Is it a risk to leave a fan on for my dog?

Posted by chiefqueef25@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 39 comments

I’m going to a wedding tomorrow in the afternoon to evening, when it’s supposed to be the hottest (30+ degrees!!!) and my dog (a very overweight show type English springer spaniel) is going to be home alone for a few hours.

We’ll have water out for him, windows open and his cooling mat out. I also think it would really help him to have a fan on whilst we’re out too, but I’m aware it can be a fire risk. If we keep it away from curtains, make sure there isn’t dust build up on it etc, is it safe to leave on whilst we’re out? Or is it too big a risk?

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Blue_View_1217@reddit

They'll be fine. Make sure they have a big bowl of water (preferably with plenty of ice cubes in there). Keep blinds shut.

I don't think fans are as effective for dogs as they don't sweat like humans, but it will help circulate air. I wouldn't be worried about leaving it on whilst you're away as long as their tail can't get through the grille accidentally.

Do you have a neighbour that could check on them for a few minutes whilst you're away?

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RBisoldandtired@reddit

If it’s that warm CLOSE your windows and curtains on any sun facing windows…

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TheRealJustSean@reddit

Close windows? How come?

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RBisoldandtired@reddit

Hotter air outside will move inside.

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TheRealJustSean@reddit

So close windows in extreme heat? I've always thought having them open but fan on would help

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Willeth@reddit

If the room is hotter than the outside, open the windows. If it's hooter outside, close them with curtains/blinds drawn.

If the fan is venting hit air out it's helpful. Otherwise while it's nice to blow air on your face if you're in the room, it's doing nothing otherwise.

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TheRealJustSean@reddit

Oh it's definitely warmer in my room than outside. Outside temp, currently 26 here. In my room, 28.5

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bahumat42@reddit

So when the outside air is cooler than the inside air it's helpful, this stops being the case once it gets into the 20s.

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ReticentRumu@reddit

Insulation works both ways, for cold and heat, slowing the transfer of heat out in winter, and cold out in summer.

Keep the windows and curtains drawn to stop your place heating up, open the windows in the evening to let any heat out.

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RBisoldandtired@reddit

I think it’s been because we never used to regularly get extreme heat. So getting a breeze in to let the built up heat go outside and bring in fresh cooler air. But when the outside temperature is hotter than your inside temperature, then it’s the opposite advice. Obv you want to keep the hot air outside.

Like if it’s extreme heat and I open a bedroom window and living room and create a cross breeze but essentially it’s like having a very mild heater on constantly blowing warmer air through my flat lol

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DogtasticLife@reddit

Only if you have a through draft, if not close windows and most importantly close curtains/blinds

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sailingdownstairs@reddit

That will just help you feel the cool inside air rush past you as it leaves even faster

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PeaceOrchid@reddit

Fans will just move around any hot air. Close windows and curtains from 4am (sun up). Lots of available water and an extra bed with a cold wet towel (he’ll use it if he needs it hopefully).

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another_awkward_brit@reddit

Heat moves from hotter to colder. If your house is cooler inside than the air is outside, if you open the windows all you're doing is bringing in hotter air and heating your house.

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jesussays51@reddit

Close them before it gets warm and close curtains will keep the air in cooler. If it’s already the hottest part of the day then you might as well keep windows open to let air blow through the house

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User-1967@reddit

Open windows let in warm/ hot air

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AbbreviationsCold161@reddit

Will someone please explain this to my wife. She insists on leaving the windows open during the day

During the day leave the curtains and windows closed, opening them in the evening to let in cooler air.

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msbookworm23@reddit

Tell her windows insulate in both directions.

But also the curtains do a lot of work keeping the heat out. Imagine how much hotter you are standing in a sunbeam and now imagine all that heat being reflected back outside by a curtain.

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TemporaryLucky3637@reddit

This is the only common sense advice.

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Logically_Conflicted@reddit

Agreed. I've had the doors, windows and curtains closed all day. 27 outside, 20 inside. It's only just now starting to get hot inside as the heat radiates through the bricks. Sun is on the front of the house all day long.

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julemeister@reddit

Dogs need evaporation off their tongue. A fan will not help much. Our dogs do fine in the kitchen to the north and a tile floor. Concrete floors are best with tile over.

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Sweaty-Possession-19@reddit

I had a couple summers where we managed with a dog and newborn when it was scorching.

Some people say, well they have dogs in Australia so don't worry. Well yeah, but I imagine houses in Australia generally have AC.

Unlike our cavity walls which are designed to insulate and most people do not have AC. Long story short, I bought a portable AC. My mid terrace house is wide but not long. So each room has two windows, one that faces south and one that faces north. My portable AC is in my bedroom venting out north back of the house. Set it in a timer for the dog if we are out. But it's a proper game changer for us tbh. I'm literally sitting on the floor of my daughter's bedroom right now whilst she drifts off and it's nice a cool. Before I had the portable AC we'd all be sweating, miserable and worried about how the hell we gna sleep.

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Great-Science-8586@reddit

I think leaving a fan on is a fire or accident risk for the dog. Other people have given good advice about pulling the blinds. If you have windows that lock on half an inch open then you could that. A cooling mat or bowls of water with ice would be good too.

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maceion@reddit

Fan on, unattended is far too big a risk.

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jennejy@reddit

Wouldn't leave any electrics actively running while I was out, personally. It will likely be fine but boy, I do not want to find out the hard way.

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JWK3@reddit

I know big brand/premium appliances aren't infallible, but I'm happy to leave my washing machine, dishwasher, dehumidifier etc. on whilst I'm out for a few hours.

People always seem happy to run the fridge, dehumidifier/purifier, internet router, heck even the central heating system unattended, but not other appliances for some reason. I don't think we can put our fingers on it other than finger in the air calculated risk.

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Suspicious_Flower_0@reddit

Except the fridge, for some reason we trust the fridge.

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jesussays51@reddit

I don’t trust the fridge. I turn it off every time I leave the house. I’m sick every time I eat food from it, how can I trust it not to burn my house down?

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Able_Resident_1291@reddit

And the oven with its clock on it. Got to leave that plugged in all the time otherwise the clock wouldn't be right

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Kibby9331@reddit

1)ice cubes in water bowl for doggo to get cold water gradually 2)see if you can get a family member or friend to check on doggo 3)close the windows and curtains 4)put the fan on blast for about an hour or 2 while you are there before you go, then just before you leave turn it off 5)future you can get cooling mats for them to sleep on (aldi has em now) 6)have you got any of those dog toys you can put in the freezer?

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pintsized_baepsae@reddit

Everyone else has given you good advice already, but is your dog otherwise healthy? Could you put some ice cubes in his water bowls to help them stay cool for a little longer?

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Kitchen-Sprinkles604@reddit

Apparently he’s overweight 😭

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SituationMundane5452@reddit

Theres dog in Australia stop worrying.

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bisikletci@reddit

Open windows overnight to let cooler air in. Then in the morning close all windows and pull all blinds and curtains to try to preserve this cooler temperature as long as possible.

Imo leaving a fan running for one day is fine.

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Alarmed_College_8169@reddit

My dog ignores the fan. Keep the windows closed and curtains drawn and leave lots of water out. Your dog will be fine. You could also leave a damp towel/blanket for them to lay on, whether they choose to or not is another matter!

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LilacScentedStoat@reddit

A washing up bowl on the floor of a cooler room, fill it with ice cubes right before you go.

Ice cubes melt through the day so there's cold water for dog. Dog can even eat an ice cube.

I don't think dogs feel the effects of a fan like humans do. I'm not like vet or whatever but we have pores and sweat glands on our skin so the fan air is basically causing evaporation of that moisture and that's why it feels nice. I don't think dogs have the same skin? So fan doesn't cause the same effect for dogs.

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