TikTok users are urged not to attach ice packs to their fans

As temperatures in parts of the UK hit a record high of 40.3C yesterday, many desperate Britons are doing all they can to stay cool.

But experts have warned of a dangerous trend circulating on TikTok of strapping ice on fans’ backs to combat the heatwave.

TikTok videos show users attaching bags of ice to their electric fans to create “home air conditioning”, hoping to blow cooler air around their homes.

But users who try the supposed “hack” risk giving themselves an electric shock, according to consumer safety charity Electrical Safety First (ESF).

Having ice near any electrical appliance risks water coming into contact with the motor, increasing the risk of electric shock.

In addition, the excessive weight of the bag attached to the top of the fan may tip it over and damage or impede the rotation of the blades.

The ESF warning comes after Britons endured the hottest day in recorded history on Tuesday, with temperatures exceeding 104°F (40°C).

The Met Office recorded a provisional reading of 40.3C (104.5F) in Coningsby in Lincolnshire at 3pm on Tuesday – a record high.

“Videos on TikTok are encouraging stuffy Brits to do dangerous hacks with their electric fans,” said Giuseppe Capanna, product safety engineer at Electrical Safety First.

“Attaching an ice pack to a fan is very risky as it could destabilize the fan which could cause it to fall over causing the blades to hit the guard and put the motor under additional stress and the possibility of it breaking. your fan completely.

“However, more importantly, the water that melts from the bag has a chance of coming into contact with the motor and causing an electrocution hazard to anyone touching the fan.”

Placing a bucket of ice in front of an electric fan is already a tried and true method of cooling down.

But the important thing is to keep it as far away from the fan as possible – and not let the two come into contact.

“Consumers should always be wary of water coming into contact with electricity,” Capanna said.

The ESF has also listed the do’s and don’ts of using a fan safely, one of which is not keeping it on overnight.

Sadly, hundreds if not thousands of Britons will have turned on their fans overnight to help them through the sticky, uncomfortable heat.

Keeping the fan running overnight puts people at risk if a failure occurs in the device while the owner is sleeping, says the ESF.

The charity therefore advises homeowners to always turn off their fans before going to sleep and to ensure their home has working smoke detectors in case of a breakdown.

The ESF also stresses the importance of buying a ventilator from a reputable retailer, especially when buying online.

Purchasing fans from third-party sellers online may make us vulnerable to “substandard and potentially dangerous” counterfeits that may cause electric shocks and fires.

In the absence of a ventilator, other methods of keeping cool include wearing socks that have been in the refrigerator, not drinking alcohol, and, more bizarrely, breathing with your tongue rolled up.

Unplugging electronics can also reduce heat generation around the house, while keeping curtains closed all day to keep rooms shaded.

An Australian woman has shared a ‘hack’ of sticking tin foil against windows, acting as a super efficient reflector of sunlight.