Number of UK homes overheating soars to 80% in a decade, study finds
Researchers say urgent action needed to inform people about risks of heatwave temperatures and adapt homes
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The study was published in the journal . It asked almost 1,600 households whether they had experienced uncomfortable warmth in one or more rooms during the summer of 2022, the same question that .
It found the rate of overheating reported leaped from 18% to 80% in 2022. More than a third of households said their homes had overheated daily and a further 19% said this happened five or six days a week.
Half of people reported experiencing poor sleep because of heat, while a quarter said they suffered frequent headaches, fatigue and had to work less. Half also said they had little to no knowledge of how to cope with extreme heat, with another study finding that a still do not consider heatwaves an immediate risk. Most people in the survey tried to cool themselves in some way, with lighter clothes, cold drinks and cool showers among the most common actions.
Similar high levels of overheating were reported from all types of home, from flats to detached houses. However, homes built after 1900 were twice as likely to report overheating, as were those with the highest energy efficiency ratings, EPC bands A and B. Modern buildings focus on airtightness and insulation to cut heat loss in winter, said Khosravi, which can worsen overheating without good ventilation.
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