6 days ago
Genius door trick ‘sucks all the heat out' and cools your house down in minutes, so there's no need to plug in fans
A SAVVY YouTuber has revealed a simple way to quickly cool down your home – and it doesn't cost a penny.
The tip, shared online by a homeowner in the UK, involves opening both your front and back doors to create a powerful draught that flushes hot air out.
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It's best done during the day when someone is at home, to keep things safe.
How does it work?
'Pay attention to cross ventilation when you open up your windows and doors,' Heat Geek on YouTube explained.
"Make sure the air is pulled right the way through and across the house.
"For example, I have a draft that moves from the back of my house to the front.
"By opening my front door and back door, I allow a draft to get pulled right the way through the house, sucking all the heat out of that thermal mass."
This natural method works best on days with a bit of wind, as the moving air helps push trapped warmth outside and replace it with cooler air from shaded areas.
It also works best when there is a short distance between the openings.
For example, windows on either side of a room being opened, this is because as a room gets bigger, the wind will slow down and become less effective when it blows across.
Ideally, the distance should be as short as practical to be most effective.
Other hot weather hacks
Other easy tricks to beat the heat include closing curtains or blinds on windows that get direct sun, especially during the hottest part of the day.
Reflective or light-coloured blinds can help bounce sunlight away.
If you don't have curtains or blinds, make sure you hang up some sheets, preferably white ones, against those windows.
This stops radiant sunlight from hitting high thermal mass flooring or furniture, which would otherwise soak up heat and radiate it back into the room.
How to stay cool during hot weather
Keeping windows shut when it's hotter outside than inside can also stop warm air creeping in.
Then, once the temperature drops in the evening, open them up to let in cooler night air - if you have small windows, these are best to leave open at night for safety and security reasons.
If you have an upstairs, opening a skylight or top window while leaving a lower window open can create a 'chimney effect' – drawing warm air up and out.
And for an instant cool boost, place a bowl of ice in front of a fan to blow chilled air around the room – although this will use electricity, it can be a quick fix on sweltering days.
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