Selfsufficientish.com

that was 20, so

21. External shutters, French style.

We've got two big picture windows facing south, and the amount of heat they let in in summer is just staggering. Internal shutters might help by reflecting some light, but most UV turns to IR when it hits a solid object so the room heats by the greenhouse effect. External shutters or blinds are a good solution, although there's an italian firm that makes d-g units with roll-down aluminium blinds inside the unit itself. Mind you, they cost a bit and if you fall behind on the payments it's bye bye Dobbin.

Seems weird to bump this thread in the middle of the British winter. Not that it can be said to be very cold, ATM.

22. For those hot sweltery nights, where no bed clothes is too many, I have a plant mister. Aim it up in the air, and let the mist descend upon you. Bliss.

23. wet flannel on the back of the neck is marvellous!

24. Run your wrists under some cold water.

fill your hot water bottle with cold water and place in the bed for a lovely cool nights sleep then as soon as you wake in the morning use the water in the bottle to water your window boxes etc before the sun is to high.
put your underwear and night clothes in the freezer

Dab some cold water on your earlobes, works a treat!

One hot summer day last year my mate and I discovered the joys of a cold foot bath and the fine spray nozzle on the hose pipe!! Worked a treat - so well that we didnt notice the sun burn!!!

eat ice cream... all day, and dring water from bottles that are kept in the freezer. - and thank the lord you are not heavily pregnant... I was last summer and that was all that helped... mind you all that ice-cream could explain my small 'weight gain' problem

Karen_Grace wrote:I keep cool when I go to bed at night by draping a damp towel over myself for a while.

A variation of this - when living in South Korea, I used to dampen my t-shirt before going to bed and that worked well to keep me cool...

Now I'm back in the UK, I need some advice on how to get my housemates to turn the heating off - grrr... I have had my window permenantly open the whole winter but they insist on having the heating on full blast, sometimes all night... Can't wait to move out this summer! Sorry for the mini rant - was sort of connected (-ish) to the topic!