"Extremely Dangerous Heat Expected: High temperatures of 95-105 degrees combined with high humidity will result in heat indices of 100-115 degrees," says the Heat.gov website. "This will lead to widespread areas of Major to Extreme Heat Risk from the Midwest to the East Coast. Numerous daily temperature records are expected Thursday and Friday, with some monthly and all-time records possible."
Extreme heat can pose a severe threat to life, and it's crucial for those experiencing extreme heat to take steps to protects their home and family.
The French Experience
Your correspondent is spending the summer in France, which has just endured a similar weather event. Roughly 1,000 people died as a result. That's out of a population of 66 million. Multiply that by five to imagine the toll if it applied to the U.S. population.
Of course, it shouldn't. "Only about 20% to 25% of French households have AC units, compared to around 90% of US households," reports Yahoo! Finance. "Historically, France hasn't needed them. Up until recently, the country has generally had cooler summers."
The tiny town in central France where this writer is spending time broke all local records last week when the temperature soared to 108℉. And it was still June.
There's some respite here as this is written, with temperatures in the low 80s. But the forecast for Monday threatens to break the 100℉ barrier again.
Luckily, the house in which your correspondent is staying has some air conditioning. And the local "mairie" (town hall) publicized that its air-conditioned halls and offices were open to all.
However, air conditioning is rare here. The French have proven strategies for dealing with normal levels of high heat, according to locals:
- Keep windows closed until the temperature outside dips below that inside
- Don't open shutters (almost all French homes have them) while the sun is shining. Interior blinds and curtains help, though not as well as shutters do.
- Run fans to circulate air within the home — and over sweaty bodies
- Stay hydrated
Keeping a Home as Cool as Possible Stateside
Those French strategies work as well in the U.S. as they do in Europe. And, applied to the 10% of American homes that lack air conditioning, they could save lives.
But they also can help reduce electricity bills for those who do have HVAC. Systems need to work less hard when they're not having to fight the sun and exterior heat.
The Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc. has other suggestions for keeping a home comfortable during these events:
- Attic fans — "Attic air circulation has a significant impact on both indoor temperature and energy usage. An attic fan pushes out stale indoor air and brings in fresh outside air."
- Use ceiling fans to create airflow.
- Deploy heat pumps or water-cooled fans — Heat pumps act like air conditioners. And water-cooled fans cool the air through evaporation.
- Close curtains and windows — Follow the French strategy.
- Take warm or cold showers to cool down.
- Stay inside during the hottest hours — Typically between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., but watch forecasts.
Coping with Power Outages
The association also recommends ways to cope during power outages, which can occur when demand for air-conditioner usage is high:
- Keep a list of local public cooling centers for emergency sanctuary
- Have battery-operated fans (and batteries) on hand
- Consider a small or whole-house back-up generator, depending on the available budget
- "When temperatures are high, go low." — Basements tend to be cool, even when they're unfinished. Camp there!
- Be prepared — "Put together a kit with enough food, water and other essential items to last your family for at least 72 hours during an outage. A few items to include are a flashlight, batteries, a portable radio, one gallon of water per person per day, non-perishable foods and a first aid kit," says the association. Remember pets need food and water, too
Preparing a Home for a Heat Wave
Finally, the association provides tips for preparing a home for high heat:
- Have your HVAC or air-conditioning units cleaned and serviced each spring
- Check insulation annually and add more to problem areas
- Maintain a constant comfortable temperature rather than allowing the heat to fluctuate
- Replace worn door and window weather stripping — Keep cool air in
- Replace HVAC and unit filters regularly and keep them clean to maximize effectiveness and energy efficiency
- Choose LEDs over bulbs — Incandescent bulbs run hotter
Please take the risks posed by heat waves seriously. The threat is greatest for older people, so check on vulnerable neighbors, family, and friends.
But don't assume fit young people are immune. Everyone can suffer heatstroke and other conditions, including death, if they fail to take the dangers seriously. Just ask the French.
