Extreme St. Louis Heat Poses a Real Threat
St. Louis is often under extreme heat warnings. You can get heat sickness when your body can’t compensate for the heat and properly cool you down. When the St. Louis humidity is high, sweat won’t evaporate as fast as it should. This keeps your body from releasing heat as quickly as it needs to.
Heat-related deaths and illnesses are very serious, but easily preventable. Keep you and your family safe this week by preparing for the dangerously hot temperatures.
Steps To Prevent Heat Illness and Overexposure
Everyone should take these steps to prevent heat-related sicknesses and deaths:
- Stay indoors with air conditioning as much as possible
- Drink more water than usual, even if you’re not thirsty
- Take cold showers or baths to cool down
- Avoid using your stove and oven to cook – it will make you and your home hotter
- Don’t rely on a fan as your main method to cool off during an extreme heat warning
- Lower your thermostat temperature a couple more degrees than usual
- Never leave children or pets in the car
- Throw a water bottle in the freezer to use as an ice pack later
Using an Air Conditioner the Right Way In St. Louis
Stay in air conditioning as much as possible. Air Conditioners are the #1 protective factor against sicknesses and deaths from the heat.
If your home doesn’t have air conditioning during these dangerously high temperatures, you can reduce your risk by spending time in public facilities with air conditioning and using AC in vehicles.
10 Steps For a Safe and an Energy-Efficient Summer
INDOORS
- Economize on energy consumption, by raising the temperature on the thermostat when the home is vacant. During the day, draw blinds closed to inhibit hot air.
- Preventative maintenance is critical to extending an air conditioner’s lifecycle. A malfunctioning AC wreaks havoc on the energy bill. Since it has to work harder to emit cool air, it consumes more energy than a properly running AC. During the HVAC check up, a technician will check for leaks, corrosion or any other signs of an energy deficient AC.
- Shorten showers to minimize indoor energy. Also, dermatologists report that water and sun exposure dehydrate the skin.
- Conserve on water by running full loads in the dishwasher and washing machine.
- At bedtime, turn the air conditioners on the fan mode to conserve energy loads.
- Always, replace air filters every 25-30 days to warrant healthy indoor air quality. In addition to promoting good air quality, regular air filter replacements protect energy efficiency as well as the lifespan of the air conditioning system.
- Position grills away from the home to ensure fire safety, and prevent fumes from seeping into the home, impeding indoor air quality. After grilling, be sure to extinguish fire pits and grills.
- Save on the water supply, using a rain barrel to collect water to hydrate the lawn.
- Consider upgrading the home’s heating and air conditioner to an Energy Star certified HVAC or even geothermal energy.
- Keep doors and windows closed to block out humidity, locking in fresh cool air.
OUTDOORS
Trust Hoffmann Brothers HVAC with all of your air conditioning and cooling needs to keep you comfortable and safe this summer. We can repair, service or install your air conditioner.
Call us at (314) 664-3011 or request service here to beat the St. Louis heat this Summer.
More Air Conditioning Resources
- Air Conditioner Not Cooling – AC Troubleshooting Guide
- AC Tips for Extreme St. Louis Heat
- Air Conditioning DIY vs. The Professionals
- How Does Air Conditioning Work?
- When to Replace Your Lennox Evaporator Coil
- What Is Ductless AC?
- Preparing Your Air Conditioner for Winter Hibernation
- Before You Flip the Switch from Air Conditioning to Heating
- Choosing a Reliable, Energy-Efficient AC Unit