American in the UK hits week 3 of the heatwave, and the no-air-con misery is real

For an American living through yet another stretch of summer heat in the United Kingdom, one joke seemed to capture the mood: If it is supposedly "only hot one week out of the year," why does it feel like week three? 

The viral moment resonated because when extreme heat settles in, older homes that were never designed for cooling can turn an ordinary heat wave into a daily comfort, health, and budget challenge.

What's happening?

That line came from a TikTok by an American content creator living in the U.K., who wrote, "Is this the second or third week of the heatwave? I thought you said it's only hot 1 week out of the year."

In the TikTok post, the complaint sparked a wider discussion about overheated homes in Britain, where residential air conditioning is still much less common than it is in the United States.

@thecheekyamerican Is This The Second Or Third Week Of The Heatwave?! I Thought You Said It's Only Hot 1 Week Out Of The Year😭🔥 #heatwave #unitedkingdom #aircon #expatlife #america ♬ original sound - 🤸🏻‍♀️Lifestyle & Food🍓

Commenters pointed to both the building's design and its cost. One wrote, "British brick and masonry homes have high thermal mass. They absorb solar heat all day and bake like an oven." Another noted, "So Aircon is possible, and would 100% work for most properties apart from grade listed - but it is expensive."

The creator seemed to accept the fact that AC wasn't an option, but she had another question for the Brits. "Why don't you have ceiling fans?" She went on to point out that ceiling fans would be more feasible than AC and would do a good job cooling down homes. 

Taken together, the responses highlighted worries about housing design, energy costs, and the challenge of coping with hotter summers in buildings meant to hold onto warmth.

Why does it matter?

Heat waves can increase the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion, and more serious illness, especially for older adults, young children, and people with underlying medical conditions. They can also strain communities by driving up energy demand, disrupting sleep, reducing productivity, and increasing household expenses.

Homes that trap heat can become unsafe during prolonged hot spells, particularly when residents do not have access to affordable cooling. That makes extreme weather not just an inconvenience but a public health issue, a community safety concern, and a problem for economic stability.

The post also reflects a broader shift: Places once viewed as only occasionally hot are now being tested by more persistent summer extremes. When a heat wave drags on, the misery is often less about the number on the thermometer than about whether people can actually cool down at home.

What can I do?

For people who can make home upgrades, cooling options range from portable air conditioners to heat pumps that provide both heating and cooling. Better shading, reflective window coverings, and improved ventilation can also help reduce indoor heat buildup.

At the policy level, hotter summers will likely increase pressure to modernize housing to handle both cold winters and dangerous heat. That could mean stronger building standards, more passive cooling design, and expanded access to cooling spaces during extreme weather.

Some residents, however, are still making do. As one commenter put it, "We all have floor fans and windows we can open. I manage fine with these. If it was hot more often, I would get AC."

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.