Temperatures could soar to dangerously high levels in detached houses

Well-insulated south-facing detached houses risk 'overheating' but painting exterior walls white can help

Temperatures could soar to dangerously high levels in well-insulated south-facing detached houses, experts have warned.

Research by Professor Chris Goodier and Prof Li Shao, of Leicester De Montfort University, found energy-saving measures designed to save on winter fuel bills and protect the environment could pose a risk to health during summer heatwaves.

Anastasia Mylona, adaptation science officer at UKCIP, an organisation based at Oxford University which carries out research into mitigating the effects of climate change, said there was a danger of "over-insulating for the winter" in the UK.

Heat can build up during the day and has nowhere to escape at night leading to poor air quality and a greater risk of heat stress for the occupants which, in extreme cases, can kill.

Professor Goodier said there were simple measures anyone could take - whether living in a well-insulated home or not - to keep heat levels down, such as keeping windows closed during the day to trap cool air and opening them at night.

Fitting shutters to windows and painting exterior walls white - both common sights in Mediterranean countries - would also help, but were unlikely to be widely adopted in the UK due to the relative rarity of heatwaves.