UK households urged to shut all curtains and blinds on Thursday, Friday and Saturday

The Met Office has forecast another scorching heatwave to arrive from Thursday, lasting a full five days. Weather conditions are expected to return to swelteringly hot. Consequently, everyone who needs to keep their house cool will be looking for ways to banish the heat during the daytime, which experts advise includes closing curtains in the peak of the hot weather.

On Thursday, the Met Office says temperatures in London will shoot to an unbearable 31C, stay at 31C on Friday, and climb even higher to 32C on Saturday. On Sunday, it will still be 31C, before conditions drop slightly to 29C on Monday and then drop a bit more to 25C on Tuesday.

Though London and the South will see some of the hottest temperatures overall, the pattern of heating up will remain the same for most of the country, and in fact, other areas will be even hotter. In Leeds and Sheffield, for example, it's 33C on Saturday, while Edinburgh will be 27-28C and Cardiff will be 32C.

Due to typical British homes being designed to retain heat for our generally mild climate and chilly winters, our homes are ill-prepared for extreme heat, quickly transforming into uncomfortably hot and humid sweat boxes.

And for the very young and very old, even 29C can be a big problem. The NHS along with The Lullaby Trust says in its guidance on temperatures for babies and young children: "A room temperature of 16–20C is ideal for your baby, when growing up in the UK. This feels quite cold to a lot of people, so using a room thermometer can help check the temperature. If you are using light bedding such as sheets and blankets, they should be tucked in carefully with no loose ends that could obstruct your baby’s breathing. Similarly, baby sleeping bags should be well fitted, especially around the neck and arms."

Official guidance also warns that excessively high indoor temperatures can pose serious health risks, including the threat of heat stroke.

Advice previously issued by energy supplier British Gas tells households how they can cut the heat from building up in their house by closing curtains during the day.

It says, in its advice on how to keep your house cool in hot weather: "Tempting as it might be to throw your windows open during a heatwave, leaving them shut when the day is at its hottest will keep the house cool. So try to only let the air in early, or late, in the day.

"Light coloured blinds and curtains made of a weightier fabric offer the best heat-blocking potential, so go for these if you’re thinking of updating yours – but keep hold of any darker ones that you replace, so you can switch back once the temperature drops to keep the heat in. Keep these closed during the day too to keep your house cool in summer."

British Gas also stresses that households can close and open doors tactically. It says: "If you’re using a fan, closing off unused rooms during the day will keep the house cool in summer by focusing your cooling efforts where you’ll feel them the most. Similarly, opening your doors in the evening will get the air flowing and stop your home feeling stuffy."

As well as keeping your house cool, keeping yourself cool is important. It adds: "Wear loose, lightweight clothing made of natural fibres like cotton and linen. Use an icepack, chilled hot water bottle or cold cloth on your wrists and feet for an instant cold hit. And if it’s really stuffy inside, consider a dehumidifier. It’ll pull the moisture out of the air and let your skin breathe better."

The Met Office UK forecast for the period July 13 to 22 says: "Settled at first, with very warm or hot weather quite widely across the UK. There is a small chance of a few thunderstorms, but most areas will likely be dry. Early next week, a transition to less hot conditions is expected, but with uncertain timing.

"This could bring an increasing chance of some rain or showers, perhaps thundery, but there is scope for very warm or hot conditions to persist in more eastern and southern areas. Beyond midweek, a rather changeable pattern is anticipated with some rain or showers possible at times, which could be heavy and thundery, but interspersed with drier interludes. Whilst a downward trend in temperature is anticipated, it will still likely be warmer than average, especially in the south and east where hot spells remain possible."