Saturday, July 16, 2011

Preparing for a heat wave...


I think I'm finally getting this whole heat wave thing down. I've never lived in a climate that A/C was particularly necessary. Though it isn't entirely necessary here in St. Paul, there are a few weeks out of the summer that A/C would be really really nice. This weekend is turing out to be one of them. Once the heat index is up in the 90's it's pretty unbearable in my apartment, or outside, or anywhere without A/C. Cooking, cleaning, or anything that requires more than minimal heat producing energy is out of the question. So I decided to prepare for this coming heat wave to save on money and energy. Here are a few of the things I have learned along the way:

  1. Once the temperature outside goes over 75 and there is no breeze close all windows and blinds. Then turn on all ceiling fans and air circulators.
  2. Prepare cold pasta salads, and other meals that can be enjoyed cold. Turning on the oven or stove is a poor life decision during a heat wave.
  3. Be sure to have enough iced coffee or other cool beverages (personally I make a Toddy Brew a day in advance so it can chill in the fridge for the night... I've also started using frozen fruit as ice in my water).
  4. Prepare to be a morning person if you want to exercise. The coolest it's going to get is early in the morning.
  5. Time showers so that you can fully dry in the cool of your car's A/C. You're hair will never fully dry otherwise... unless of course your hair loves humidity (mine thinks it's a dragon in this kind of weather).
  6. Do any house cleaning before it gets too hot...
  7. If all else fails make friends with people who have A/C and couch surf for the duration of the heat wave.



2 comments:

My Fault said...

Optional suggestion: Become nocturnal so you can be unconscious during the hot part of the day.

Leya said...

Ha! I suppose that's also an option... that is if you don't have to be awake during the day.