BRITS were hit with scorching temperatures last weekend, with more high heat to come.
You might be tempted to use an air conditioning unit to keep cool at night.
But the bills for running one could make you sweat- we take a look to see how much it might cost you.
Forecasters are predicting that the highest temperatures could reach 33°C on Tuesday.
The Met Office issued a Level Three Heat Health Alert for this week, highlighting the potential health impacts of this type of weather.
But while it may be tempting to buy an air conditioner, it could increase the amount you pay at a time when energy bills are rising.
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Earlier this year energy bills soared by 54%, bringing the average annual price a household has to fork out for, to £1,971.
This was because the price cap went up on April 1, adding almost £700 on average to about 18 million households' standard tariff bills across the UK.
And things aren’t looking much better for later on in the year.
Analysts have said that bills will rocket by nearly £1,300 this October.
In a massive blow to struggling Brits, the price cap is expected to rise from £1,971 to a grim record of £3,244.
Air conditioning isn't free to run, so you need to keep all this in mind when you reach for the on switch.
How much does it cost to run an air conditioner?
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Running an air conditioner with a unit size of up to 10kw costs around 38p per hour, according to Evergreen Air Conditioning.
The average person uses their air con for about four hours 18 minutes during the day and four hours 48 minutes at night.
Based on this running time of roughly nine hours in total through the day and night, this could add £24 per week to your energy bill.
If you have the air conditioner on only through the night to keep cool while you’re asleep – assuming nine hours in bed – it would cost roughly the same.
But if you’re running it all through the night and some of the day, it could add up to more.
The exact amount it costs to run depends on how long you use it for, but also the type of air conditioner you have and the amount you pay for energy.
You can save money on the cost of running an air con unit by using a fan instead.
In comparison that costs around £1.64 a week.
Fans cool by blowing air over your skin, while air conditioners cool the entire room by removing heat.
How else can I keep cool in the heat?
Relying on air conditioner to keep you cool could be a very expensive way to tackle the heatwave this year, but there are other options you could try.
DIY website Family Handyman has come up with ideas that include spraying a sheet with cold water covering a window opening.
With this hack, the breeze will hit the sheet and pass through the cool, damp fabric, which can help bring the temperature down in your home.
The site also suggest trying insulated window films that you can buy to stick on your window.
This cheap to purchase alternative can help cut energy costs as well as offer privacy while you can still enjoy the view and light from outside.
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They are also designed to provide up to 98% infrared heat reduction compared to unprotected windows, and reduce the temperature coming in.
They're only about £10 to buy from places like Amazon as well.
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