It is hot. Going to get hotter. Mr. Duct Cleaner offers you these 4 tips to beat the heat, adapted from the British Red Cross.
Be sun smart. It’s best to avoid going out during the hottest hours of the day, but sometimes that can’t be avoided. When out in direct sunlight, wear (and regularly reapply) sunscreen, and remember to take regular breaks indoors or in a shady area to avoid getting heat exhaustion or heatstroke. Wearing light-colored, loose-fitting clothing will also help you to keep cool. Mr. Duct Cleaners’ technicians like to wear hats.
Wetter is better. Heat escapes through the skin, which is the largest organ in the body. So, the more skin you can cool down, the better.
In baking hot weather, drenching a t-shirt and keeping it wet can be very effective. If you’d rather not walk around in wet clothing, you can buy cooling spray or having a cool shower will work just as well. You can quickly cool yourself down by putting your hands and feet in cold water. Wrists and ankles have lots of pulse points where blood vessels are close to the skin, so you will cool down more quickly. Mr. Duct Cleaner technicians like to put a wet hand towel or bandana around their necks.
If you need to cool down quickly and a bathtub is available, fill it with cool water and immerse yourself periodically.
Drink plenty of water. As you sweat throughout the day, the liquids you are losing need to be replaced to avoid dehydration. Avoid caffeine and make sure you’re drinking lots of water and, if possible, isotonic sports drinks to replenish the lost salts, sugars and fluids. Mr. Duct Cleaner technicians typically have an ice chest full of water or sports drinks.
Keep your home cool. During the hot weather, it’s important to make your home a place you can escape to out of the heat, so keeping it cool is key to feeling comfortable. Keep the hot air out and the cool air in by limiting unnecessary trips outside. Try setting the thermostat one degree higher every few days to get your body comfortable in a slightly warmer environment.
It also helps to keep your curtains, shutters, or blinds closed, although metal blinds can make the room hotter. You can also try to avoid creating too much heat in the home by cooking or using appliances. Choose meals that don’t require extra heat, or if they do, try to prepare them earlier in the day.
Want more tips? Stay tuned to the Mr. Duct Cleaner blog. In the meantime get your ducts and HVAC system cleaned so they put out better, cleaner, cooler air. Contact Mr. Duct Cleaner for your Free estimate.