Once again, the UK has been in the fiery grip of a heatwave. Summer 2018 delivered many months of hot, dry weather, something that many of us here in the UK find difficult to handle. The short pulses of heat we have experienced this summer so far have broken records for the hottest days in some parts of the country. With predictions that these kinds of hot, dry summers are set to continue, the time to invest in air conditioning is now.
Coping with a heatwave
Hot, dry air is problematic in many ways. For those with breathing difficulties, it exacerbates their condition. For other people with medical conditions, getting relief from the heat is almost impossible.
And it’s not just humans who are affected by heat but our pets too. During the so-called African Plume that spread record-breaking temperatures across the UK in late July, many dogs and cats suffered in the heat.
There are tried and tested ways to get relief from the heat but this heatwave came with a warning. The consequences of climate change are really catching up with us and whilst some were ecstatic at the high temperatures, the majority of us realised what this really meant – the effects of climate change will seriously affect us.
With the news that heatwaves are set to be a common summer feature, our minds are turning to how we can slow the pace of climate change but also how we can adjust to live and work in high temperatures (to us in the UK at least).
Investing in air conditioning
Countries that are accustomed to hot weather during their summer months are well-equipped to deal with the heat. They keep different times, going to work and school in the cool of the morning, avoiding the mid-day and early afternoon heat, and then enjoying the cooler evening air.
In the UK, we haven’t made such changes yet. However, there is one change that many homeowners are considering investing in to future proof their home against soaring summer temperatures: air conditioning.
An air conditioning unit works in the opposite way to an air-source heat pump. Instead of taking the heat from the air and using it to heat your home, it removes the heat from the air and expels it, leaving behind cooler air that so many of us needed during the recent heatwave.
The air conditioning unit sucks in air through ducts in a vent. This air is then used to cool gas quickly in the evaporator. After the heat is removed from the air, it’s pumped back into your home, making it a much more pleasant place to be in a hot summer.
Take action to avoid the worst of heatwaves
There are things we need to do to slow climate change but we also need to take steps to make sure that our homes, offices and workspaces are places where we can live and work comfortably during heatwaves – and that means investing in air conditioning.
