor compressor unit that does the heat exchange with the environment. The outdoors unit is either mounted on a concrete block on the ground, or can be mounted directly onto the exterior brick wall.
Here is a >random example I googled for sale in the UK where it costs £1,519.95 (inc. VAT) for a 6kW unit. In my case it took 1 person about 2 hours to do the installation job including charging up the refrigerant. My house has 5 bedrooms and I usually only heat / cool the open plan living area and let the temperature equalize into the bedroom, I have a 10kW unit that cost AUD4,000 which is equivalent to £2,100. As a bonus it does both heating and cooling and is quite efficient, it's about 4x as efficient as a regular electric bar heater.
posted by xdvesper at 5:01 AM on June 12, 2023 [5 favorites]
A standard split system install is very cheap and simple where I live (Australia). The term you want is Reverse Cycle Air Conditioning - Split System. There is a small 13kg interior unit that emits cool / warm air, connected by a small tube carrying refrigerant liquid that penetrates your brick wall and connects a larger 36kg outdoor compressor unit that does the heat exchange with the environment. The outdoors unit is either mounted on a concrete block on the ground, or can be mounted directly onto the exterior brick wall.
Here is a >random example I googled for sale in the UK where it costs £1,519.95 (inc. VAT) for a 6kW unit. In my case it took 1 person about 2 hours to do the installation job including charging up the refrigerant. My house has 5 bedrooms and I usually only heat / cool the open plan living area and let the temperature equalize into the bedroom, I have a 10kW unit that cost AUD4,000 which is equivalent to £2,100. As a bonus it does both heating and cooling and is quite efficient, it's about 4x as efficient as a regular electric bar heater.
posted by xdvesper at 5:01 AM on June 12, 2023 [5 favorites]
A few friends have portable ACs and seem pleased with them (in the UK) if that helps.
posted by fabius at 5:12 AM on June 12, 2023
posted by fabius at 5:12 AM on June 12, 2023
Is your loft insulated? That will keep heat out in the summer (and cold out in the winter).
posted by Chausette at 5:18 AM on June 12, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by Chausette at 5:18 AM on June 12, 2023 [2 favorites]
I've been inspired by all the "heat the person not the room" advice that was doing the rounds last winter since I'm trying to save money. Currently sitting at my desk wearing a cooling towel wrapped around my head along with a re-chargeable bladeless neck fan (both easily found on Amazon UK) and feeling really comfortable.
posted by guessthis at 5:53 AM on June 12, 2023
posted by guessthis at 5:53 AM on June 12, 2023
I have a similar house, except with a loft extension w/ flat roof.
things which I have done:
1) I have custom fitted, suction cup mounted external window covers on the South side of the house on the top and middle floor windows. I fit these for the summer months only. May get past the local Conservation Area enforcers that way. These are made of black mesh so let some light through.
2) I have a South facing bifold door, we fitted a motorised awning on this.
3) Openable skylights, can make a big difference.
4) We have ceiling fans in living room, child's bedroom and desk fans for our offices.
Caveat is all of these passive methods only go so far - in our English terraced house the house still gets too hot when it it warm for many days and the whole house reaches an uncomfortable thermal equilibrium. Especially when its wind-still - as it is right now the GB grid had to fire up a coal station yesterday because there's so little wind - and passive ventilation takes a long time to move hot air out at the end of the day.
We have a portable air conditioner for our bedroom with a custom made exhaust panel that fits into a skylight. This at least lets us sleep even on the hottest days.
It's still not great and given that my wife and I both work from home (and therefore we have a lot of mid-day times when we want to look presentable and be able to work over the course of the summer) we are looking into a multi-split A/C and heating system. This will involve a large external unit feeding refrigerant to 3-4 internal units but we've been hesitant to do it due to the disruption of running the pipes internally. Another summer like last one and we're likely to just bite the bullet and run the pipes externally.
posted by atrazine at 6:11 AM on June 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
things which I have done:
1) I have custom fitted, suction cup mounted external window covers on the South side of the house on the top and middle floor windows. I fit these for the summer months only. May get past the local Conservation Area enforcers that way. These are made of black mesh so let some light through.
2) I have a South facing bifold door, we fitted a motorised awning on this.
3) Openable skylights, can make a big difference.
4) We have ceiling fans in living room, child's bedroom and desk fans for our offices.
Caveat is all of these passive methods only go so far - in our English terraced house the house still gets too hot when it it warm for many days and the whole house reaches an uncomfortable thermal equilibrium. Especially when its wind-still - as it is right now the GB grid had to fire up a coal station yesterday because there's so little wind - and passive ventilation takes a long time to move hot air out at the end of the day.
We have a portable air conditioner for our bedroom with a custom made exhaust panel that fits into a skylight. This at least lets us sleep even on the hottest days.
It's still not great and given that my wife and I both work from home (and therefore we have a lot of mid-day times when we want to look presentable and be able to work over the course of the summer) we are looking into a multi-split A/C and heating system. This will involve a large external unit feeding refrigerant to 3-4 internal units but we've been hesitant to do it due to the disruption of running the pipes internally. Another summer like last one and we're likely to just bite the bullet and run the pipes externally.
posted by atrazine at 6:11 AM on June 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
It might well be worth paying for an energy audit - these are generally carried out by someone who knows what kinds of options are available/popular in your area.
For specific advice, seconding getting your loft/attic insulated/vented. This made a HUGE difference in a home where I used to live in a top-floor flat - the first summer I lived there my LUSH solid moisturizer MELTED into a gross puddle that looked like someone had vomited in my bathtub, but the following year, after the landlord had the attic insulated, it was quite pleasant! And my heating bill basically went to nothing (I got all the heat from the apartments below me).
And if you don't know how well-insulated your walls are that's another thing to look at - when I had an energy audit done the auditor said that good windows only do so much - lack of insulation in the walls and air sealing more generally give you more bang for your buck (it turned out we had no insulation at all in most of our exterior walls).
I wonder if window AC units are less popular in the UK because single/double hung windows (which are almost universal in the US) are less popular? It's easy to fit a window AC into windows that go up and down but hard-to-impossible for casement windows, sliding windows, etc. I've used window units in the US in many 100+ year-old wooden houses with no problem.
posted by mskyle at 6:17 AM on June 12, 2023 [3 favorites]
For specific advice, seconding getting your loft/attic insulated/vented. This made a HUGE difference in a home where I used to live in a top-floor flat - the first summer I lived there my LUSH solid moisturizer MELTED into a gross puddle that looked like someone had vomited in my bathtub, but the following year, after the landlord had the attic insulated, it was quite pleasant! And my heating bill basically went to nothing (I got all the heat from the apartments below me).
And if you don't know how well-insulated your walls are that's another thing to look at - when I had an energy audit done the auditor said that good windows only do so much - lack of insulation in the walls and air sealing more generally give you more bang for your buck (it turned out we had no insulation at all in most of our exterior walls).
I wonder if window AC units are less popular in the UK because single/double hung windows (which are almost universal in the US) are less popular? It's easy to fit a window AC into windows that go up and down but hard-to-impossible for casement windows, sliding windows, etc. I've used window units in the US in many 100+ year-old wooden houses with no problem.
posted by mskyle at 6:17 AM on June 12, 2023 [3 favorites]
For everyone else’s benefit: Box fans are Not a Thing in the UK (or Ireland). We’ve got desk-sized or freestanding oscillating fans and that’s pretty much it.
Portable AC is probably the most straightforward way to go here. In the meantime, you might get some relief from a ‘swamp cooler’ kind of thing? Even spritzing yourself with cold water with a spray bottle might help? (Granted, part of the problem in this climate is the humidity so YMMV.)
posted by macdara at 6:17 AM on June 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
Portable AC is probably the most straightforward way to go here. In the meantime, you might get some relief from a ‘swamp cooler’ kind of thing? Even spritzing yourself with cold water with a spray bottle might help? (Granted, part of the problem in this climate is the humidity so YMMV.)
posted by macdara at 6:17 AM on June 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
A standard split system install is very cheap and simple where I live (Australia). The term you want is Reverse Cycle Air Conditioning - Split System. There is a small 13kg interior unit that emits cool / warm air, connected by a small tube carrying refrigerant liquid that penetrates your brick wall and connects a larger 36kg outdoor compressor unit that does the heat exchange with the environment. The outdoors unit is either mounted on a concrete block on the ground, or can be mounted directly onto the exterior brick wall.
We are in a very different climate than the UK (probably more similar to parts of Australia), but chose to install these last year. Here the term is "mini-splits" and sadly at the moment, due to high demand, they are not cheap here. Our system has an interior unit in each major room (e.g., living room, bedrooms, kitchen) and two heatpumps outdoors. (Apparently our system was right on the dividing line between one and two outdoor units, so I went with two for more flexibility since the cost was very close.)
Each interior unit is controlled separately, which is what we wanted (since at any given moment we are usually using only part of the house), but I believe it is possible to have them function as an integrated system if you wanted that.
We have limited storage space so I didn't want to deal with having a couple of portable units sitting around for the 9 or 10 months they would not be used, and our windows are not suitable for window units plus I didn't want to block the light. They can provide heat during the winter but we treat them just as a backup since the house already has a heating system that works well.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:08 AM on June 12, 2023
We are in a very different climate than the UK (probably more similar to parts of Australia), but chose to install these last year. Here the term is "mini-splits" and sadly at the moment, due to high demand, they are not cheap here. Our system has an interior unit in each major room (e.g., living room, bedrooms, kitchen) and two heatpumps outdoors. (Apparently our system was right on the dividing line between one and two outdoor units, so I went with two for more flexibility since the cost was very close.)
Each interior unit is controlled separately, which is what we wanted (since at any given moment we are usually using only part of the house), but I believe it is possible to have them function as an integrated system if you wanted that.
We have limited storage space so I didn't want to deal with having a couple of portable units sitting around for the 9 or 10 months they would not be used, and our windows are not suitable for window units plus I didn't want to block the light. They can provide heat during the winter but we treat them just as a backup since the house already has a heating system that works well.
posted by Dip Flash at 7:08 AM on June 12, 2023
How old is your house? If it's Victorian it will have solid walls, which increases thermal mass (good) but with low insulation (bad).
We were in southern Spain last year; it was so hot even the locals were complaining. The house we stayed in had heavy floor-length curtains that I normally associate with houses in cold climates, but there were great at keeping the heat out.
You could try thermal blinds - have a look at this conversation: https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/topic/7879-thermal-blinds/
BTW, the UK Building Regs have now been revised to include provision for reducing overheating: https://www.architecture.com/knowledge-and-resources/knowledge-landing-page/how-will-approved-document-o-transform-window-design-and-ventilation-strategies
posted by Kiwi at 7:44 AM on June 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
We were in southern Spain last year; it was so hot even the locals were complaining. The house we stayed in had heavy floor-length curtains that I normally associate with houses in cold climates, but there were great at keeping the heat out.
You could try thermal blinds - have a look at this conversation: https://forum.buildhub.org.uk/topic/7879-thermal-blinds/
BTW, the UK Building Regs have now been revised to include provision for reducing overheating: https://www.architecture.com/knowledge-and-resources/knowledge-landing-page/how-will-approved-document-o-transform-window-design-and-ventilation-strategies
posted by Kiwi at 7:44 AM on June 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
Nthing the value of a home energy audit.
Are you opening the windows at night and shutting them during the day? Are you taking strategic advantage of cross breezes?
If you are going big or going home... maybe consider a heat pump.
A dehumidifier can make a difference in humid climates (while redundant with an A/C unit...presumably there will be times when running the dehumidifier is appropriate, but running the A/C is not.)
Portable AC units are ian less than ideal (but probably better than nothing).
Long term, you might also want to consider the impacts of landscaping (pavement = bad, trees/shade = good).
An icy cold shower can feel good for certain definitions of feeling good.
In my USAian experience, an attic/ whole house fan works pretty well as long as the temperature cools down at night.
posted by oceano at 7:52 AM on June 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
Are you opening the windows at night and shutting them during the day? Are you taking strategic advantage of cross breezes?
If you are going big or going home... maybe consider a heat pump.
A dehumidifier can make a difference in humid climates (while redundant with an A/C unit...presumably there will be times when running the dehumidifier is appropriate, but running the A/C is not.)
Portable AC units are ian less than ideal (but probably better than nothing).
Long term, you might also want to consider the impacts of landscaping (pavement = bad, trees/shade = good).
An icy cold shower can feel good for certain definitions of feeling good.
In my USAian experience, an attic/ whole house fan works pretty well as long as the temperature cools down at night.
posted by oceano at 7:52 AM on June 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
Sorry, I have no idea how the HTML in my comment earlier got malformed, here it is in its corrected form --
>> Here is a random example I googled for sale in the UK where it costs £1,519.95 (inc. VAT) for a 6kW unit.
posted by xdvesper at 8:06 AM on June 12, 2023
>> Here is a random example I googled for sale in the UK where it costs £1,519.95 (inc. VAT) for a 6kW unit.
posted by xdvesper at 8:06 AM on June 12, 2023
How old is your house? If it's Victorian it will have solid walls, which increases thermal mass (good) but with low insulation (bad).
This is helpful for short heat waves but once it goes beyond a day, the thermal mass keeps the house hot throughout the night and it's like being inside a pizza oven.
posted by atrazine at 9:47 AM on June 12, 2023
This is helpful for short heat waves but once it goes beyond a day, the thermal mass keeps the house hot throughout the night and it's like being inside a pizza oven.
posted by atrazine at 9:47 AM on June 12, 2023
Window units aren't popular here because most of us don't have sash windows. But they should work just as well as they do in North America if you do have openable sash windows. Much more common are minisplit systems, a lot of loft extensions will have these, but it's the very worst time of year to try and get one installed.
Aside from AC I believe that the trick is ensuring that you exchange the air in the coolest part of the day/night (assuming that at some point it is cooler outside than it is inside). This means opening windows on both sides of the house and getting a cross breeze going using fans and open doors.
In other shading ideas, you can probably get an awning installed at the back of your house, regardless of what is allowed at the front.
The other part of the reason that you don't see things like whole house fans, is that until the last few years it really hasn't been consistently hot enough to create a big market. All solutions will work on British homes in principle, but some of them work better on open plan spaces and we tend to have separate rooms.
posted by plonkee at 10:20 AM on June 12, 2023
Aside from AC I believe that the trick is ensuring that you exchange the air in the coolest part of the day/night (assuming that at some point it is cooler outside than it is inside). This means opening windows on both sides of the house and getting a cross breeze going using fans and open doors.
In other shading ideas, you can probably get an awning installed at the back of your house, regardless of what is allowed at the front.
The other part of the reason that you don't see things like whole house fans, is that until the last few years it really hasn't been consistently hot enough to create a big market. All solutions will work on British homes in principle, but some of them work better on open plan spaces and we tend to have separate rooms.
posted by plonkee at 10:20 AM on June 12, 2023
Consider mylar window coverings that reflect a fair bit of sun, esp. on south-facing windows. It also does some darkening.
Heat does rise, so using a large exhaust fan at the top of the house will usually help. You'll have to experiment with what windows to leave open, and how much, to make it most effective. A skylight that opens will let heat escape, and if you manage windows, may create a bit of breeze (stack effect).
A lighter colored roof will help.
Open windows at night, close windows and drapes in daytime to preserve the cooler temp.
I have beach umbrellas that shade the south wall and windows, they help quite a bit.
Plant deciduous trees on the south side. They take time to grow but make a huge difference and you recognize that this will get worse.
Use a fan pointed at you, maybe ceiling fans in some rooms. These keep me comfortable. Stay hydrated, wear appropriate clothing, or lack of.
Put ice in your drink.
posted by theora55 at 11:48 AM on June 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
Heat does rise, so using a large exhaust fan at the top of the house will usually help. You'll have to experiment with what windows to leave open, and how much, to make it most effective. A skylight that opens will let heat escape, and if you manage windows, may create a bit of breeze (stack effect).
A lighter colored roof will help.
Open windows at night, close windows and drapes in daytime to preserve the cooler temp.
I have beach umbrellas that shade the south wall and windows, they help quite a bit.
Plant deciduous trees on the south side. They take time to grow but make a huge difference and you recognize that this will get worse.
Use a fan pointed at you, maybe ceiling fans in some rooms. These keep me comfortable. Stay hydrated, wear appropriate clothing, or lack of.
Put ice in your drink.
posted by theora55 at 11:48 AM on June 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Wow, this is amazing advice -- thank you everyone! I opened the windows this evening and finally there is a breeze.
Think I will go for the portable AC and an awning for now (hadn't thought of this, thank you @moirane!) I do think window units are better but don't want to take a chance with my wonky windows. I have thought of the mini-split system but need planning permission where I live for an outdoor AC unit (for noise, I think.) In the long run I think I will have to do this.
The house and loft are well-insulated, but yes this seems to be worse for heat rather than better!
posted by caoimhe at 12:35 PM on June 12, 2023
Think I will go for the portable AC and an awning for now (hadn't thought of this, thank you @moirane!) I do think window units are better but don't want to take a chance with my wonky windows. I have thought of the mini-split system but need planning permission where I live for an outdoor AC unit (for noise, I think.) In the long run I think I will have to do this.
The house and loft are well-insulated, but yes this seems to be worse for heat rather than better!
posted by caoimhe at 12:35 PM on June 12, 2023
Faster than trees, more hassle than some awnings, but really nice shade: annual vines covering the walls and / or windows. From the ground, or even in window boxes.
It’s not just the shade, the evapotranspiration that comes with photosynthesis is cooling. Plus, pretty. Local gardeners should have suggestions for easy to grow + doesn’t damage surfaces.
posted by clew at 2:56 PM on June 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
It’s not just the shade, the evapotranspiration that comes with photosynthesis is cooling. Plus, pretty. Local gardeners should have suggestions for easy to grow + doesn’t damage surfaces.
posted by clew at 2:56 PM on June 12, 2023 [1 favorite]
Research from across the world shows how effective white paint can be.
Just jumping in to say: do not paint bricks, it will cause them to decay. You might be able to use whitewash. Talk to a professional before attempting this.
If you have sash windows, optimise them for cooling by lowering the top sash as you raise the bottom one. Hot air escapes at the top and draws cool air in.
posted by Pallas Athena at 4:35 PM on June 12, 2023 [2 favorites]
Just jumping in to say: do not paint bricks, it will cause them to decay. You might be able to use whitewash. Talk to a professional before attempting this.
If you have sash windows, optimise them for cooling by lowering the top sash as you raise the bottom one. Hot air escapes at the top and draws cool air in.
posted by Pallas Athena at 4:35 PM on June 12, 2023 [2 favorites]
Very short term, but I will spray the walls/windows with either a hose or a spray bottle of water to help keep it at a reasonable temperature during peak sun hours. When it’s quite hot, I sometimes do this every 20-30 minutes. It is very helpful.
posted by samthemander at 8:51 PM on June 12, 2023
posted by samthemander at 8:51 PM on June 12, 2023
I'm an engineer who deals in building overheating, etc and models it for a living. Here are my thoughts and advice.
MVHR - no, retrofitted MVHR rarely works well to combat overheating. The air flow rates are too low. Excellent for air quality and the home feeling 'fresh' if installed well (air intakes away from sources of air pollution).
Window units - ugly but would work; a crude solution for a long term issue though. I would also worry abut maintenance as it's so rarely used in UK.
Whole house fan - Same as MVHR, the air flow rates required would make for a noisy fan and it wouldn't work that well.
Portable AC's - expensive but the best 'room' solution.
The good news is that, for most homes, you can use a combination of measures that make things passable.
Keeping a house cool is a combination of reducing external and internal heat gains. So here is your game plan
1. Stop internal gains - switch thing OFF.
• Lighting – even low energy light fittings can contribute to internals gains if the number of fittings is high. Plug-in lamps often do not have an energy rating and can be a significant source of heat.
• Appliances – fridges, dishwashers, washing machines, televisions, laptops and chargers emit heat, often even in stand-by mode.
• Occupants – people within homes give off heat in the form of ‘metabolic’ gains.
• Hot water heaters - in the cupboard it may be 'heating' the whole house. Switch it off during the day.
2. Only open windows on the side with no sun but maintain a good ventilation strategy -
• Ideally you want low level windows open on the cool side and upper windows open to allow air to flow into the house using natural buoyancy (hot air rises).
• If you have sash and case windows learn how to use them (you have to open the upper and lower pane).
• adjust this as the day moves on.
• Consider pre cooling rooms in the house in the morning by opening windows to let cool night air in then close these rooms off as the sun rises. They will stay surprisingly cool later on in the day.
Hope this helps.
posted by Vroom_Vroom_Vroom at 12:24 AM on June 14, 2023 [4 favorites]
MVHR - no, retrofitted MVHR rarely works well to combat overheating. The air flow rates are too low. Excellent for air quality and the home feeling 'fresh' if installed well (air intakes away from sources of air pollution).
Window units - ugly but would work; a crude solution for a long term issue though. I would also worry abut maintenance as it's so rarely used in UK.
Whole house fan - Same as MVHR, the air flow rates required would make for a noisy fan and it wouldn't work that well.
Portable AC's - expensive but the best 'room' solution.
The good news is that, for most homes, you can use a combination of measures that make things passable.
Keeping a house cool is a combination of reducing external and internal heat gains. So here is your game plan
1. Stop internal gains - switch thing OFF.
• Lighting – even low energy light fittings can contribute to internals gains if the number of fittings is high. Plug-in lamps often do not have an energy rating and can be a significant source of heat.
• Appliances – fridges, dishwashers, washing machines, televisions, laptops and chargers emit heat, often even in stand-by mode.
• Occupants – people within homes give off heat in the form of ‘metabolic’ gains.
• Hot water heaters - in the cupboard it may be 'heating' the whole house. Switch it off during the day.
2. Only open windows on the side with no sun but maintain a good ventilation strategy -
• Ideally you want low level windows open on the cool side and upper windows open to allow air to flow into the house using natural buoyancy (hot air rises).
• If you have sash and case windows learn how to use them (you have to open the upper and lower pane).
• adjust this as the day moves on.
• Consider pre cooling rooms in the house in the morning by opening windows to let cool night air in then close these rooms off as the sun rises. They will stay surprisingly cool later on in the day.
Hope this helps.
posted by Vroom_Vroom_Vroom at 12:24 AM on June 14, 2023 [4 favorites]
Some links for interested people
Excellent guide on why it happens, no real fixes but useful background
https://www.nhbc.co.uk/binaries/content/assets/nhbc/foundation/understanding-overheating---where-to-start.pdf
What I do for a living (I'm more schools B b101, etc)
https://ibpsaenglandlondon.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/hoare-lea-ibpsa-july-6th1.pdf
The UK gov is taking this seriously but it sucks if you have a newish home
https://www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Addressing-overheating-risk-in-existing-UK-homes-Arup.pdf
A lot of online articles are rubbish but this one is good
https://www.standard.co.uk/homesandproperty/interiors/how-to-keep-your-house-flat-cool-during-heatwave-a132226.html
- the swamp cooler (box of ice water in front of a fan) is a nice idea but I find it unpalatable
Personal things you can do:
- wear loose clothing, shorts, t shirt. Cotton.
- drink cold water regularly. obviously not too much.
- work at different times if you can. Make the middle of the day a long break i.e. 7-11 and 2-5 not 9-5. Three hours lunch breaks are great.
- take cold showers. Only for the brave.
posted by Vroom_Vroom_Vroom at 12:37 AM on June 14, 2023 [2 favorites]
Excellent guide on why it happens, no real fixes but useful background
https://www.nhbc.co.uk/binaries/content/assets/nhbc/foundation/understanding-overheating---where-to-start.pdf
What I do for a living (I'm more schools B b101, etc)
https://ibpsaenglandlondon.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/hoare-lea-ibpsa-july-6th1.pdf
The UK gov is taking this seriously but it sucks if you have a newish home
https://www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Addressing-overheating-risk-in-existing-UK-homes-Arup.pdf
A lot of online articles are rubbish but this one is good
https://www.standard.co.uk/homesandproperty/interiors/how-to-keep-your-house-flat-cool-during-heatwave-a132226.html
- the swamp cooler (box of ice water in front of a fan) is a nice idea but I find it unpalatable
Personal things you can do:
- wear loose clothing, shorts, t shirt. Cotton.
- drink cold water regularly. obviously not too much.
- work at different times if you can. Make the middle of the day a long break i.e. 7-11 and 2-5 not 9-5. Three hours lunch breaks are great.
- take cold showers. Only for the brave.
posted by Vroom_Vroom_Vroom at 12:37 AM on June 14, 2023 [2 favorites]
Mod note: Comments removed. Please keep the focus on answering the OP's question, and avoid complaining about specific media publications, thanks!
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 7:31 AM on June 14, 2023
posted by Brandon Blatcher (staff) at 7:31 AM on June 14, 2023
If someone hasn't already said it, get a dual-hose portable AC...
posted by flamk at 12:02 AM on June 15, 2023
posted by flamk at 12:02 AM on June 15, 2023
This thread is closed to new comments.
(No, not affiliated in any way.)
posted by kate4914 at 3:34 AM on June 12, 2023 [1 favorite]