By William Coleman
As I am sure you’re already aware it is going to reach 39 degrees centigrade here in London today, a record breaker! Seeing as we’ve never faced weather quite like this before, let us give you some tried and tested tips to enjoy the monumental heatwave.
Heatwaves are usually quite welcome here in the UK as we usually have some ok to bad weather for the majority of the year, but 39 with no clouds or wind is something unheard of here.
All the site owners I have spoken to are happy as can be as the warm weather is causing the masses to flock parks and sites booking them to capacity. But this heat can make a caravan holiday a little bit undesirable. So here are our go to methods to keep you cool, calm and collected during record breaking weather.
Keep Hydrated The Right Way
The temptation to fill a pint glass of ice with a splash of water is very real on days where the sun is pounding down like hell fire. But super cold drinks can sometimes have an adverse effect on the body.
Once you swallow freezing cold water the core of your body will think that you’re cold and then start to warm your body up. Which will then lead to you sweating and that will just cause further dehydration. So room temp water is a good idea as is a cup of tea or coffee. Warm drinks cool the core as my dad says.
There is also a rather tasty way to keep cool, oh and it’s actually a healthy option too. You will need to pre-plan this but it will be well worth it. Get yourself a large watermelon and cut it up. Once the melon is in small enough slices chill it in the bottom of the fridge for a minimum of 24 hours.
The body will digest the melon slower than cold water. This will lead to your body temperature regulating lower stopping you from overheating. Who doesn’t love a good slice of watermelon on a scorching hot day. You will also stay hydrated without having to drink pints and pints of water.
Air Con
This is an obvious one, but it is the best. Some vans have pretty good air con on board so you should be living in bliss once you’re set up.
The iNet system by Truma can control the air con remotely so once you’re back from a day out you can step into a very comfortable van without opening the door to an oven like setting.
There are also portable units that are quite pricey, but renting them is an option. The only issue with these are that they are quite large and not the quietest of items.
The Desk Fan
Not all of us can afford aftermarket air con units or flashy £400 Dyson fans that are as silent as a nat’s fart. So here is an idea, not the best but it does work.
First of all you are going to want to get yourself a decent plug in fan, I’d recommend a free standing but a table top one will do the job.
Once you’ve set your fan up fill a large bowl with ice, and about a half pint of water. And just like that you have yourself a working man’s air con unit. The downside to this is that you will go through a lot of ice and you run the risk of knocking over a large bowl of water, which is never ideal.
Use The Insulation To Your Advantage
Insulation is not just for the winter months, as some would think. It also works to keep the cool air within the van. When it’s warm outside you’re more than likely going to spend most of your time outside cooking, relaxing and enjoying the heat.
So while you’re outside use your cooling method to keep the internal temperature low. Just make sure that all your doors and windows are closed.
Use The Shadows
Shade is the world’s best natural protection against the sun, and subsequently the heat. So when you get to site do your best to pick a pitch surrounded by tall trees. This way you can knock off a few degrees and stay a lot more comfortable.
