Staying Cool in a Victoria Heat Wave
On June 28, 2021, Victoria reached 39.8°C, its hottest temperature on record. Most homes had no cooling at all. Here's how to prepare for the next hot spell.
Request an HVAC technicianKeep the heat out
Close blinds and curtains on sun-facing windows by mid-morning, especially west-facing ones. Exterior shades or awnings block heat before it reaches the glass, which works better than indoor blinds.
Use the cool hours
Open windows at night and early morning when the air outside is cooler than inside, and use fans to pull that air through. Close up again once the outside temperature rises.
Find the coolest room
Basements and ground-floor rooms usually stay coolest. Plan for vulnerable family members, such as older people and babies, to sleep or spend the afternoon there during a heat wave.
Portable stopgaps
Portable air conditioners help a single room in an emergency, but they're noisy and less efficient, and they sell out fast once a heat warning is issued.
Long-term cooling
A heat pump cools in summer and heats in winter. A ductless head in a bedroom or upper floor is often the simplest way to make the hottest rooms livable. See air conditioning and cooling.
Plan before summer
Spring is the time to add cooling, before hot weather fills installers' schedules. Send a request with which rooms overheat most.
Watch for heat illness
Heavy sweating, dizziness, headache, nausea or confusion in hot weather are warning signs. Move to the coolest room, drink water, and get medical help if symptoms are severe. Check on older neighbours who live alone during a heat warning.
Ventilation helps
Running bathroom and kitchen fans while cooking or showering pushes hot, humid air out. If you have an HRV, ask a technician about summer settings.
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