Where Is the Coolest Place in Your Apartment?
Find the coolest place in the apartment during a heatwave with a quick thermometer audit. Practical tips for expats in Poland.
During a heatwave, temperatures inside a single flat can differ by several degrees. Find the coolest place in the apartment with a simple thermometer check.
Where is the coolest place in the apartment?
Start by measuring, not guessing. Consequently, you will avoid the wrong assumptions. Place a simple room thermometer in each room. Moreover, take readings at the same time in the early afternoon. Leave the thermometer for about fifteen minutes. Also, keep it away from direct sunlight and from warm appliances. Otherwise, the reading will mislead you. You will often see differences of several degrees. Therefore, do not assume that the rarely used room is the coolest. For example, a guest bedroom may face the west. As a result, it warms in late afternoon. Conversely, a hallway without windows can stay cool all day.
Measure, don’t guess
Open each door and let the thermometer settle. In addition, write down the results. This step takes about thirty minutes in total. However, you will gain clarity. You can then choose a single room to protect. Furthermore, close blinds or curtains in sun-facing rooms early. That step reduces heat gain by radiation. Also, switch off unused electronics. A charger or a TV can add noticeable heat in small rooms.
Why closed doors can make your bedroom hotter
Closed doors can trap heat like a thermos. Moreover, rooms with closed doors and pulled blinds keep warm air inside. Consequently, you may wake at night in a hot bedroom. Therefore, open interior doors after sunset. In addition, open windows only when outside air becomes cooler than inside. This timing gives you real cooling, not warmer air. Check the outside temperature with your phone before you open windows.
Floors, attics and basements behave differently
Top-floor flats and attic rooms absorb heat all day. Moreover, the roof stores thermal energy and releases it slowly. Consequently, evenings can feel hotter on the top floor. In contrast, basements and lower floors stay cooler. Therefore, if you can, sleep lower in the building during heatwaves. In addition, move a mattress to a cool room for a few nights. This solution costs nothing. It often beats running a fan in every room.
When you cannot cool the whole flat, focus on one room. Consequently, seal that room from heat gain. Close curtains early there. Also, avoid using heat-generating appliances in that room. If you own a portable air conditioner, run it only in that space. This approach uses less electricity. In addition, check evening temperatures with a thermometer again. Then open windows and doors to exchange air. As a result, the whole flat can begin to cool before sunrise.
Finally, remember that small behaviour changes help a lot. For example, take cool showers and avoid heavy meals. Moreover, drink water regularly during the day. However, watch for heat risks to children and older adults. If you feel unwell, contact local services or your GP. In Poland, the health system responds through NFZ services and clinics. Therefore, plan ahead and measure your rooms. That simple audit will show the real coolest corners of your home.
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