Beat the Heat

I was outside a while ago and it was scorching hot.  We are still in Spring and its already so hot.  Summer doesn't even start until June 21st.  I can't even image how the summer months are going to be.  I know many of us are blessed with air conditioning at home, at work, and in are vehicles, and for that I'm so grateful to God.  Yet, there are so many other people who have to endure the extreme high temperatures, like construction workers, firemen, farm workers, etc.    We need to reach out in our communities to take extra care of older people and young children who live without air conditioning.  To survive the hot days we need to keep plenty of cool fluids on hand and try to stay indoors during peak heat hours.  I try to run my errands early morning and late evening.  Wearing clothes that is lightweight and made of breathable fabric is also helpful. 

Pets are also prone to heat stress so please take good care of them to ensure they are hydrated and have a shaded area rest.  Take care of plants and vegetation by watering them early morning.  It is best to put your potted plants in a shaded area.  Prepare your home for the heat.   Change your ceiling fan's direction to blow air down to give the room a breeze and make it feel cooler.  Pull your curtains and blinds closed to block out sunlight that can heat up rooms during the day.  Doing your baking during mornings or evenings. Clean your dryer vents so they won't clog causing warm air to blow back in to the room where your dryer is located, eventually raising the temperature in the whole house.  Make sure that your doors and windows are properly insulated to keep the warm air out.   Replace air conditioner filters regularly to reduce the efficiency of your air conditioning system's ability to push and pull air through air registers. Give extra care to your vehicle, change filters, change fluids, and be sure to check the tires if you're going on a long road trip.