With areas of the UK still experiencing warm temperatures, keeping your home cool is essential. According to specialists at Fineo, leaving windows open during a heatwave may seem like a smart move, but it often does more harm than good.

The experts said: "There's a common misconception that keeping windows open all day helps cool the home. In reality, you're letting hot air and sunlight pour into the property, warming up floors, walls, furniture and even the air itself. By the afternoon, many homes are significantly hotter inside than out, and that's when people resort to fans or cooling systems that push energy bills up."

According to the pros, keeping windows open all day, especially in south or west-facing rooms, can trap the heat indoors.

Homes with lots of glazing, including single-pane windows or minimal shading, are particularly vulnerable.

When sunlight enters through glass, it heats up the internal surfaces, which then radiate heat back into the room.

This then creates a greenhouse effect that builds up hour by hour, creating a room which is hard to sleep or sit in.

The expert team said: "Older or inefficient glazing offers very little resistance to heat gain. This is why some homes feel unbearably warm by the end of the day, especially those with large windows or thin frames. The type of glazing you have makes a huge difference."

As soon as the sun rises, close any windows that face the light and pull curtains or blinds. The experts recommend doing this between 5am and 9pm.

Temperatures tend to dip between 9pm and 5am, which is the time to open windows, encourage air circulation and cool things down. You can even use fans to draw the cooler night's air in.

If you want to take things one step further, you can close your curtains during the day too to stop the sun shining in.

The experts added: "If your windows are in direct sunlight, consider temporary outdoor shading like parasols, awnings or even a washing line with a light-coloured sheet to block peak sun hours.

"At night, place a fan facing outward near an open window to push hot air out.

"During the day, avoid using fans near open windows or in full sun; they'll just circulate warm air."