Skip to content
logo The DIY portal for home and garden
Summer, sun, sweat ...

The best tips against heat in the house and garden

Heat in the home
There are some effective measures to combat heat in the home Photo: Getty Images

October 10, 2024, 11:19 am | Read time: 4 minutes

Read here how to cool your home from the inside and how to maintain your garden in high temperatures.

Share article

Even within the sanctuary of your own home, high temperatures can penetrate, leaving you vulnerable to the heat. When it gets unbearably hot in houses and apartments, there are many ways to alleviate the oppressive heat.

What do you do when it’s hot in the home?

Temperatures above 30 degrees are no longer a rarity, and the next heatwave will certainly not be long in coming. Beyond renovation efforts, many tips exist to help you fend off the heat in your home.

Here are some tips for cooling down your home:

  • Hang up a wet sheet to combat the heat
  • Open cupboard doors and closets when temperatures are high
  • Darken the windows to protect against excessive heat build-up
  • Position the fan correctly
  • Remove thick carpets and textiles

Plants can also cool down your home. The more water evaporates, the greater the cooling effect. To maximize the cooling effect of this ‘natural air conditioning,’ consider the following tips:

  • Plants with very large leaves
  • Plants with lots of leaves
  • Lots of plants, in general

How to ventilate properly in summer

Determining the optimal time to ventilate during a heatwave is crucial for maintaining a comfortable indoor climate. To achieve an ideal indoor climate, you should always ventilate when it is cooler outside, as the consumer advice center recommends. On summer days, this is usually the case at night or early in the morning in many apartments and houses.

It’s worth noting that proactive measures can be taken to shield against heat during the construction or renovation of a house. Insulating the windows is particularly important for heat protection. Energy-efficient renovation not only keeps the heat inside the house in winter but also has a positive effect on heat protection in summer.

Sleep well despite the heat

Hot summer nights can be uncomfortable for many people and have a negative effect on sleep. It, therefore, makes sense to go to bed lightly dressed. A cotton or silk T-shirt and shorts are perfect for hot nights.

It can also help to take a short shower before going to bed. However, the water should be lukewarm and not cold. Otherwise, the hoped-for refreshment can cause unpleasant hot flushes later on.

Sometimes, the right bedding can also help you sleep better. Lightweight comforters with natural hair filling are particularly suitable in summer. A versatile summer/winter comforter that can be combined also offers a reliable choice.

More on the topic

Tips and tricks for the garden and plants in hot weather

Not only people and animals but also garden plants suffer from extreme heat. This can cause considerable damage to plants in the garden. To prevent this, it is important to prepare the garden for the high temperatures in good time.

Proper care in the garden plays a decisive role in the heat. The top tip for garden care in the heat is to rise early and water the plants. Ideally in the early hours of the morning, when the soil has cooled down and the water evaporates more slowly. It is also advisable to place heat-sensitive potted plants and houseplants in the shade and to protect fruit and vegetable plants from intense sunlight. If you want to be on the safe side, you can, of course, plant heat-tolerant plants and perennials, which are easier to care for in summer.

The lawn also suffers from the summer weather, so it is important to pay attention to a few things when mowing the lawn on hot days. During a heatwave, you should prepare the garden by letting the lawn grow longer and adjusting the mower accordingly.

Proper watering of the lawn is also essential. The right amount of water always depends on the temperature and soil conditions. In summer, the lawn should only be watered when the grass is drooping. In dry weather, the lawn should be watered thoroughly once or twice a week. Inadequate watering can cause the roots to dry out and the root system to flatten.

myHOMEBOOK invites you to share your most humorous handyman stories! Have you ever experienced something funny or bizarre and want to tell us about it? Then send us an e-mail with the subject “Craftsman” to redaktion@myhomebook.de. The best stories will be published.

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of MYHOMEBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@petbook.de.

Topics Summer
Your data privacy when using the share function
To share this article or other content via social networks, we need your consent for this .
You have successfully withdrawn your consent to the processing of personal data through tracking and advertising when using this website. You can now consent to data processing again or object to legitimate interests.