How to keep your house cool as temperatures rise

Professor of Energy & Buildings Lubo Jankovic has spent the last few months testing overheating scenarios in Salford’s unique Energy House 2.0 facility. Energy House 2.0 is a specially built climate chamber that recreates temperatures ranging from -20˚C to +40˚C, as well as simulating wind, rain, snow and solar radiation and has house built inside its chambers.

Lubo’s top ten for keeping your house cool;

1. Keep windows open while internal temperature is below 22-23 oC and while external temperature is several degrees below internal temperature, especially during the night, to purge the house from heat; start closing the windows above these internal temperatures while the external temperatures increase.
2. When the outside temperature is below the inside temperature, open windows on all sides of the house to achieve cross-ventilation and on different levels to achieve a “chimney effect” of air circulation.
3. Use blinds/curtains/shutters to prevent solar gain, either with windows open or closed.
4. If using louvre shading, ensure that the louvre blades point downwards, so that they effectively intercept solar rays.
5. When all windows are closed, use fans to increase internal air circulation.
6. Alternate between rooms and floor levels to follow best internal conditions to keep cool; North facing rooms will be cooler than south facing rooms; Ground floor rooms will be cooler than upper floor rooms or converted attics.
7. Adjust clothing levels: use appropriate summer clothing.
8. Adjust activity levels: avoid strenuous physical work.
9. Keep your skin moist: water evaporation from the skin surface will cool the skin down.
10. If you use a heat pump for heating, consider liaising with the installer/manufacturer to enable operation in reverse, in cooling mode (all heat pumps have this capability but it may be hidden), but please note that this will cause condensation on cold surfaces and will require a redesign of the central heating system with change of radiators and pipework and thermal insulation of all internal pipes plus installation of condensate runoffs to prevent long term damage to the house.