As soon as your electricity fails and your home goes quiet, you begin to understand how much you depend on electricity. Here in Houston, we’re especially aware of how much our air conditioners depend on electricity. With most Texas cities at risk for power outages this summer, how can we possibly hope to stay cool if our electricity goes out?
Air Tech of Houston AC & Plumbing has your back. With our team of experts here to advise you on the best ways to stay cool during a blackout, you’ll be able to make it through until power is restored. Try some of these 6 simple tricks to keep cool with no power, and remember that we’re ready to help as soon as we can.
Cooling Your Body During A Power Outage
There’s a chance your power may go out at night or only for a few hours, which would allow for minor discomfort. However, if your power is out for an extended period of time or during a hot summer day, things can get pretty miserable. That’s why it’s important to cool down your body to remain safe.
Wear Light Clothing
Your home may still feel cool when the electricity goes out, but it will warm up fast. Change into lightweight clothes that offer your skin the most breathing room — you can even wear your swimsuit! You want the little air that is moving to wick away moisture from your exposed skin.
Limit Solar Rays
The sun is your biggest enemy during a blackout. Sunlight that enters your home is the biggest source of heat when you don’t have an AC to circulate and cool your air. Close your blinds or curtains, or consider hanging sheets over your windows to limit the light entering your home. You may feel your home is dark or cramped without light, but it will stay cooler for longer and keep you safe.
Use Water
If you still have access to water — either from the tap or jugs of water — use it to cool your body. You can mist yourself or dip your feet in the water. You can try soaking a bandana to cool your head or dunking your hair in and letting it air dry. The key is to let the moisture evaporate from your skin, which causes you to feel cooler and helps your body maintain safe temperatures.
Avoiding Heat Production During A Blackout
While you’re doing everything you can to keep your body cool, you also want to make sure you aren’t doing anything to make that task harder. Think carefully about your actions — even if they are normal things you do when your home has power.
Avoid Upstairs Areas
Heat rises. That means that any upstairs rooms are going to heat up quickly and collect warm air. Gather what you need from these areas and move downstairs for as long as you can. It may not feel like a huge difference, but every degree counts. Some people even drag their mattresses downstairs to sleep on if they know their outage is going to be extended.
Eat Strategically
You definitely still need to eat to keep yourself safe and healthy, but it may not be as simple as when you have power. For starters, you should avoid eating anything hot or spicy as this will warm your body when you are trying to keep it cool. Also, eating anything at all starts the process of digestion, which produces heat in your body. Try to eat small snacks or meals during the hottest part of the day to help your body maintain its temperature.
Limit Cooking
If you do have access to a camp stove or other means of cooking food, never use it inside. Use an outdoor outlet or a grill outside to cook your food before eating inside. You want to keep that heat outside for as long as you can.
Your electricity will eventually be returned to you, but that doesn’t always mean your AC will turn on and work perfectly. Power surges have been known to damage air conditioners, causing them to work poorly or not turn on at all after a blackout. If you suspect your AC has been affected by a power outage, count on our team. Contact Air Tech of Houston AC & Plumbing for efficient AC repairs!
