HEATWAVES might be rare, but when they do happen we're all reminded out hot out homes can get.
Since most houses don't have air conditioning, keeping cool can take some serious effort.
Even if you're a bit of a sun-lover, having a cool home to go back to is a must, even more so if you work from home.
Of course, you can buy an electric fan for every room in your home, but who really fancies forking out for the many fans?
If you don't want to spend all your time in the supermarket frozen aisle in a bid to keep cool, there are some handy tricks and tips you can use in your own home.
Keep windows and curtains closed
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It's tempting to throw open the windows as wide as they go when the sun's out, but that's the last thing you should be doing.
An open window will the the heavy, hot air into your home, which isn't ideal.
Even though allowing the sun to shine through your home might look nice it will drastically increase the temperature, keep blinds and curtains closed during the day to keep things as cool as possible.
Turn off appliances
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Although the appliances around your home might not generate much heat individually, altogether they can make a noticeable difference, and when there's a heatwave, even degree counts.
If you're not using it – turn it off!
That means kitchen appliances like kettles and toasters as well as laptops and TV's.
Of course, there are some things you can't turn off, like your fridge and freezer, but for everything you can't turn off there's probably two things you can.
Buy houseplants
Houseplants are great for loads of different reasons, they add life and colour to otherwise dull rooms, can deter pests and even help keep homes cool.
Since they naturally consume hot air, houseplants are the perfect addition to any room that you want to keep cool, and if you're unsure what plants to buy, rubber plants, or ficus elastica, are the best choice.
Open your window at night
Keeping your window closed during the day is vital, but when the temperature drops during the night opening a few windows can let fresh, cool air circulate.
You can do this few a few hours after the sun sets, or for the whole night.
Turn off the lights
In the same way that your tech and appliances generate heat, lightbulbs can too.
If you can, turn the lights off during the day to help reduce the temperature, or switch to energy-saving alterative bulbs that wont get as hot.
Get the right bedding
There's no point sleeping under a thick duvet in the middle of a heatwave, switching to a lower tog can keep you cosy without overheating.
If it's too hot to sleep under a duvet at all, you can opt for a thin linen sheet, or if you're feeling fancy satin pillow cases and sheets will generally stay much cooler than cotton.
Make your own air conditioning
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Sometimes an electric fan still isn't enough, but placing a bowl of ice water in front of a fan will mean that the air that it blows is cool, rather than the hot air that's already in the room.
You can refill the bowl with more ice as it melts to stay cooler for longer too.
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