The Met Office has issued an Amber Extreme heat warning with temperatures expected to build through the week.
The Extreme heat warning, which covers much of the southern half of England as well as parts of eastern Wales, will be in force from Thursday through until the end of Sunday with impacts possible to health, transport and infrastructure.
The British Small Animal Veterinary Association has produced this infographic of tips and tricks to avoid heatstroke and while we are highlighting the current situation in the UK this advice applies to every place experiencing adverse hot weather which is a danger to animals and vulnerable humans
Thank you for this Angela! Although I know not much of the UK has it, but this is a good example of the increasing need to list Air Conditioning as one of the home profile questions. As more and more places become unbearably hot in summer, sitters should be able to see if AC is available just like they can see if Wifi is. It’s similar in that for some people it’s a nicety and for others with heat sensitivity, a necessity. I believe that’s why so many other housesitting match services have that listed. Thank you for adding this to the enhancement list for THS!
Hi @KellyC and thanks for your feedback. You are right, places with aircon in the UK are few and far between … keeping a property warm in our cooler climate has been the priority during most years with just a couple of hot weeks. But of course in many other countries it is the norm so we have passed your suggestion over to the product team for future update considerations. Have a lovely weekend! And I hope you stay cool!
As a couple who has lived in the south for decades, acclimating to our first UK summer without AC, while house sitting, has been relatively simple. Lots of open windows, fans and cool evening breezes, assist in making those heat waves bearable. Walking pets in the morning and evening, keeps them out of harms way. On the other hand, the AC in hotels, is something we definitely search for, when making reservations. No fans, windows that don’t open, and days touring in the heat, lead us to find cool accommodations between sits. Our plans are to follow the mild weather, in all seasons. Thanks for the info @Vanessa_A.
I’m in 44 deg at the moment in Spain. Ho doesn’t want to use her air con as too expensive. I can understand but I wish I had known before I came. fans don’t really help.and can’t open doors or windows really as cat would escape.I will ask this next house sit in a hot country.never thought lesson learned.
Sounds terrible. Hope it is a short one and you can move on to a more considerate owner soon. Great plan to ask because I also would have assumed that if a HO had AC that they would be fine with you using it (within reason of course!)
Yes it’s not in my bedroom anyway I would have rather contributed to ac than not have.it might be the way it’s going with electric and gas going sky high. . Nice house sit apart from that.
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Throughout the last week, it has been just as hot here, in Brighton and Hove in Sussex UK, as I was used to it in Southern Australia. The only difference: In Australia, all homes (even cheap council housing flats) have reverse-cycle air-conditioners, whereas English homes have only heating systems, but no cooling equipment. So here I am, in a big one million pound house with 9 rooms and a huge garden, and there is not even a £20 fan anywhere! I guess UK home-builders will have to reconsider their attitudes as the climate change goes on!
Admin Notice: Hopefully this particular extreme heat advisory is almost at an end and this was posted mainly to help with caring for pets who are unable to care for themselves of course and while perhaps it was inevitable that the subject of air conditioning would come up, please keep the conversation in general terms and not include details about specific sits or homes … thank you.
I was fortunate in Hayes last week. A quirk of the house - guest room was on ground floor and got no sun, living room had a north facing sliding wall of windows so was relatively cool. This weekend, though near Birmingham am getting all the heat. Fortunately there is a Dyson oscillating fan in the bedroom. The dogs are staying in the shaded yard much of the time.
with just a couple of hot weeks. But of course in many other countries it is the norm so we have passed your suggestion over to the product team for future update considerations. Have a lovely weekend! And I hope you stay cool!