‘It’s like a furnace’: French struggle with heat-trap homes as climate inequality grows
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/25/french-heat-trap-homes-climate-inequality-grows
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/25/french-heat-trap-homes-climate-inequality-grows
18 Comments
manxu@piefed.social · 11 pts · 65d
Given the trajectory of this, we'll probably have to start considering home cooling as fundamental to human survivability as home heating.
Luckily, in heat pumps we have efficient ways to cool and heat, and France has relatively cheap and plentiful electricity.
idiomaddict@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 65d
There were two mentions of not using fans to save on electricity costs. It looks like the greater Paris area pays an average price of ~€0,10/kWh and standing fans use an average of 40 watts. Are people on such strict budgets that the maximum cost of ~€3/month for running a fan 24/7 is impossible? Otherwise, it sounds like France should make some public service announcements about fan usage.
All that said, it’s supposed to be 44 degrees this week in France, so I don’t know if a fan is even super relevant, though it could at least be used at night.
Swemg@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 65d
I'm in Paris, the fan helps a bit but not that much. Everything is way too hot. I'm lucky my flat is usually a bit cooler than the outside
Waterpumpee@lemmus.org · 3 pts · 65d
also use cold tap water
Frenchgeek@lemmy.ml · 4 pts · 65d
Lukewarm tap water currently.
Waterpumpee@lemmus.org · 1 pts · 62d
Oh okay. Seems like our pipes run so deep its cold no matter what
Frenchgeek@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 61d
So do ours, but the building itself is warm enough to get it lukewarm.
CommanderCloon@lemmy.ml · 4 pts · 65d
The cold tap water is lukewarm 😭
idiomaddict@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 65d
Absolutely. I soak my hands (or feet, depending on whether I need my hands) in little tubs full of cold water until it stops feeling cold when I’m too hot but it’s not awful, and I’ll hop in the shower for a minute or two under just the cold water every couple of hours when it’s really unbearable.
HrMoon@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 65d
when southern Europe is cooler than its northern parts :p Western Iberia is now 21 degrees Celsius :p
kuiskaaja@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 65d
france isnt exactly northern
HrMoon@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 64d
it’s north of Spain/portugal ;)
kraxla@piefed.social · 4 pts · 65d
"Climate inequality"
Oh god not another new concept🙄
Lumidaub@feddit.org · 5 pts · 65d
It is truly tragic when honest, good citizens need to learn new things as the world refuses to stay the same for them. Hang in there, you'll get through this.
/s
kraxla@piefed.social · 1 pts · 65d
I just heard it for the first time but i already know that it will be disused by some people who then give the blame to industrial countries.
(Just so you know, i like saving energy and fighting climate change.)
Lumidaub@feddit.org · 2 pts · 65d
I am unclear on what blame you're referring to in this context that could be put on industrial countries unfairly.
altphoto@lemmy.today · 1 pts · 65d
Get yourself some mylar and staple it to the bottom of the roof in the attic. That will reflect the heat back into the sky. It would work best if your roof was a mirror or anodized aluminum. But mylar doesn't do well out in the open. I found that to be a simple way to help your AC keep up. In my previous California home that trick reduced the attic temperatures from 105F to 90F which is survival. So it's not a silver bullet but it helps quite a bit.
CommanderCloon@lemmy.ml · 5 pts · 65d
Most french housing doesn't have AC to begin with. My very recent apartment has none, the one I'll be moving to (which is currently being built) won't either. It's only built under the notion that energy is a winter issue, and designed to keep the heat in.
The start of the heat wave was uneventful for me, but I now restrict my day in a tiny square in front of the portable AC (so much for saving energy by not designing the building with AC in mind...)