How to Keep Cool at Work During a Heatwave
Summer heatwaves aren’t pleasant when you’re working without air conditioning. The temperature outside is soaring beyond 30°C, and it often feels even hotter indoors. It’s the most uncomfortable time of year for many professionals – particularly if you’re working from home or in a smaller office that doesn’t have AC.
We’ve all been there. You can feel the sweat on your forehead, and your clothes are stuck to the back of your office chair. It’s almost impossible to concentrate, making that impending deadline even tougher to meet.
While the majority of modern workplaces have air conditioning systems to provide a welcome respite, it’s not a luxury that’s always available in older buildings or home offices. Keeping the temperature down here is far more challenging, but there are some simple steps you can take to make the heat more manageable.
Top Tips to Stay Cool at Work Without AC
Position Your Cooling Fans Correctly
While fans alone don’t cool the air, you can position them strategically to make a real difference in hot offices. Because hot air rises, the coolest air is usually found at floor level. Try putting a cooling fan on the floor and aiming it upwards to blow the cool air towards you.
You could also try aiming the fan towards a nearby wall – this bounces cooler air back off the wall and into the room, mixing with warmer air to help control the temperature.
Block Out Direct Sunlight
The office temperature rises incredibly quickly when direct sunlight shines through your windows. Keep blinds or curtains drawn during the hottest parts of the day, particularly on south-facing windows.
If it’s hotter outside than indoors, you should also resist the temptation to open windows – this just allows more hot air in, further increasing the room temperature.
Limit the Use of Heat-Generating Tech
PC towers, laptops, monitors and printers all generate heat when they’re powered up. Make sure they’re switched off whenever you’re not using them, and lower your screen brightness when you are working. The office is hot enough already without your tech adding to it!
Office lighting also generates warmth. If you do need to have lights on, consider switching to energy-saving bulbs – as well as saving on operational costs, they also produce less heat when switched on.
Wear Lighter or Breathable Clothes
Consider relaxing your company’s dress code during the summer heatwave and encourage the team to wear light or loose clothing. Lightweight and breathable fabrics allow the skin to breathe while helping moisture evaporate quicker. This stops clothes from feeling too sweaty or sticky, helping you feel more comfortable.
Drink Sensibly and Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated is more important than ever during a heatwave. Dehydration significantly reduces your ability to concentrate and focus. In periods of hot weather, it can also lead to heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Keep a bottle of water on your office desk and drink at regular intervals throughout the day. If you can’t manage large amounts, take regular sips and remember that you’ll need more fluids than usual if you’re sweating more. Don’t wait for thirst as a sign to take a sip – by the time you feel thirsty, you may already be dehydrated.
Invest in a Portable Air Conditioning Unit
Your office may not have a central air conditioning system, but that doesn’t mean you have to go without AC. Consider buying a portable air conditioning unit for a more powerful and effective alternative to fans.
You may only need a portable air conditioner for a month or two of the year, but it’s well worth the investment. These units actively cool your office space, removing heat and humidity from the air and distributing colder, drier air to lower the room temperature.
Clever Ideas to Beat the Heat in a Home Office
If you’re working from home, it’s likely you’ll have certain rooms or spaces that stay cooler if they’re out of any direct sunlight. This gives you a bit more freedom to choose when and where you set up the laptop.
However, it’s not always possible to move around the house if you use a permanent workstation in a home office. This is the time when you might need to get a little creative to beat the heat.
So if you’re wondering how to keep your house cool in the summer, there are still plenty of things you can try to help you feel more comfortable. Check out these simple but helpful hacks – they can be used anywhere, but they’re particularly useful in a hot home office.
“This is the time when you might need to get a little creative to beat the heat”
Close South-Facing Windows and Curtains During the Day
In the UK, south‑facing windows get the most direct sunlight each day. Keep them closed and draw the curtains during the day to keep sun-facing rooms in the shade when the temperature outside is at its highest. Open them again in the evenings when it’s cooler.
Create a DIY Air Conditioning Unit
Partially fill an empty bottle with water and freeze it overnight. Place the frozen bottle in front of a fan to circulate cooler air around the room. Remember to place the frozen bottle on a plate, to catch any drips as the ice starts to melt.
Use a Hot Water Bottle as an Ice Pack
Hot water bottles are designed to keep you warm in the winter, but they work the same way with cold water. Half-fill your hot water bottle and put it in the freezer for a few hours – it releases cold in the same way as it gives off heat, providing cool relief behind your back or on your lap while you work.
Hang a Wet Sheet in Front of the Window
Try hanging a cold, wet sheet in front of the window nearest to your desk. It uses the natural process of evaporative cooling where the water absorbs heat from the warm air entering through an open window to lower the temperature of the breeze. Remember to wring out the sheet before hanging it up, ensuring it’s damp rather than dripping wet. If it’s too wet, it will end up increasing the room’s humidity.
Put Your Feet in a Bowl of Cold Water
Soaking your feet in cold water helps you cool down, and it’s much easier to do if you’re working from home rather than in an office. Fill a bowl and put it beneath your desk, and dip your feet in it. Avoid freezing or ice-cold water, as the sudden temperature change can be dangerous – aim for cool water of around 10°C to 15°C.
How to Cope in a Hot Office – FAQs
Use fans to improve airflow, block direct sunlight, stay hydrated and switch off any unnecessary devices that are generating heat. Light clothing and regular cooling breaks also help keep your body temperature down.
Yes, particularly south or west-facing windows that get the most direct sunlight during the day. If the temperature outside is hotter than indoors, opening your windows allows warm air in and heats up your room even more. Drawing the curtains or blinds also helps to reduce glare and keep the room cooler.
Typically between 3pm and 5pm. Heat builds up throughout the afternoon, so indoor workspaces or home offices often feel warmest by mid-afternoon.
Cool water is always the best drink to stay hydrated in a hot office. Drink in small amounts and regularly to offset the effects of sweating. The HSE recommends avoiding tea, coffee or carbonated drinks.
In Summary
Sadly, there’s no magic solution for keeping cool at work during a heatwave. When you don’t have an air conditioning system for efficient climate control in the office, staying comfortable is a real challenge.
However, there are still plenty of things you can do to avoid overheating. Strategically-placed fans, sensible hydration and other simple tweaks to your workday routine can all help to make those scorching summer days more bearable.
Beat the Heat
Browse our collection of fans and portable air conditioning units to help manage the temperature in your office when the summer heatwave hits.
