Keeping a Spanish home cool through summer heatwaves

Key rules

• Heat risk: Indoor temperatures above about 32 °C are particularly risky for older people, babies and people with chronic illness.
• Rented home: Tenants can use removable fans, portable units, curtains and rugs freely, but need the landlord's written consent for fixed split units, new windows or facade awnings.
• Shading: External shading beats curtains because it stops the sun before it reaches the glass.
• Emergency: Call 112 for signs of heat stroke.

The short version

Block the sun before it enters, keep the heat out by day, and let cool air in at night. This works better than air conditioning alone, and it costs far less.

Shade the windows first

Shade works best outside the glass. Lower external shutters (persianas), blinds or awnings on every sun-facing window during the day. Curtains help too, but they stop less heat once the sun has already come through the glass.

Light-coloured outer surfaces reflect heat. Plants, climbers and shaded terraces also help cool the air around the home.

If you rent, you can use removable fans, portable units, curtains and rugs freely. Fixed split units, new windows or facade awnings need the landlord's written consent.

Awnings and the facade

In a building with a community of owners, the facade belongs to everyone. Awnings and external blinds that change how the building looks generally need the community's approval, usually by a vote at the owners' meeting. Many communities already set a standard model and colour. If yours does, an awning that follows it may only need notice to the administrator.

Your town hall may also ask for a licence or a prior notification (comunicación previa). This is more likely in historic centres or protected buildings. Closing in a terrace is stricter than fitting a retractable awning. Installing without approval can lead to an order to remove it and to fines.

Before you buy anything, read the community statutes and ask your town hall.

Ventilate at night, close up by day

Keep windows and shutters closed in the hottest hours. Open them at night and early in the morning, when the air outside is cooler. Open windows on opposite sides of the home so air flows through.

Avoid ovens, hobs and extra lighting in the heat. Spend the hottest hours in the coolest room.

Fans and air conditioning

Use fans first. If you use air conditioning, set it no lower than about 26 °C. A very low setting costs more and makes the shock of going outside worse.

Which homes suffer most

Top-floor flats under an uninsulated roof get the hottest, because the roof takes the most sun. Flats facing west or south-west also suffer, because afternoon sun arrives when the air is already hottest. Older buildings with poor insulation and no external shading are worst.

The size of the effect depends on climate zone, insulation, glazing and shading. When you view a home, check its energy certificate and note which way it faces and which floor it is on.

When to act on health warnings

Spain issues heat alerts by zone, with four levels: green (no risk), yellow (low), orange (medium) and red (high). They run through the summer, roughly from 1 June to 30 September. Check your zone's level in the weather service's warnings.

Indoor temperatures above about 32 °C are particularly risky for older people, babies and people with chronic illness. Pregnant women also need extra care. If your home gets that hot:

• Drink water often, even if you are not thirsty.
• Avoid strenuous activity in the hot hours.
• Spend a few hours in an air-conditioned public place.

Call 112 if you see signs of heat stroke.

What to watch out for

• Opening windows in the hottest hours: Open windows by day let hot air and sun in and can make the home hotter than outside. Keep windows and blinds closed by day, preferably with external shading. Ventilate at night and early morning, opening windows on opposite sides for a through draught.

• Relying on air conditioning set too cold: Cooling hard with air conditioning costs more and is less healthy than other options. Use fans first. If you use air conditioning, set it no lower than about 26 °C, and avoid heat-producing appliances and lighting.

• Heat risk for vulnerable people: Indoor temperatures above about 32 °C are particularly risky for older people, babies and people with chronic illness. Pregnant women also need extra care. Move to the coolest room, drink water often and avoid effort in the hot hours. If the home stays hot, spend a few hours in an air-conditioned place.

• Top floors and west-facing flats: Top-floor flats under an uninsulated roof and west or south-west flats overheat most, often several degrees hotter than middle floors. Add external shading on west windows and use light-coloured surfaces and curtains. Check the energy certificate before renting or buying such a flat.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need approval to put an awning on my flat's windows?

Yes, an awning or external shutter that changes how the building looks generally needs the community of owners' approval, usually by a vote at the owners' meeting. Some communities already set a standard model and colour, and an awning that follows it may only need notice to the administrator. Your town hall may also ask for a licence or a prior notice, especially in historic centres.

Which flats get the hottest in a Spanish summer?

Top-floor flats under an uninsulated roof and flats with west or south-west facades are the most exposed. The roof gets the most sun, and the afternoon sun on west walls arrives when the outdoor air is hottest. Look at the energy certificate to see how well a specific home is insulated.

How do I know when a heatwave is serious enough to act?

Heat alerts are issued by zone in four levels: green for no risk, yellow for low, orange for medium and red for high. Follow your zone's level during the season, which runs from about 1 June to 30 September. If anyone shows signs of heat stroke, call 112.