Stay cool in the UK heatwave with these 6 clever fan hacks

It’s absolutely scorching outside and while I'm not complaining about the beautiful weather, it might be a bit too hot at times! Unsurprisingly, the best fans are in high demand right now and they’re making sleeping, working from home and functioning properly much easier.

One common misconception about fans is that they pump out cold air, but this isn’t the case. Unless you have a fan that states it blows out cold air or a high tech device like a Dyson fan, fans work by circulating air around your room. This airflow draws hot air away from you which gives off a cooling effect. So, while a fan’s power and speed can cool you down, cold air isn’t coming out of your fan once you turn it on.

Despite running a fan throughout your house, you might still be feeling the heat and wishing you were cooler. If this is the case and your fan isn’t delivering the power you want, here are six hacks you can follow to make your fan colder.

1. Invest in extra fans for crosswinds

There are many good reasons for having more than one fan in your house. If you have two or more fans in your home, you can distribute them evenly around your house so multiple rooms are cool. But the main reason I put this tip on the list is if you use two fans together in the same room, you can create crosswinds.

To do this, open the windows in your room and place your first fan facing out of the window. With your second fan, place it inside the room. The first fan pushes the heat out of the window while the second fan circulates cool air around your room, ensuring every corner of your room is cooled evenly.

2. Position your fan near windows

Similar to the first tip, positioning your fan towards or near your windows can help cool down your room more effectively. If you don’t have two fans, you can do this with just one fan and it’ll help reduce the room’s humidity. When doing this, make sure to keep your blinds and windows closed throughout the day before opening your window at night. After you’ve done this, point your fan towards the window to remove stale air. While this might sound counterintuitive, fresh air can still be drawn into your room, making it more comfortable to sleep in and improving your air quality.

3. Put your fan closer to the floor

Putting your fan close to the floor is a great way to encourage cooler air. Due to the density of cold air, it tends to flow downwards and stay closer to the ground, whereas hotter air rises. To increase the cold air in your room, try to put your fan as close to the floor as possible. While it might not be the most aesthetically-pleasing thing in your house, having your fan firmly on the floor rather than on a table or desk can make a huge difference in cooling your home.

4. Place ice in front of your fan

One of the most popular cooling tips (as found in expert-approved tips for sleeping in a heatwave) is placing a bowl of ice in front of your fan. The air from the fan slowly melts the ice which disperses a colder breeze and makes your room cooler. It can also improve the reach of your fan, and if you’ve run out of ice, you can try this tip with cold or frozen water bottles, too.

5. Hang wet laundry near your fan

Many people will drape cold or wet sheets or towels over their fan but to avoid any safety issues, you’re better off hanging wet laundry near your fan instead. Similar to the ice cube trick, if you place wet clothing near your fan, the water will evaporate and draw heat away from the air. Not only will this create a fresh breeze in your room but it also helps dry your clothes faster.

6. Use your fan alongside a dehumidifier

To improve the ventilation in your home and decrease the humidity, try using your fan alongside a dehumidifier. The best dehumidifiers suck moisture out of the air and make your room more ‘dry’. While this won’t make your home cooler, dehumidifiers make the air in your home more comfortable and less stuffy. When you turn on your fan after you’ve dehumidified the room, it’ll work more efficiently and pump better air around your home.