Home safety and security during a heatwave

As summer rolls around the corner, we’ll all be looking forward to warmer weather and more time spent at home as a family. But with the summer comes British heatwaves. 

Whether you love a heatwave or you’re dreading it, you need to know how to stay safe and secure - regardless of whether you choose to stay at home or head out for the day. 

Keep reading as we explore what a heatwave is, and how to prepare your home for, keep your home secure, and look after your family’s health when one eventually comes around.

What is a heatwave?

A heatwave is a prolonged period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity. In the UK, a heatwave is usually defined by: 

1. Duration: A heatwave lasts for several days, usually three or more.

2. Temperature: The temperatures during a heatwave are significantly higher than the average for the region, at that time of year. This is often measured against historical temperature records for that day..

3. Impact: The extreme heat during a heatwave can pose a risk to humans and animals, and can cause disruptions in daily activities..

How to prepare your home for a heatwave

We usually hear via the news, when a heatwave is coming. Whilst this might seem like the perfect time to plan a family trip to the beach or a BBQ with neighbours, you should also be dedicating time to preparing your home for the upcoming heat. 

1. Insulation

Your home’s built-in insulation systems are going to be your best friend when a heatwave approaches. You want to ensure that all these systems and features are working as they should, including your:

• Attic insulation: Proper attic insulation can significantly reduce the amount of heat entering your home from the roof.

• Wall insulation: Wall insulation helps keep the cool air inside and prevents heat from entering.

• Insulated doors and windows: Ensure doors and windows are well-insulated and all gaps are sealed to prevent hot air from entering.

• Reflective roof coatings: These coatings can reflect more sunlight and help your home absorb less heat.

2. Ventilation and cooling

In a heatwave, you’re going to want to ventilate and cool your home as much as possible. Whilst your insulation systems will do their best to keep heat out, ventilation and cooling will bring cool air into and around your home. This can be done with: 

• Exhaust fans: Exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms can help expel hot air and reduce indoor humidity.

• Attic fans: Attic fans can help remove hot air that accumulates in the attic, reducing the overall temperature inside the home.

• Portable fans and AC: Position portable fans or AC systems near windows, to blow cooler air into the house during the night and early morning.

• Natural ventilation at night: Open windows and doors at night, to let cooler night air circulate through the home.

• Cross-ventilation: Open windows on opposite sides of the house to allow for cross-ventilation, which helps cool the home by bringing in cooler outside air.

3. Shade 

Another way to keep your home cool during a heatwave is by utilising shade and landscaping in and around your home. 

Shade inside your home

Keep your windows, blinds and curtains closed during the day - this will help prevent hot air and direct, warm sunlight from entering your home. In the evenings when the temperatures begin to drop, open them to let cooler air in.

Shade outside your home

When you know a heatwave is approaching, try to avoid doing too much pruning to the trees and shrubs around your home. Whilst you may want the picture-perfect garden for your heatwave plans, this greenery can provide your home and garden with natural shade - keeping you cool, whether you’re hiding away indoors or enjoying the warmth outside. 

7 home security tips during a heatwave

During a heatwave, your home’s security can be at risk. With open windows, impromptu days out, and garden parties, your home can become a target for burglars. 

Follow our helpful 7 heatwave home security tips to help keep your home secure:

1. Secure your doors and windows - at the right times

Keeping windows and doors open during a heatwave is a common tactic to ventilate cool air around the home - especially at night. But how can you keep your home safe, whilst leaving it open to burglars?

Firstly, we recommend only keeping internal doors open. All external doors, such as your front door and back door, should be kept closed and locked at all times - even when you’re in the house.

As for keeping windows open for ventilation, this should only be done when you’re up and awake. Whilst it can be tempting to keep your windows open overnight for that especially cool, crisp air, you won’t know if someone breaks into your home when you’re asleep. 

Make sure that these, along with your external doors, are alarmed with entry sensors and glassbreak sensors before heading off to snoozeland. 

To help secure your home when your doors and windows are open, opt for installing motion sensors. Motion sensors work by detecting movement up to 35 ft away from the sensor - alerting you to anyone coming near. These are the perfect addition to your heatwave home security, as helpful as entry sensors are, they do not work on already-open doors and windows. 

2. Invest in surveillance

Whether you’re escaping a too-hot home and heading to the coast or spending the heatwave in your garden, domestic CCTV is the best way to keep an eye on your home. 

From indoor cameras to outdoor cameras and doorbell cameras, watch your home from every angle - keeping an eye on the kids playing, preventing pet theft and potential intruders coming anywhere near your home. 

If you’re worried about losing signal during a power outage, invest in solar panels for your outdoor cameras. Sun won’t be hard to come by during a heatwave, so rest assured that your connection will remain intact until power is restored. 

3. Arm your home security systems 

No matter where you are, you should still be following your home security checklist during a heatwave - including arming your home security system. Whether you’re leaving for the day or heading to bed, make sure to arm your house alarm with your keypad or fob, before taking your eye off the ball. 

4. Make sure your home looks occupied 

Even if you’re inside, closed curtains and minimal movement outside the home can make your property look unoccupied. Wherever you are, try to avoid your home looking empty by having a radio playing (a nice distraction from the heat, if you’re in) and collecting your mail from your doorstep. 

5. Keep your garden tidy 

Whilst you may be spending more time in the garden during a heatwave, it is so important to keep it tidy. Not only can burglars see your garden as free game to steal your BBQ, garden furniture, toys, and bikes, but they can also use things in your garden, such as ladders and tools, as a means to break into your home.

Make sure to tidy everything away in a secure shed or garage, or keep them locked or tidied down outside. 

6. Don’t post too much on social media 

Burglars can use social media to scope out empty homes - especially during the summer months when people are off on holiday, or escaping a clammy home during a heatwave. Posting where you are, what you're doing and who you’re with provides too much information about your home and how accessible it is to burgle. 

Keep your social media locked down and private, only allowing people you know and trust to see your posts. We also recommend avoiding posting on social media until after the fact, so that nobody knows when you are actually out of your home. 

7. Work with your neighbours

Community spirit is fantastic during a heatwave. Not only can your neighbours help when the kids are desperate for an ice lolly and you’ve run out, but they can also help you keep an eye on your home - especially when you regularly have doors and windows open. 

Work with your neighbours to help keep everyone’s home secure during a heatwave, and perhaps even use this time to join or start a local Neighbourhood Watch program in your area. 

How to stay safe indoors during a heatwave

Now you know how to keep your home secure, how can you keep yourself and your family safe during a heatwave?

1. Stay fed and hydrated 

During a heatwave, it is incredibly important to stay fed and hydrated - even when you’re too hot to even think about eating and drinking. 

We recommend consuming lots of fruit and vegetables that are packed with hydration, vitamins and antioxidants, such as; melon, oranges, cucumbers, grapes, lettuce, celery and bell peppers. Dairy, and dairy alternatives, are also hydrating and cooling, like yoghurt and cottage cheese. Avoid hot, heavy meals. 

For hydrating drinks with additional health benefits during a heatwave, we recommend; smoothies, coconut water, infused water, herbal teas, chilled soups and ice lollies. Try to avoid hot drinks and caffeinated beverages, as these can make you feel hotter and lead to quicker dehydration. 

2. Maintain indoor air quality

If you’re stuck indoors during a heatwave, it’s important to try to monitor your indoor air quality to keep the space cool and prevent further health concerns - especially if you have children or pets in the home too. 

This can be done by using air purifiers, avoiding cooking with the oven and not smoking or vaping indoors.

3. Avoid heatstroke and heat exhaustion

Heatstroke and heat exhaustion can be incredibly serious, and far more common during a heatwave when we aren’t used to or prepared for such hot weather. It’s important to stay cool, hydrated and out of the sun to avoid this, but it’s also important to know the signs and what to do if you suspect someone in your family has fallen ill. 

Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion is the less serious of the two heatwave illnesses, but can still become dangerous or progress into heatstroke. The signs of heat exhaustion include:

• Heavy sweating: Excessive perspiration as the body attempts to cool down.

• Weakness: Feeling unusually weak or fatigued.

• Cold, pale, clammy skin: Skin may feel cool and moist.

• Fast, weak pulse: Rapid but weak heartbeat.

• Nausea or vomiting: Feeling sick to the stomach or actually vomiting.

• Muscle cramps: Painful, involuntary muscle spasms, typically in the legs or abdomen.

• Dizziness or fainting: Feeling lightheaded or passing out.

• Headache: Persistent headache.

• Dark-coloured urine: A sign of dehydration.

If you suspect someone in your home is suffering from heat exhaustion, you should:

• Move them to a cool place.

• Loosen their clothing.

• Apply cool, wet cloths or encourage them to take a cool bath.

• Help them sip water slowly.

• Seek medical attention if their symptoms worsen or last more than an hour.

Heatstroke

Heatstroke is incredibly dangerous. It varies from person to person - starting as heat exhaustion and worsening, or going straight to heatstroke. The signs for heatstroke include: 

• High body temperature: Core body temperature of 39.4°C or higher.

• Hot, red, dry or damp skin: Skin may be dry or slightly moist but feels hot and red.

• Rapid, strong pulse: Fast and strong heartbeat.

• Throbbing headache: Severe headache.

• Nausea or vomiting: Intense nausea or vomiting.

• Confusion: Altered mental state, confusion, or difficulty thinking clearly.

• Dizziness or fainting: Feeling extremely dizzy or fainting.

• Loss of consciousness: May pass out or be unresponsive.

• Seizures: Uncontrolled muscle contractions.

If anyone in your home is showing signs of heatstroke, you should immediately:

• Call emergency services 

• Move the person to a cooler environment.

• Try to lower the body temperature with cool cloths, a cool bath, or fanning.

• Do not give the person anything to drink.

• Stay with the person until help arrives.

Prepared to stay safe and secure during these summer heatwaves? Get in touch today to find the best home security system, or check out our SimpliSafe blog for more home security tips, including 10 home safety tips for summer.