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HOW TO KEEP YOUR HOUSE COOL DURING A POWER OUTAGE

MAY 02, 2018

There’s no denying that the heat in Phoenix is intense. What most people from outside the area don’t realize, though, is that the heat can wreak havoc on the power grid. The issue isn’t just that the extreme heat – which regularly makes it up to 110 degrees – is too much for individual units to deal with, but the tremendous power load is just too much for many of the area’s old and outdated transformers to handle. Given that it can often take several hours for the power company to restore power to your home, it is imperative that you learn how to cool your home without the use of electricity.

HOW TO COOL YOUR HOUSE DURING A POWER OUTAGE

As you might expect, cooling your house without the help of an air conditioning unit isn’t an ideal process. Fortunately, many people have gone through such incidents before you and there are some fairly clear steps you can take to ensure that your home remains liveable even when the power is out. Each of the steps listed below will help you to cool your house down a little bit, with the end goal of helping you survive until the power comes back on.

COVER YOUR WINDOWS

The first step towards cooling down your home will always be to reduce the amount of sunshine that comes in through the windows. While it might seem counterproductive to those who want to feel a breeze, one of the first things you need to do when the power goes out is to shut your windows and make sure they are covered. Yes, this will require you to use battery-based lighting to function in the dark, but it’s a surefire way to slow down the rising heat in your home.

You want your windows as covered as possible. If you have blinds and curtains, make sure that they are both covered. If you have any type of outdoor covering, you should also make sure that those are shut tight. This will both help to trap the cool air that is already in your home and allow you to beat the heat. If possible, invest in blackout curtains that are specially made to keep out light. These will do a much better job of keeping your home insulated from the heat, and will allow you a brief respite from the sun. This won’t solve all of your problems, but it is a good start.

CLOSE THE DOORS

Another good way to make sure that your home stays cool is to make sure you’re only dealing with the rooms that you actually need to live in. If you have any extra rooms with open doors, make sure they are shut. This will help to slow down the circulation of cool air in your home and stop it from heating up as the day gets hotter. While this is again just a stop-gap measure, anything you can do to slow down the heating process will constitute a win.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE NIGHT

Take a look at the deserts of Arizona for inspiration when it comes to keeping your home cool. Most of the creatures of the desert are active at night when things cool down, and so too should you take advantage of the cooler nights. You will want to open your windows and doors as soon as the temperature starts to drop in order to take advantage of any cool breezes that make their way through your home. This will be the best way for you to vent some of the excess heat from your home, so take advantage of it while you can.

Be very careful when it comes to keeping your doors and windows open at night, though. While it can be a bit of a relief, you might find yourself forgetting to close them when the heat starts to build back up. As such, you’ll want to make sure that all of your windows are once again covered by the time the sun comes up. Closing your doors are optional, but in extreme heat the slight breezes you’ll get from an open door are rarely worth inviting in even more of the heat.

AVOID ANYTHING HOT

While your electricity might be out, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t things in your home that can cause heat to build up. Do not, for example, take a hot shower. Not only will it raise your body temperature, but there won’t be anything in your home to help you vent off that heat. Instead, take a cold shower and enjoy the refreshing coolness that comes from being out of the intense heat. This can be a great way to let yourself get a little bit of comfort while you wait for the air conditioning to come back on.

You should also make sure you avoid activities like cooking as much as you can. Your oven can be a major source of heat, albeit one that you rarely pay attention to when your AC system is functioning properly. This is another case where you will increase heat without a real way to cool your house down afterwards, which can make your living situation far less pleasant. Eat cold foods if they are available, and drink plenty of water – but whatever you do, avoid anything that’s going to raise your body temperature.

In fact, one of the big keys to surviving during a blackout is to avoid as much activity as possible. Anything that raises your body temperature can be dangerous. Find a comfortable spot to sit down and try to wait out the heat with a glass of water and battery-powered fan. While you might feel like you’re not getting enough done, allowing yourself a brief bit of time to go into survival mode isn’t being lazy – it’s being smart enough to know that you can’t survive Phoenix’s heat without a little bit of mechanical help.

CONSIDER AN INSPECTION OF YOUR AC SYSTEM TO AVOID AN UNTIMELY MALFUNCTION

Phoenix’s heat is no laughing matter, so make sure that you are always prepared to wait out a blackout by having the right resources to cool off your home. Know when to shut your blinds, when to open your doors, and when to stop undertaking those activities that can raise the temperature in your home. While you can’t do much about the blackouts, you can eventually learn how to make the best of the terrible heat of the Phoenix summers. When your electricity is on, though, make sure that you get the most out of your air conditioning system by contacting Donley Service Center. We offer multiple air conditioning and heating services, and with the impending summer, you might also consider a maintenance inspection of your AC unit to ensure it’s running right when the time counts.

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