Keep cool this summer with the best tried and tested fans
With temperatures set to hit 30C in this week's mini-heatwave, Alice Beer’s helping you stay cool as a cucumber with her top tried and tested fans.
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Hand held fans
John Lewis Anyday Handheld Desk FansFrom £8.40
Boots Menopause & Me Wearable Neck Fan£15.99
Stand alone fans
Levoit 20dB Silent Tower Fan£79.99
Dyson Purifier Hot Cool Purifying Fan Heater£699.99
Meaco Fan 1056 Air Circulator£89.99
Air coolers
JML Chillmax Air Pure Chill£39.99
Alice's top tips for keeping cool
1. Close the windows and draw the curtains
To keep your house cool, you need to keep the hot air out, so this means keeping windows – particularly south-facing windows closed and covered with blinds or curtains during the day. At night time, when the temperature has dropped, you can open everything up, to give your house a good airing.
2. Create a cross-breeze through the house
If you must open the windows, do it strategically, so you get a flow of air moving through the house. This means opening windows at opposite sides of the house and keeping doors open so the air can move through freely. You could also position a fan towards a window, so that it’s pushing the hot air outside.
Pro-tip for those with sash windows: make sure both the top and bottom are open equal amounts. The theory is: cool comes in through the lower opening, and warm air is pushed out through the top.
3. Place bowls of water around the house
Leaving bowls of water lying around might look a little untidy, but doing so can help cool hot air. Any hot cats or dogs that live with you will also be grateful!
Similarly, trees and plants act as natural air-conditioners and pump moisture into the atmosphere, so consider investing in a nice houseplant.
4. Unplug and switch off your devices
A surprising amount of heat is generated from appliances around the house. Switching them off can help avoid internal heat gains. Turn them off when they’re not being used and make sure the backs of fridges and freezers have plenty of ventilation space.
If you can, hang your clothes up to dry, rather than using a tumble dryer, and hand-wash any dishes. These steps might take a bit longer, but they’ll stop electrical appliances from heating up the house even more.
5. Turn off your lights
Conventional incandescent light bulbs are surprisingly inefficient. They give off up to 90% of their energy as waste heat. Switch to low-energy light bulbs to reduce overheating.
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