Keep Cool During a Power Outage
Keep cool during an electrical failure using easy commonsense ideas. You can stay cool and live without electricity for days with ordinary household items and a little practical know how!
Photo courtesy of Beatrice Murch
Generate Electricity
Of course, the most obvious way to stay cool is to have a generator that will give you power for the whole house. If you have the money for a large, whole-house, automatic generator, you can rest assured that your home will continue to operate—with electricity. A propane generator eliminates having to store gasoline or diesel (and having to estimate how much you will need.) Remember, also, that your generator use ends the second that you run out of fuel. If you buy a smaller or portable generator, it will not be able to handle the load of a larger, whole house generator. Instead of running the air conditioning, you can use it to run your electric fans. Moving air helps to keep you cool.
Simple Ways to Stay Cool
Not everyone is going to be able to purchase a generator. Here are some very easy ways to keep your cool, in the heat:- Cut down on solar gain - Close window shades, blinds or curtains to keep direct sunlight from heating your home.
- Use a manual fan - People in churches use church bulletins to fan the air to keep cool. Paper fans were used for generations before the invention of electricity. You may even have an antique (or very old one) stuffed away somewhere in your house!
- Sit in the basement - Basements stay cooler than the upstairs part of your house, especially if they are completely underground. Sitting quietly in the basement can help you to stay cooler.
- Make a lean-to - Make a lean-to in your back yard. Often, there is some air movement outside, and, if you sit in shade (during a hot afternoon) with a little air moving, you will feel cooler.
- Sit under a tree - This works for the same reasons as the lean-to does.
- Battery operated fans - Available in boating stores. These little fans can move the air and help you feel cooler. They are small and somewhat helpful, but don't expect a battery operated fan to kick up a breeze that will cool a whole room full of people! Make sure that you have plenty of batteries.
- Use aluminum foil Tape aluminum foil to the inside of windows to reflect the heat out of the house.
- Open the windows - At night, when the air is cooler, open your windows to let the cool air into the house. People have different ideas about whether windows should be open during the day. I prefer fresh air, and I think closed windows can make a house too stuffy and hot!
- Sprinkle with water - If you find a little breeze, sprinkle yourself with water. This will help to cool you down. Some of the amusement parks like Hershey Park, use water sprays to keep their guests cool.
As you can see, it doesn't have to be complicated to keep cool during a power outage. Take some simple steps and don't overdo, physically, if the temperature rises to high levels. When the temperature goes up, you'll be ready!
Photo courtesy of Adam Collard
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