With extreme heat and hot weather on the horizon here are some tips for staying cool in Ottawa this summer.
1. The obvious; drink plenty of water!
With hot weather, it's important to remember to avoid drinking caffeine, energy drinks and soda's. Make sure you're drinking lots of water. If possible, drink sports drinks to help replenish the lost salts, sugars, and fluids.
Get a good cold drink of water to help cool you down. Avoid consuming hot drinks like coffee and tea.
Throughout the day as you sweat, avoid dehydration, by drinking lots of water. Water will help replenish the liquids you have lost.
Symptoms of dehydration may include:
- Headaches
- Dizziness, light-headed, confusion
- A Dry Mouth
If untreated, dehydration can lead to heat exhaustion, which could lead to medical emergencies.
Avoid Alcohol To Help Avoid Dehydration - Alcohol causes dehydration, which can be especially hard if your body is already struggling to stay cool in the heat.
2. Be smart about the sun
If and when possible, avoid going out during the hottest parts of the day. We suggest using caution between 11:00am and 2:00pm. For many it cannot be avoided, not to mention it has been a long winter and great to get out and enjoy the sunshine!
When out in the sun always remember:
- Cover your head.
- Take breaks regularly, in the shade or a cool part of your home.
- Wear loose-fitting & light-colored clothing.
- Drink water, often.
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Apply sunscreen - and reapply regularly when out in the sun.
3. When possible, limit physical activity to evenings or cooler parts of the day.
Early morning exercise or getting some yard work done may feel like punishment when you are typically nice and cozy in bed, but it could be dangerous to be outside in the extreme midday sun and risk dehydration, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, or other medical emergencies.
In order to stay cool this summer, consider changing your routine or scheduling chores around hottest part of the day.
When planning your day, take the temperature into consideration, when possible limit your activity to the cooler parts of the day. When possible take a cold shower after exercising or spending time outside to help cool your body down.
Take regular breaks, and drink plenty of water anytime you are outside in the extreme heat.
4. Light meals will help keep you cool
When possible during the hot days eat foods with high water content such as cucumbers, celery, lettuce, strawberries, and melons to help keep you hydrated and cool in the heat.
5. Keep your home cool this summer
Keeping your home cool is essential to feel comfortable during the hot sunny days. When temperatures begin to rise, reaching dangerous heatwave levels this can be challenging for many home owners. Sometimes it is not as simple as just opening a window.
- Shut windows during the hottest part of the day to keep warm air out
- Make sure windows are covered to protect from direct sunlight
- Check your central heating is off, as well as lights and electrical equipment that aren’t in use.
- Create a light breeze in your home by opening windows and using fans to circulate the air.
- Choose one or two room to keep cool, rather than trying to cool down the whole home.
Sleeping when its hot outside:
- Heat rises, if possible sleep in the lowest level of your home.
- Have a cool shower before bed
- Avoid caffeine, and spicy foods in the evening.
- Make sure all electrical items are turned off or unplugged they still create heat even on standby.
- Drink a cold glass of water before bed, and throughout the night.
- Using a thin sheet will help regulate your temperature.
6. Get Wet!
Heat escapes our body through our skin, so the more skin you can cool down reduces the chances of overheating which can lead to heat exhaustion and other medical emergences.
A few ways to cool down during a heatwave.
There are various methods for how to cool your skin down in baking hot weather:
- Wetting your shirt, and keeping it damp throughout the day
- Keep a spay bottle close by mist your face, neck and exposed skin
- Have a cool shower - bring body temp. down slowly.
- Jump in a pool,.
A very effective way to cool down is by putting your hands and feet into cold water, these areas of our bodies have blood vessels close to the skin, by cooling down this area it will quickly cool down our bodies.
7. Understand the risks
Especially during a heatwave, the extreme heat can have a serious effect on our physical health. It is important to look out for signs of overheating, heatstroke and heat exhaustion.
Heat stroke and heat exhaustion are not the same.
Heat Exhaustion is due to out bodies loosing too much water, salt and sugars as we sweat. This can be avoided and treated by drinking water, staying out of the sun and taking the time to cool your body down.
Heat Stroke, is far more dangerous than heat exhaustion. Heat stroke will happen when our bodies temperature becomes too high and our body is no longer able to keep itself cool. Signs to look for are confusion, headache, nausea, muscle cramps and fainting.
Heat stroke can quickly develop without any warning and quickly lead to a person becoming unresponsive. It is critical to cool them down as soon as possible by wrapping them in damp wet towels, call 9-1-1 as soon as possible if someone is experiencing Heat Stroke.
Staying cool and safe in a heatwave
Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley is getting hotter as a result of climate change. Heatwaves are becoming more common with high heat and extreme temperature. Hot weather puts our health at risk.
It is essential to make sure you are taking care of your body during the extreme heat.
Ensure Your Cooling System Is Ready For The Heatwave.
Annual Maintenance Will Ensure Your Comfort System Operates Efficiently & Helps Avoid Unexpected Breakdowns & Expensive Repairs.
Prevent unexpected breakdowns & expensive repairs allow by performing regular annual maintenance and cleaning on your Heating & Cooling systems.
Our services help prolong the life of your equipment and ensure they are operating at peak performance while protecting the warranty. Have peace-of-mind with our licensed and certified CoolHeat Technicians.
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Give Us A Call At 613-366-1200
Email - sales@coolheatcomfort.ca
