Ireland is braced for a scorching few days which could see the country's hottest day ever recorded.
Some weather models show the mercury topping Ireland’s 145-year-old record of 33.3C on Monday.
A Status Yellow ‘high temperature warning’ issued by Met Eireann has come into force and lasts until Tuesday night.
READ MORE: Ireland hotter than Hawaii as Met Eireann forecast exact date ‘heatwave’ to end amid weather warning
The alert reads: “On Sunday, Monday and Tuesday exceptionally warm weather will occur over Ireland with daytime temperatures of 25C to 30C degrees generally and possibly up to 32C degees in places on Monday. Night time temperatures will range from 15C to 20C.”
As the weather heats up, many people across Ireland will be looking for tips to keep cool - and as cheaply as possible amid the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Irish homes are largely built to trap and keep heat in, thanks to our usually moderate climate, which certainly doesn't help when a 'mini-heatwave' occurs.
Weather expert Alan O'Reilly has been keeping his followers updated on what to expect on his popular Carlow Weather social media pages.
He also recently shared a tip from a relative in Australia that could help keep Irish homes cool.
He wrote: “A tip from my Aunt in Australia, from Saturday for a couple of days keep the blinds and curtains closed in your home and then at night open the windows when lights off to help keep the house cool.”
Many praised the hack, with one savvy reader saying: “I did that with the upstairs last year....blinds closed, windows open....hate blocking out the sun, but it does reduce the heat a bit.”
Another said: “I did that last night. So glad that we have lovely sunny weather. Long may it last.”
Here's tops on how to keep an Irish house cool in a heatwave.
Close the Blinds
If you have windows that receive direct sunlight at any part of the day, you’ll benefit from keeping the blinds closed or curtains drawn for at least the sunniest part of the day.
For rooms on lower floors, try turning your blinds upwards to prevent rays (and heat) from sneaking through.
Venetian blinds help to keep the temperature down by allowing you to adjust the amount of light coming into the room by altering the size of the gap between the slats.
Turn off unused appliances
Like ovens, other appliances around the house will generate unwanted heat into a home over the summer.
Consider turning things like your TV, desktop computer and kitchen appliances off - don't just leave them on standby. This will stop them overheating and warming the rooms they are in.
Check on other equipment like smart speakers and TV casting devices, which might be in direct sunlight for long periods of time and may need to be switched off to prevent overheating.
Put tinfoil on windows
People desperately trying to keep cool have urged others to roll out kitchen foil and spread it in your windows, especially any windows that gets direct sunlight.
READ MORE: The €1 item that can keep Irish houses cool and you can get it from Dunnes, Tesco and SuperValu
Normally, when direct sunlight shines through a window, it magnifies the heat of the sun and makes your house even warmer - this is how greenhouses work to keep plants warm inside.
But foil works by reflecting the sun off the window and sending it back outside instead.
Turn lights off and invest in energy-saving light bulbs
Light bulbs are another source of heat in homes and should be kept off when trying to cool your house down.
Keeping lights off will help to cool your house down – not to mention, it’s more environmentally-friendly and less money will be spent on bills.
Use a fan to cool down a room
A top tip when using fans to cool down is to leave a large bowl of mounded ice in front of it while it's working.
This will circulate cooler air around the room and function like a makeshift AC.
If you angle a fan towards a window, they will work to push out the warm air, cooling the room.
Close doors and seal gaps
Close doors to rooms you aren’t using to keep cool air where you need it most. Seal gaps around doors and windows, and use draught excluders to ensure the cool air can’t escape.
Keep steam down
Steamy showers, steaming pans, boiling kettles and laundry can also exacerbate a hot and humid home. If you're cooking, keep lids on your pans to keep the steam in.
Leave putting the dishwasher or washing machine on a cycle until the coolest part of the day.
Purchase a cooling pet mat
The summer heat doesn't just affect the human members of your household. Spare a thought for your four-legged friends, especially the fluffy ones.
You can ensure your furry family members have a means of coping with the warmer climes too by investing in cooling mats.
Typically filled with a non-toxic gel, their self-cooling designs will ensure your pets stay chilled out all summer.
Cool down your workspace
With more of us now working from home or adopting hybrid work routines, you may be yearning for the blissful days of sitting in an air-conditioned office.
To keep things as cool as can be when the mercury rises, purchase a small USB desk fan or mini air-conditioning unit to keep next to you on your desk.
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