Health officials guidance for hot weather contains top tips like turning off the heating

By Liam On May 10, 2023

Check that your heating is turned off and make sure none of your lights are on during the day.

According to the government’s top health experts, these are just two ways to avoid falling victim to the heat this summer.

The chiefs of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) today released a checklist of 13 steps to prepare your home for the sunny weather.

Warm homes can exacerbate existing health problems and be deadly, de quango warned. The risks are particularly high for the elderly, the seriously ill and children.

But critics today mocked the UKHSA’s tips, calling them “indispensable” and quipping: “I wish I’d seen this advice sooner.”

The recommendations are split into two parts and cover what you can do to prepare your home for warm weather and what you can do inside your home once the warm weather sets in. Under ‘things you can do to prepare your home for warm weather’, the UKHSA advises checking that your fridge or freezer is working. Advice on what to do ‘at home in warm weather’ also includes checking ‘your heating is off’

People on the beach in Brighton, East Sussex on July 19, 2022 as temperatures in the UK hit 40°C for the first time

The advice is split into two parts and covers how to prepare your home for warm weather and what to do if Caribbean temperatures have already hit.

Under ‘things you can do to prepare your home for warm weather’, the UKHSA advises making sure your ventilation system – if you have one – is running in summer mode and checking that your fridge or freezer is working.

Other recommendations include installing blinds or curtains inside, growing plants outside to provide shade, and storing medications properly.

Meanwhile, UKHSA advice for what to do ‘in your home in hot weather’ includes checking ‘your heating is off’.

What has the UKHSA recommended to stay safe in hot weather?

Tthings you can do to prepare your home for warm weather:

1. Consider installing interior blinds or curtains, or exterior shutters, roller blinds or awnings are also very effective.

2. If you have a ventilation system in your home, check that it is switched on and operating in ‘summer mode’, if available.

3. Check whether refrigerators, freezers and fans are working properly, for example by checking whether your food stays cold or frozen.

4. Check whether medicines can be stored according to the instructions on the packaging.

5. If you insulate or refurbish your home, seek advice from installers on how to reduce overheating.

6. Growing plants outdoors can provide shade, which can be especially helpful for south-facing windows, while plants indoors can help cool the air.

Things you can do at home in hot weather:

1. Darken or cover windows if possible.

2. Open windows (when it is safe to do so) when it feels cooler outside, such as at night, and try to move air around the house.

3. Use electric fans if the air temperature is less than 35°C, but do not point the fan directly at your body, it may cause dehydration.

4. Check whether your heating is off.

5. To reduce heat build-up in the home, turn off lights and electrical appliances when not in use and consider cooking at cooler times of the day.

6. Move to a cooler part of the house, especially for sleeping if possible.

7. It may be cooler outside in the shade or in a public building (such as places of worship, local libraries, or supermarkets), so consider a visit as a way to cool off if you can travel there safely without putting yourself in danger. more risk from the heat.

Turning off the lights and electrical appliances that are not in use will also “reduce heat build-up in the home,” it said.

Cooking at cooler times during the day and moving to a cooler part of the house — especially when you’re trying to sleep — are also recommended.

Christopher Snowdon, head of lifestyle economics at the Institute of Economic Affairs think tank, told MailOnline: “The government’s advice to turn off the heating and open some windows when the weather is hot may not work for me and millions of others will be a game-changer. this summer.

‘Other tips, such as checking whether your fridge works by checking whether the food is cold, are also indispensable.’

He added, “I wish I had seen this advice sooner.

“My habit on hot days is to put on a thick jumper and eat lots of salty snacks, but this year – if summer ever arrives – I’m going to try it the UKHSA way.”

The tips are intended to reduce the risk of overheating in the home.

Dr. Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at the UKHSA, said: “Our analysis shows that there were an estimated 2,803 excess deaths for people aged 65 and over due to extreme heat in summer 2022.

“There is some evidence that hot weather increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, lung disease and other illnesses, especially among the most vulnerable.

Evidence also shows that some institutions are at risk of overheating.

“It is therefore our responsibility to publish advice on how to prevent these diseases and additional deaths in order to reduce unnecessary pressure on health services.”

During periods of high temperatures, health officials are urging people to stay indoors with curtains drawn and to avoid caffeine and alcohol and exercise during the hottest times of the day.

The UK faced record-breaking heat waves last summer when the mercury surpassed 40C (104F) for the first time ever.

At the time, health chiefs warned that the UK needed to adapt to a safe life, with even hotter summers inevitable in the future due to climate change.

It was also Britain’s deadliest summer on record, with an additional 2,800 fatalities during the five heat wave episodes.

Hot weather can cause dehydration, which causes the blood to thicken.

It also lowers blood pressure, making it more difficult to pump blood around the body.

This can lead to blood clots and strokes.

Overheating can make symptoms worse for anyone who has heart and breathing problems.