Heating

Advice on boilers, radiators, central heating systems and keeping your home warm and energy efficient.

How to Keep Your Home Cool During the UK Heatwave

2nd May 2025

In the UK, heatwaves have become more intense and frequent. With temperatures pushing past comfortable levels and many UK homes not built to cope with extreme heat, it can be tough to stay cool indoors. Fortunately, there are simple, effective, and often low-cost ways to help beat the heat without breaking the bank or the environment.

Here are our top tips to help you keep your home cool, allowing you to sleep comfortably at night:

Shield Your Windows from the Sun

One of the biggest sources of indoor heat is sunlight pouring through your windows. South-facing windows can absorb a lot of heat from the sun, heating up a room, even with the windows open.

Keeping your windows or blinds closed before midday is a great way to negate this. Light-coloured curtains are ideal, as they reflect heat, rather than absorbing it.

Double glazed windows are designed to keep your house cool during the summer and warm in the winter, thanks to the inert gas between the two panes of glass. Ifyou have single glazed windows and are experiencing uncomfortable temperatures in your home, it may be a worthwhile investment to have double glazed windows installed. You can view our Trusted Double Glazing Experts on TrustATrader.com.

Let in Cool Air at the Right Time

One of the best cooling tricks is to ventilate your home in the coolest periods of the day. Rather than keeping windows open all day and allowing hot air to flow in, opening them early in the morning and again late in the evening when outdoor temperatures drop.

Create a cross-breeze through your home by opening windows on opposite sides of the house or flat, allowing fresh air to circulate and push warm air out. If your home has a loft hatch or skylight, opening it in the evening can also help hot air rise and escape.

Use Fans to Create a DIY Air Conditioner

Electric fans are great during a heatwave. You should place fans across from a window to draw cooler air in, or near an open door to help push warm air out. To cool your house further, place a bag of frozen peas or ice in front of a fan. The air passing over the cold surface will feel noticeably cooler, like a DIY air conditioner! If you are interested in a dedicated air conditioning system for your home, you can enquire about installation with our Trusted Air Conditioning Experts on TrustATrader.com

Cook Smart to Avoid Indoor Heat

The oven and hob are some of the biggest heat offenders in the kitchen. On hot days, it’s best to avoid them altogether. Instead, try salads, sandwiches, or no-cook meals. If you do need to cook, consider using a slow cooker or microwave, which generate less ambient heat.

Better yet, enjoy the weather with a barbecue in the garden or on the balcony, keeping the heat outdoors!

Think About Insulation

Most people associate insulation with keeping warm in winter, but it also works to keep hot air out in summer. If your home tends to overheat, especially in the loft or top floor, it could be worth investing in better insulation or reflective foil beneath your roof tiles.

Even draught-proofing around windows and doors can help, as it stops warm air from creeping in and cool air from escaping.

View our Trusted Insulation Companies on TrustATrader.com

Use Lighter Bedding and Clothing

Thick duvets and synthetic bedding are your enemy in hot weather. Opt for lightweight sheets made from breathable fabrics like cotton or linen, which allow better airflow and wick moisture away from your skin.

The same goes for your clothing. Loose, light-coloured clothes made of natural fibres can help regulate your body temperature, even indoors.

Create a "Cool Zone" in Your Home

If you can't keep your entire home cool, focus on just one room. Choose a space that gets the least sun during the day and turn it into your cool zone. Keep blinds drawn, limit electrical appliance use, and run a fan to maintain airflow.

Keep Your House Cool with TrustATrader.com

While UK homes aren’t typically built for the increasing heatwaves, a few smart adjustments can make a real difference. Whether it’s improving airflow, managing sunlight, or simply making better choices around cooking and electronics, these small steps can keep you and your family cool and comfortable throughout the summer.

At TrustATrader.com, we’re here to help you find local, trusted professionals who can support you with insulation, ventilation, window upgrades, and more. Whether you're looking to future-proof your home or get through the next heatwave in comfort, we’ve got you covered.

Related tags

Air Conditioning

Looking for more heating advice?

Find clear, practical answers to common heating questions, helping homeowners understand everyday issues, know what checks they can carry out safely, and when it is best to contact a qualified professional.

What is the difference between a combi boiler and a system boiler?

A combi heats water straight from the mains on demand - no cylinder needed, which makes it compact and ideal for smaller homes or flats. A system boiler works with a hot water cylinder, storing a ready supply that can serve multiple taps or showers at once without the pressure dropping - better for larger homes with more bathrooms. There's also the conventional boiler, which needs both a cylinder and a cold water tank in the loft - common in older properties. A heating engineer can help you figure out which suits your home best.
Is an air source heat pump right for my home?

Heat pumps pull warmth from the outside air (even when it's cold) and use it to heat your home and hot water. They work best in well-insulated homes, ideally with underfloor heating or larger radiators that work well at lower temperatures. In draughty or poorly insulated properties, the benefits are more limited. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme currently offers a grant of up to £7,500 towards installation, so it's worth getting a professional assessment to see whether your home is a good fit before committing.
How often should a boiler be serviced?

Once a year, by a Gas Safe registered engineer. It keeps the boiler running safely, catches small issues before they become expensive, and is usually a condition of the manufacturer's warranty. Some home insurance policies require proof of regular servicing too. If you're not sure when yours was last done, book one before winter - better to find out before you're sitting in a cold house!
Why is my radiator cold at the top but warm at the bottom?

This issue is almost always trapped air. Bleeding the radiator - using a radiator key to release the air - usually sorts it, and it's one of the few heating jobs you can safely do yourself. If bleeding it doesn't work, or if several radiators are having the same problem, it might be a pressure or pump issue. Worth getting a heating engineer in to have a look.
What are the signs my boiler needs replacing?

Keep an eye out for: frequent breakdowns, energy bills going up without using more heat, unusual noises (banging, kettling, or whistling), a flame that's yellow or orange instead of blue, and any visible leaks or rust around the unit. If your boiler is over fifteen years old and ticking any of those boxes, replacing it is usually the more economical choice - modern boilers are significantly more efficient.
Is underfloor heating worth it and do I need a professional to install it?

For a new build or a big renovation, underfloor heating is often a great investment - it heats rooms more evenly than radiators and can be more efficient, especially alongside a heat pump. Retrofitting in an existing home is more of a job, and how worthwhile it is depends on your floor types and how much disruption you're happy to deal with. Either way - wet or electric - it has to be installed by a qualified professional.
Why does my boiler keep losing pressure?

Some pressure drop over time is normal, but if you're topping it up regularly there's usually a cause: a small leak in the system (which isn't always easy to spot), a pressure relief valve that's releasing water, or air in the system after bleeding radiators. Topping it up via the filling loop is fine as a short-term fix, but if you're doing it more than a couple of times a year, it's worth getting an engineer to look into why it keeps happening.

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