Beat the Summer Heat
It’s officially the real summer of 2023 and it looks like it’s going to feature scorching heat and high humidity. And July 3rd was the hottest day globally ever recorded.
Add on the El Nino phenomenon, and we may see many more world records this summer season.
Whether you’re throwing parties for tenants, or maintaining building equipment, dealing with extreme heat is part of the challenge of your business. Life is precious, and for elderly tenants, those with medical issues, as well as young children, the 2023 summer heat can be deadly. Heeding heat management practices is just plain smart.
Extended Heatwaves a Big Threat to Tenants
The recent heatwaves across North America are posing a challenge for apartment and house renters. Texas is having one of those dangerous summers with persistent 100 degree temperatures. It’s threatening lives. And many meteorologists believe heat extremes will grow in the years ahead.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 658 people die from a heat-related illness annually. More than 94% of heat-related fatalities happen between May and September, with about 40% occurring in July and about 26% taking place in August. More than 4 in every 5 heat-related deaths take place in an urban area … in one of three states — Arizona, Texas, or California– from National Safety Council Report.
Sweltering Heat in Apartments. Image courtesy of Nathan Dumlao via Unsplash.
Historically, threats were greatest in the south, yet urban areas in Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and other big cities are increasingly suffering intense heat waves.
Plan to Deal with Heat often Missing
And for too many Americans, particularly tenants in apartment buildings, a lack of a plan to manage heat stress is missing. Heat is sneaky and people don’t realize the health dangers at first. Tenants need some help to improve their response to heat threats. Hopefully, you are able to share this post with them.
«Heat exhaustion is caused when the body loses excess water, salt, and sugars through sweating. Heatstroke occurs when the body’s temperature becomes dangerously high and the body is no longer able to cool itself. Symptoms include confusion, headache, nausea, and muscle cramps.» — Red Cross.
After several days of intense heat, your body may begin to show signs of heat exhaustion. This comes from lack of water, low electrolytes (potassium/salt), racing pulse, tiredness, and an inability to sleep, think or speak well.
Heat exhaustion/prostration can sneak up on anyone, healthy or unhealthy.
Dependence on A/C is Too Costly
Apartments with Pools in Demand
Since running the A/C 24 hours a day is a bad option given the cost, you might want to look at the alternatives listed below to stay cool this summer. For instance, running cold water over your wrists, soaking your feet in cold water, taking cold showers, or applying icy cold cloths to your neck area are simple ways to fend off heat dangers.
Tenants can manage the heat thoroughly with these techniques, but you must do them consistently and not forget. It’s okay to take more than one cold shower per day and you’ll enjoy it.
25 Quick Tips to help you and your kids beat the heat:
- drink lots of ice cold liquids (water/isotonics) but avoid sugary drinks and alcohol which worsen heat dangers
- avoid strenuous exercise, house maintenance or repairs, or being exposed to direct sun
- take frequent cold showers
- spritz yourself with a spray bottle of cold water
- run cold water on your wrists and arms
- spray down your patio or lawn area where you are to lower ground temperature
- avoid using your stove or oven and instead, use a barbecue outside away from your home
- take a frozen ice pack with you to bed
- wear light, cotton clothing
- use something else for your pillow when sleeping if it retains too much heat
- use plenty of fans in your house with ice if possible
- close doors in unused rooms, and block the registers in those rooms to avoid cooling unused space
- buy LED bulbs (incandescent generate heat)
- eat frozen fruit pops and unsweetened popsicles (sugar raises metabolism thus raises heat)
- make plenty of ice cubes in your refrigerator
- spray water on your roof and home exterior (if you have no water restrictions)
- use A/C intermittently while saving most for the nighttime hours
- buy heavy window blinds to block more heat energy out
- use UV-reflective window coatings to reflect heat
- keep cold cloth on your neck and top of head
- buy an 8-foot plastic swimming pool for the kids and don’t be embarrassed to get in it yourself
- avoid heavy meals with meat and pasta and instead focus on fruit and salads (vital nutrients
- eat high water content foods such as apples, pears, strawberries, cucumber, celery, and lettuce
put ice in all your drinks - direct fans to blow hot air out of the apartment/house, especially the upper floor
- check up on your friends and relatives, particularly singles – send this post to them
CleanTechnica Report
As a reminder of the importance of advancing technology in homes, Cleantechnica compared home cooling systems and found heat pumps to be a better option to HVAC systems.
They found:
«the heat pump was not only capable of maintaining a comfortable and safe indoor air temperature during extreme heat, but it also costs $228 less per year to operate than a dual fuel cooling and heating system (AC unit + gas furnace).» – Cleantechnica report.
It may be too late for this year to incorporate new technology, however, 2024 will bring more heatwaves. Any new technology that helps you cut costs, saves the power grid, cuts carbon emissions and keeps your family cool in summer is worth a good look.
Take care this summer season and make it an enjoyable one to remember.
Investigate ManageCasa’s communications system as the best way to keep your tenants informed and protected.
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