Protect Your Home, Health, & Keep Pets Safe in the Heat
By now, you have heard i'ts going to be unseasonably hot this weekend. 90+ this early in the season is mostly unheard of. Here are 40+ ways to protect yourself and your family from the heat.
We all know keeping cool and hydrated is the main way to stay healthy and comfortable. Here are some tips to help.
Protect You From the Heat
- Avoid caffeine.
- Hot drinks work better to keep you cool than cold ones do. (if you are properly hydrated)
- Flax bags can be frozen and set on your skin to cool you off quickly. Necks and shoulders are the most effective placement for most people.
- Soak up a bandanna and freeze it to wear later in the hottest part of the day.
- If you have to be outside, a small amount of crushed ice in a ziplock bag worn under your hat will feel terrific.
- Wear light-colored clothing that is breathable.
- Limit exertion or heavy exercise too early morning or later evening when it's cooler.
- Take your daily walk in the early morning.
Protect Pets from the Heat
- Of course, any pet with a fur coat is going to need lots of water available for them to drink.
- Birds do well with a light breeze.
- Ice cubes in your fish tank will keep the water from overheating and suffocating your fish.
- Warm water holds less oxygen, so be sure you have an air bubbler going and keep the temp under 72 degrees for tropical fish.
Protect Your Health from the Heat
Heat stroke, Heat Exhaustion, and dehydration are all real concerns.
- If you are outside and stop sweating, get out of the heat,, and into a cool bath immediately. Seek medical attention if symptoms persist or nausea /vomiting sets in.
- Drink ½ of your weight in ounces of water each day. Example 100lbs = (100 oz ÷2) 50 ounces of water.
- Stay out of your attic or any un-conditioned spaces.
If you are spending time in the water, remember these tips:
- You still need to be drinking plenty of water.
- Wear a hat and spend time in the shade.
- Covering your skin is best but if that is not possible, sunscreen is a good alternative.
- Beware of the water temperature, cold water may feel great, but hypothermia is still a concern in some bodies of water.
- Avoid Alcohol or Marijuana. Alcohol will dehydrate you, and both of these will dull your senses. You may ignore or not notice your body’s natural warning signals.
3Rs's Construction can help you with home improvements. Contact us for a consultation.
Protect Your Home from the Heat
- Turn off electrical appliances, lights, ovens, even older computers - they all produce heat and consume power needed for cooling equipment.
- Use Fans to circulate the air in your home.
- 3Rs Pro Tip: turning the furnace fan to the “on” setting will move air around the house, but if you don’t have AC and your ducts are in the attic (registers on the ceiling) Don’t turn this fan on, you will be pushing super-heated air into your home.
- Keep the window shades closed on the South and West sides of your home.
- Tilt mini-blinds to reflect the sun up and out if possible.
- Set your A/C at 68° and leave it there, once the house heats up. It will be almost impossible to get the temperature back down.
- Install a sprinkler or mister near the Air-handler outside. Dropping the air temp around the unit will help it cool down easier.
3Rs Pro Tip: turning the furnace fan to the “on” setting will move air around the house but if you don’t have AC and your ducts are in the attic (registers on the ceiling) Don’t turn this fan on, you will be pushing super-heated air into your home.
If you don’t have Air Conditioning:
- Run fans.
- Make your own swamp cooler by putting water bottles or any plastic jug with water and put them in your freezer. (pro tip #1: they will thaw out much faster than they will freeze so makeup as many as you have room for in the freezer.
Pro-tip #2: Once the ice is melted, the water is the perfect temperature to drink and re-hydrate yourself.
- Put the frozen bottles in a bucket or pot of cold water.
- Run the fan in front of the ice bath. The air will cool rapidly and make the room much more comfortable.
- If you have a humidifier, set it to cool but remember moisture in the air amplifies heat too so you may need to vent to air occasionally.
- Spend time in a restaurant, movie theater, at a friend’s home, or even go for a drive to get a break from the heat.
- Head to the beach or mountains for the day.
Gardens and Yards
Plants will need extra water early in the morning or late afternoon, especially berries and fruits.
Check on Neighbors
Call or text your circle of friends, including the elderly or vulnerable.
Water Conservation
We are fortunate here in the Pacific Northwest to have an abundant supply of water, but it is still prudent not to waste it.
- Avoid letting sprinklers run too long.
- Take shorter cool showers.
After the heat has subsided have a professional like 3Rs Construction check your ducting, insulation, and roofing. These can all be adversely affected by excessively hot weather.
Take care of you, everything else is fixable.
Contact the general contractor experts at 3Rs Construction & Remodeling in Salem, Oregon to get a quote today! 503-363-1059
