How to keep your property cool during a UK heatwave

20 Aug 2026

by Helen Thring

Summer has certainly made its presence felt this year. With repeated spells of very hot weather affecting the UK, homes across Berkshire have been heating up too.

While sunshine is always welcome, keeping your property comfortable can become a challenge when temperatures remain high for several days – particularly in homes designed to retain warmth during our traditionally cooler British weather.

Whether you live in an apartment, bungalow or a detached house, there are some simple things you can do to keep your property cooler without immediately reaching for the air conditioning.

Keep curtains and blinds closed during the day

It can be tempting to throw open every curtain when the sun is shining, but direct sunlight through your windows can quickly raise the temperature inside your home.

Keep curtains, blinds or shutters closed on windows receiving direct sunlight, particularly those facing east, west and south. Once the sun has moved away, you can open them again.

Know when to open – and close – your windows

Opening every window isn’t necessarily the best way to cool your home.

If the temperature outside is higher than it is indoors, an open window can simply allow more hot air into the property. During the hottest part of the day, keeping windows closed can therefore help preserve the cooler air already inside.

When temperatures fall in the evening or early morning, open windows where it is safe to do so and encourage air to flow through the property.

If you can open windows on opposite sides of your home, this can be particularly effective at creating a through-breeze.

Stop generating unnecessary heat indoors

When it’s already hot outside, the last thing you need is additional heat coming from inside your home.

Ovens, hobs, tumble dryers, lighting and electrical equipment can all generate heat. Switch off lights and appliances you aren’t using and, where possible, save cooking or other heat-generating jobs for cooler parts of the day.

It might be the perfect excuse to enjoy dinner outside instead.

Make the most of your garden

A garden isn’t only a fantastic place to enjoy the summer weather; plants and trees can also provide useful natural shade.

Established trees, pergolas, awnings and thoughtfully positioned planting can help prevent direct sunlight from reaching windows and outdoor seating areas.

Outdoor space can be a particularly attractive feature for buyers searching for properties for sale in Berkshire, and periods of hot weather are a good reminder of just how valuable a shaded garden or patio can be.

Use fans effectively

A portable fan can help make a warm room feel much more comfortable by increasing air movement.

Try positioning fans to encourage cooler evening air through your home once the outside temperature has dropped. During the daytime, focus on keeping direct sunlight and hot outdoor air out in the first place.

Fans work best as part of a wider strategy rather than as a solution to a room that has been heating in direct sunshine all day.

Choose the coolest room for sleeping

Hot nights are often the hardest part of a heatwave.

If one bedroom receives considerably more sunlight than another, consider temporarily sleeping in the cooler room. Lower floors of a house may also remain cooler than rooms higher up.

Top-floor flats and rooms immediately beneath the roof can be particularly susceptible to overheating, so closing blinds early and ventilating them once temperatures fall can make a noticeable difference.

Think about longer-term improvements

If your home regularly becomes uncomfortably hot, there are longer-term changes worth considering.

Better shading, suitable blinds or shutters, improved ventilation and carefully positioned planting can all help. When renovating, extending or improving insulation, it’s also worth considering summer temperatures as well as winter energy efficiency.

For property developers and anyone looking at new builds in Bracknell or new housing developments in Ascot, overheating and ventilation are increasingly important considerations when designing comfortable homes.

Thinking of moving this summer?

Hot weather can actually tell you quite a lot about a property.

When attending a viewing, notice how easily air moves through the rooms, whether the windows provide good ventilation, where the sun falls throughout the day and whether the garden offers areas of shade.

These considerations can be particularly useful if you’re looking to buy a house in Berkshire, whether you’re searching for an established property or exploring new houses in Bracknell.

And, of course, summer can be a lovely time to explore the local area. Longer evenings offer plenty of opportunities to discover things to do in Bracknell and things to do in Ascot, giving prospective buyers a feel for the lifestyle as well as the property itself.

Selling your property during a heatwave?

If you’re currently researching how to sell your property, don’t overlook comfort when preparing for summer viewings.

Close blinds in sunny rooms ahead of the hottest part of the day, ventilate the house during the cooler morning hours and keep rooms feeling fresh and uncluttered. If you have a garden, make the most of shaded seating areas and ensure plants are watered and looking their best.

A comfortable viewing gives prospective buyers more opportunity to focus on what they like about your home rather than how warm they feel.

Stay cool, Berkshire

Periods of very hot weather can make our homes uncomfortable, but a few changes to how we use them can make a significant difference. Block direct sunlight during the day, ventilate when the temperature drops, reduce unnecessary sources of heat and make the most of the coolest areas of your property.

Most importantly, look after yourself as well as your home. Keep hydrated, avoid spending too long in strong sunshine and check in on friends, family and neighbours who may find the heat particularly difficult. Have a great summer!