Keep your cool!

Hi neighbors. If you are like me and don't plan on a trip to Alaska this year, you need to get ready for the heat. If you have air conditioning, use it wisely.

It's time to check your house and prepare it just as you would for winter blasts. Make certain all the windows close all the way. Try to fill all gaps in window and doorframes to keep the cold inside. If you have a window air conditioning unit, insulate all around the areas where it fits into the window. Make sure it's placed at the correct angle to allow any water to drip outside. If you left it in the window all winter, make sure no creeper vines are covering the back of it where it draws air into the house.

Look at your roof fans and make sure they are operating properly. They draw hot air out of the attic and that helps cool the interior of the home.

Make sure all your windows and doors have good screens. While the windows are closed, go outside and spray across the screens from the side of the window with mosquito repellent at dusk. Outdoor pest control sprays that are safe for use can be bought at most stores that have an outdoor, patio, or camping sales area.

Turn your air conditioning down or off during cooler days and nights. Open cross circulating windows to create a breeze during times when the temperatures outside are below 75 degrees. Use fans to circulate the cool air through the house. As soon as the breeze starts feeling hot, close the windows and turn on the air conditioning.

If you work during the day, turn the air conditioning up to 78 degrees. It doesn't take it long to cool the house down when you get home and turn it back to 72 degrees. If you have pets at home, place box fans in a secure place so the pets can't tip them over and turn the fan on low. With good air circulation from fans, 78 degrees for cats is fine. 78 degrees for dogs, lying in front of a fan, is comfortable for them.

Make certain dogs and cats have lots of water. Put a large chunk of ice in their water dispenser and some chips of ice in their water bowl. Most dogs like to eat ice.

When you leave windows open at night, keep your doors shut and locked. Screen doors, storm doors, etc., with screens are fine while you are awake and watchful. But few have locks that would keep out a burglar.

Worse case scenario; living without air conditioning at any time. Don't have fans blowing right on you, they prevent you from sweating and can lead to heat stroke on really hot days.

If you have a home with good insulation, tight fitting doors and windows, cool it down at night with open windows and fans. When it starts to heat up, and it's more than 80 degrees outside, shut the windows that face the sun; leaving the other windows open if there is any breeze at all. Some box fans fit into window frames, so you can use these during the cooler parts of the day.

If you have ceiling fans, make sure they are set in the position to pull cool air up, not push hotter air down from the ceiling. If you don't know which way they are blowing, turn it on low, stand under it, light a match, blow it out, and see where the smoke flows.

Buy ice in bulk. If you can put a large block of ice in front of a cooling window fan, it will make a great difference.

Drink lots of water, then drink even more. Avoid alcohol and sodas as they eliminate fluids from the body and speed dehydration. Having a drink of electrolyte replacements a couple of times a day will help.

The hottest times of day are from two until six in the afternoon and evening; so prepare to be in air conditioning during those hours, or go swimming.

If you can buy a window air conditioning unit, put it in the one room you use most often during the day. Put up dividers or shut doors to confine the cool to that one room. At night, close bedroom windows and use fans to pull the air conditioning into bedrooms.

I always advise eating out of the freezer in the summer. If it's cool enough to cook outdoors, cook a lot and save left overs in the freezer to reheat (microwave) on really hot days.

Keep lots of ice cream, frozen juice bars, ice, and ice packs in the freezer to combat the summer heat. Keep cool!