Residents advised on cooling strategies during heatwave in Finland

Ingenuity and common sense can help residents cope with the hot summer days in Finland. Expert advice on how to stay cool was provided by Päivi Suur-Uski, a leading specialist from Motiva, Finland’s government-funded sustainable development company.

The main priority is to protect yourself from direct sunlight. The farther from the house the protection is placed, the better. Curtains, blinds, and awnings are essential during heatwaves.

Should windows be kept open or closed? It is recommended to close them during the hottest part of the day and open them at night for ventilation. Residents often prefer to spend time outside since activities within warm up the home. It’s advisable to seek shade outdoors for cooling.

Avoid cooking inside as all electrical appliances contribute to heating your living space, with electric saunas being the worst offenders.

If there are glass enclosures on balconies or terraces, these should be opened to prevent cooking the entire building, akin to a greenhouse effect. Additionally, if there’s a window in the stairwell of an apartment building, it should also be opened for ventilation.

Various fans can be utilized, especially at night and in front of open windows. A bowl of ice placed in front of a fan can serve as an effective cooling solution.

Real relief can be found through air conditioning units, whether they are portable devices or expensive fixed air heat pumps, provided they can be installed in the apartment.

For small homes, heat recovery systems must be set to summer mode, usually automated in modern systems, although incoming air temperature may require manual adjustment.

Use your creativity to cool off, such as wet bed sheets or cooling dog beds. You can check Yle’s weather site to see if the heatwave will continue.