How to Prepare Your Home for a Heat Wave

Extreme heat can prove deadly, especially for the elderly, young children and people who are sick or overweight. But even healthy people are at risk for the ill effects that often accompany a heat wave.

Things You'll Need

• Candle Pantry
• Shorts
• Awnings
• Ceiling Fans
• Storm Windows
• Bottled Water
• Ice Cream
• Ice Cubes
• Iced Teas
• Air Conditioners
• Caulking Guns
• Caulking Tubes
• Caulks
• Flashlights
• Ice cubes

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Instructions

• 1

  Put up outdoor awnings or louvers. This can help reduce the heat entering the house by as much as 80 percent.

• 2

  Hang shades or drapes to block out direct sunlight from rooms.

• 3

  Identify other places where you can go to stay cool, such as the library, the mall or movie theaters - if you do not have air conditioning in your home.

• 4

  Plan outdoor activities for the early morning or later in the evenings, when temperatures are at their coolest.

• 5

  Take a training course on how to recognize and treat heat stroke and other heat-related emergencies.

• 6

  Stock up on bottled water, since you need to drink more during extreme heat. Men are more susceptible to heat-related illness than women because they become dehydrated more quickly.

• 7

  Cool your home with window air conditioners or ceiling fans.

• 8

  Insulate your home properly to conserve electricity and help the air conditioning to act efficiently.

• 9

  Install weather stripping on outside doors and windows to prevent the cool air from escaping.

• 10

  Use storm windows year-round to keep the heat out.

• 11

  Use an attic fan to take warm air out of the attic and cool down the house.