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How to Survive the summer heat when the power is out.
If you have ever been in a power outage or black out for even a short time, you already know what works and what does NOT. If this outage lasts for days, weeks, months or forever can you survive?
Answer these questions now to determine your preparedness.
 | When the A/C is off, how will you keep cool in 100* plus temperatures? It only takes a few hours of this temperature range to dehydrate a person. Since, the water will most likely be off also, here are some tricks I learned in the desert (outside of Barstow, Ca.) during the long hot summer. |
| We did NOT have any electricity period, no fans, etc.. I would take bath towels, soak them in water (preferably not what you plan to drink) water from a refrigerator, freezer, toilet tank on back of toilet or a non potable source works. Wrap them around our necks, just let them drip, when they heat up from body heat, wave them around until they cool off again. I would even sleep under a wet towel over my legs, when the nights were hot. By using a small amount of water on the towel it reduced the dehydration of me. Saved on the drinking water. This works best when striped down to underwear and the towel makes contact with bare skin. Also, soaking your feet in a little water will help cool you off. A loose t-shirt without anything else on, works great! When your life is in danger, fashion is out the window! Forget the make-up, tight fitting underwear and the synthetic fabrics. They will only make you hotter. Pretty is NOT pretty when it is miserable! |
| Limit physical activities to early morning or late evening, the more you move the hotter you will get, open all the windows, doors, etc. even a hot, faint breeze is better then non at all. Close off the HOT rooms during the afternoon that are on the west side. |
| Read a book, it takes the least amount of energy, distracts you from the heat, makes time pass and might teach you something! |
| Don't cook or eat during the heat of the day, eat real early or real late. Digesting food takes energy, generates heat...try to consume liquids during the hot times of day. Juice, water, tea etc. |
| Stay in the shade or shady part of the house, if it gets real hot, get into the bathtub or shower, where it will be cooler than the rest of the house. |
If it looks like the power is going to be out for a real long time, do the following.
| If things get REAL bad for a extended period of time, poke some holes in the floor in a closet or other non traffic area, so the cooler air from the basement, crawl space can help cool the room off. That's why the dogs want under there during the heat of the day! Choose the room that is on the NE or NW corner, it will get less sun during the hot afternoon. |
| Vent the attic, most modern homes are built almost air tight, when the power is off, and it is hot this can work against you. You want AIR with as much movement as you can get. You don't want all the hot air trapped in the attic. |
| If you have A/C make sure that the vents are closed if they go through the attic, they will only bring more hot air into the house. If they go through the crawl space under the house, leave them open. Check to make sure that A/C is NOT in direct sunlight, if it is then shade it with something that will allow air flow, but block the sun. The hot air from it can travel through the ducts into the house. |
| Any place that you feel hot air (except windows, doors) coming in, check to see where it is coming from. You want AIR circulation, not a heat source. |
| Take your wet towel, find a shaded place in the yard, park, etc. take a good book, light blanket or sheet to lay on and pillows. Kick back and read. Keep moving as the shade moves. If you have a web type chair or lounger use it, but not solid plastic or other type material, it will only make you hot and sticky. |
| If you have to be in the sun, wrap a wet towel around your neck, cover your head with it also or wear a hat that allows air through. |
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T-Dome Homes Basic Manual