10 Hacks To Keep Cool While Touring

There’s nothing like hitting the road during summer, but the only downside is trying to keep cool when the heat becomes a little unbearable. We hope these hot weather hacks will give you all the inspiration you need to keep you cool, so you can focus on enjoying a well-earned break.

1. Maximise Air Flow

Promote as much airflow inside your caravan/motorhome as possible. It pays to make the most of opening windows during the cooler times of the day, such as overnight and early in the morning to filter in as much cold air as possible. The general rule of thumb is if the temperature outside is greater than it is inside, you should keep the windows shut. Otherwise, you are just letting in hot air.

If you have to keep windows open during the day, make sure you do so in a way that encourages a through draught by opening windows at opposite sides of your caravan/ motorhome and keeping doors open to allow free movement of air. If you have fly screens remember to close them to keep out unwanted guests.

2. Keep Blinds Down and Curtains Closed

By keeping blinds and curtains in your caravan/motorhome down, you can restrict the amount of sunlight coming in during the day and help keep the air inside cooler.

Ideally having light-coloured curtains and blinds and keep them closed (metallic blinds and dark curtains can make the room hotter).

Keep blinds and curtains lowered or closed on the side of your unit that faces the sun during the heat of the day while keeping those on the shaded side open to promote ventilation.

3. Cook Al Fresco

Indoor ovens and other cooking appliances can quickly ramp up the indoor temperatures, so it’s best to cook outdoors as much as possible. If you do have to cook inside, then make sure to leave your doors and windows open so the heat from cooking won’t get trapped inside.

There are lots of options for al fresco dining- from barbecues to salads and home-cooked dishes rustled up on a camping stove, opting to cook and eat outside will do wonders for keeping your caravan/motorhome cool.

4. Go for Cotton or Linen Sheets

Both cotton and linen are breathable fabrics and much better at keeping you cool during a summer heatwave than polyester and other man-made fabrics, which will only make you sweat more. Another trick when you are changing your sheets, is to place them in the freezer for 15 minutes, as they will feel cool when you go to bed.

5. Lighting

Keep the lights off - It may come as a surprise to learn that light bulbs could be emitting extra heat you don’t need when you’re trying to keep cool.

Halogen and incandescent lights tend to generate a lot of heat and get hot when used. A better option would be to use fluorescent or LED lighting, which not only produces light more efficiently but also generate less heat.

6. Pitch Near Large, Shady Trees (If Possible)

We know, just like our parks, the pitch is allocated for you. If your pitch is by any large trees, these can provide plenty of shade during the day. The goal is to stay in a spot with a large tree on your western side, which will provide shade during the hottest times of the day.

7. Turn off Appliances

Keep lights, computers, televisions and other appliances switched off as much as possible as they generate heat. 

8. Travel

Setting off early or late has always meant missing the worst of the traffic but now it will also mean avoiding the most intense heat of the day.

9. Place A Bowl of Ice in Front of Your Fan

Setting up a bowl of ice at an angle in front of your fan will cool the air coming from your fan considerably. As the ice evaporates and the air blows onto the bowl, it will create much-needed moisture and cool you down. Leaving bowls of water dotted around also helps to create moisture.

10. Investing in Air-Con or Mobile Fans

If you’ve done all the tips above and your caravan/motorhome is still unbearably hot, consider investing in air conditioners or mobile fans, especially those that are designed for touring or camping.

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