“I pull the blinds down by nine and keep a jug chilled, little things that make the noon heat bearable,” says Margaret Graner, of Balcatta. “It’s the difference between coping and struggling on the hottest days.”
A few simple jobs can make a big difference when the heat hits, keeping you comfortable, trimming bills and helping protect your home and garden. This guide focuses on practical steps for Perth households, aligned to HealthyWA and Water Corporation advice.
Heat health – small habits
Close curtains and blinds early on hot mornings, then open the house in the evening once the outside air is cooler. Use fans first, keep a full jug of water in the fridge, and plan errands for the cooler parts of the day. Slip, slop, slap, seek, slide, and check in on neighbours, particularly older adults and people living alone.
“Stay up to date with current heatwave alerts on Emergency WA and weather forecasts from the Bureau of Meteorology,” a WA Health spokesperson said.
If you care for someone, set simple routines: a drink with each meal, medicines kept out of direct heat, and a cool compress ready in the freezer. On the hottest afternoons, a short visit to an air-conditioned library or shopping centre can provide relief.
Pets feel the heat too; keep bowls topped up and bring them indoors during the worst of the day.
Cooling your home
Shading is the most effective first step. Temporary awnings, shade sails or even simple shade cloth over west-facing windows can reduce heat gain. Set ceiling fans to their summer setting so they move air gently downwards, which helps sweat evaporate and makes a room feel cooler. Seal obvious draughts at doors and windows and consider topping up roof insulation if it has slumped or is patchy; both measures make a home more comfortable during a heatwave.
If you use an evaporative cooler, make sure it’s running efficiently. A ceiling fan can make a room feel 3 to 4°C cooler thanks to the breeze effect, so you can delay or reduce air-con use. In the evenings, create a cross-breeze by safely opening windows on opposite sides of the house and using a fan to draw in cooler air; in the morning, shut the house again to keep the cool inside.
If you’re renting, removable window film and a simple door snake are inexpensive, reversible fixes that still take the edge off heat. It can also help to zone the house, closing doors to unused rooms so cool air stays where you need it most.
Waterwise garden
Perth and Mandurah households are rostered to water two days per week, with watering allowed before 9am or after 6pm. If you are unsure of your days, the Water Corporation online checker will confirm them in moments.
Mulch to a depth of around five to seven centimetres and mow lawns a little higher to reduce evaporation in hot weather. If you use a reticulation system, a quick catch-cup check to even out coverage can prevent overwatering some zones and underwatering others, helping plants cope better in extreme heat.
“A bag of mulch and a bit of afternoon shade did more for my courtyard than any gadget,” says Christina Gibson, of Mount Lawley. “My water bill dropped and the lemon tree finally stopped sulking.”
Hand-water pots in the cool of the morning so moisture soaks in rather than evaporates, and consider a soil-wetting product if your sandy beds start to repel water. Collecting a bucket of the warm-up water from your shower is an easy way to keep patio herbs and pot plants ticking over between rostered days.
Why this matters
A wetter season can be misleading if it does not translate into strong inflows to dams.
“Dam catchments are like massive sponges, and it’s only once the ground is saturated down to the groundwater or bedrock we start to see meaningful streamflow,” said Water Corporation general manager of Assets Planning, Evan Hambleton.
“Prior to 2000, we needed around 100 millimetres of rain to generate 10 billion litres of streamflow. Now we need closer to 500 millimetres for the same yield.”
Perth’s drinking water now relies heavily on climate-independent sources such as desalination, along with groundwater. That makes everyday waterwise habits just as important as ever, especially as hot spells arrive earlier and last longer.
“Desalination is such a vital source because it doesn’t rely on rainfall; however, that doesn’t mean we can get complacent in how we use water.”
Even with desalination in the mix, using water wisely keeps demand steadier across summer, supports greener gardens through the hottest weeks and, at home level, often translates to gentler bills. Small changes add up: shade a hot window, mulch a thirsty bed, and fix a leaky solenoid so the water you pay for reaches the roots.
Reliable help and more information
HealthyWA’s “Heatwave—be prepared” page provides clear guidance on recognising heat-related illness and staying safe during extreme heat.
The Water Corporation website includes the Waterwise hub with practical tips, the roster day checker and details of current offers.
If you haven’t used them before, these pages are easy to navigate and written in plain English, with simple steps you can do today.
