Extreme Heat Can Be a Health Problem
Scientists are saying that we have begun a Super El Nino weather pattern. The extreme heat is being experienced by many people in the United States and it's just the beginning of the extreme weather that comes with a Super El Nino weather pattern.
Being prepared is your best assurance of keeping yourself, your family, pets, and livestock healthy during extreme heat conditions. We give you some of the usual health suggestions below, and also some out-of-the-box ideas that are simple and cost-effectiveDIY projects that can keep your family cooler this summer.
Traditional Extreme Heat Tips
We offer a quick overview of the most often shared extreme heat advice that can keep you healthier while the weather is hot!
Stay Hydrated:
- Stay hydrated & drink water with added electrolytes.
- Wear loose and light-colored clothing.
- Limit outdoor activities to very early morning and late evening when temperatures can be cooler.
- Drink consistently, even when you don't feel thirsty.
- Avoid alcohol, it doesn't quench thirst.
Cool Your Body:
- Monitor your body for heat exhaustion symptoms; these are some of the milder symptoms to be aware of: nausea, light-headedness, headaches, diarrhea, feeling faint, confusion, and profuse sweating.
- Take a cool bath or shower; it's one of the quickest ways to lower your temperature.
- When you are outside, run cold water over your wrists, place an ice pack behind your knees, on your wrists, or soak a bandana in water and fill with ice cubes and apply to your neck.
Cool Your House Down:
- Block the sun from entering your home with outdoor shades or blackout curtains during the hottest part of the day.
- Use your home's exhaust fans in the kitchen and bath to pull out hot air before it circulates through the house.
- Create a cross breeze in your rooms by putting a box fan in one window facing outward to push out hot air, and on the opposite window, put a fan facing inward to draw in cooler air in the morning and late evening.
- You can turn your fan into a DIY swamp cooler by putting a clothes rack in front of your box fan and hanging a wet towel in front of the fan, utilizing the evaporative factor to cool down the room.
Stay Safe & Think Ahead in Extreme Heat:
- Avoid the hottest times of day, from 10 am-4 pm. If you have to go out, bring a cooler filled with ice and beverages, seek shade, and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Seek out cooler places, such as government buildings. libraries, stores, arcades, and grocery stores.
- Check on older adults in your family and community, pregnant friends, disabled individuals, pets, and livestock. Never leave pets, children, or older adults in a car.
Innovative Ideas to Cool Your House in Extreme Heat
Many of us on the Shed Windows and More team have dealt with extreme heat situations in past years. We have put together some great DIY projects that can help keep your home cooler this summer.
Your Basement is a Good Option During Extreme Heat
Many homes on the East Coast, South, and Midwest have basements. An easy DIY project is making your basement more livable during extreme heat.
- Invest in a high-capacity dehumidifier to keep your relative humidity at 35%-50%.
- Make sure you have a reliable sump pump in your basement, since extreme heat can also bring torrential downpours. We have both a primary and a backup sump pump, so we have the situation covered at all times. One of our sump pumps has a float and will come on automatically when the float senses water.
- Opt for inorganic materials for the floor. Keep your floor cement, or install vinyl planking or ceramic tiles. You can also do a acid resist color finish to your cement, which is a great way to add color and art to your basement.
- Install a ceiling fan in your basement for added air circulation.
- Keep your furnishing to a minimum. To limit trips outside, you may want to install a composting toilet that uses no water, a refrigerator, a microwave, and a hot plate.
Install Windows to Beat the Heat
If your rooms don't have windows on opposite walls, your home is losing out on natural air circulation that can cool your home. Consider installing windows across from existing windows to give your home great air circulation during early morning and evening hours. Shed Windows and More has a great selection of double-pane windows for you to choose from for your DIY project.
Outdoor Kitchens Make Sense When It's Hot
In a previous blog, we discussed how to create a cost-effective outdoor kitchen to beat the heat of cooking in the summer. Cooking in your home during extreme heat doesn't make good sense. Cooking and eating outdoors is enjoyable and keeps you from heating up your home with cooking. Installing an overhead fan on your patio or having a standing fan will help circulate the air and keep bugs away.
Cool Ideas for Dogs During Extreme Heat
Remember that pavement is much hotter than circulating air during extreme heat. Paw protectors for your dog are a must, and it's best to walk your dog during early morning hours or later in the day. Paw protectors go double-duty since they also protect your dog's paws from ice and snow during the winter.
Consider a wading pool for your canine friend in the summer. You can also turn on the sprinkler and run through the water with them; both are great ways to cool down on a hot day.
An Ice Bath Is a Great Way to Cool Down
Building an ice bath is a quick DIY project. Before using an ice bath, be sure to check with your doctor because they aren't suggested for people with heart conditions, high blood pressure, Raynaud's Disease, diabetes, or someone with a history of fainting or seizures. Ice baths should also be avoided by young children or pregnant women.
Creating an ice bath can be as simple as buying a suitable-sized water stock tank and filling it with cold water and a few ice cubes. There are many types of reasonably priced ice baths on the market today. There are inflatable and foldable PVC models that are very portable or temporary. Many companies sell pods with covers so you don't need to refill the water as often, and it keeps bugs and birds from your bathing source.
However you choose to cool down this summer, Shed Windows and More has the building supplies you need to make your DIY building project a success, and we are only a phone call away!