How I survive summer without AC: My top hot weather coping tips, tricks, and gadgets

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Heatwaves have been a significant, recurring problem in 2026 -- and there's been a string of them since late June. The US has seen a series of heat domes settle over the country, with daytime temperatures hitting 115 to 120°F in desert basins, and nighttime city temperatures in some places not dropping much below 80°F.

Here in the UK, we've had a series of record-breaking heatwaves with a peak of 99.9°F. And Europe is worse, with France seeing a peak of 111.7°F and Sicily, Italy hitting 119.1°F.

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In short, it's safe to say that it's hot. Also, it's very likely to get hotter this month, and who knows what the future will bring.

OK, so those are the facts, but how do you keep cool when the mercury is rising so ferociously?

Use air conditioning (AC). Enjoy. I'm not jealous at all (here in the UK, AC is rare).

The trick to keeping your home cool is to do everything you can to keep the heat out in the first place. Keep the curtains and blinds closed on sun-facing windows during the day, and open windows at night when it's cooler to let the heat out.