Don’t have AC? Try these tips from Efficiency Vermont

Officials are urging residents to prepare for dangerously hot weather expected Tuesday, with heat index values forecast to reach between 93 and 103 degrees across northern Vermont.

The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory from 11 AM to 8 PM Tuesday. Burlington officials said older adults, young children, pregnant people, outdoor workers, people with chronic medical conditions, and those without access to air conditioning face the greatest risk of heat-related illness.

The city is making several cooling locations available, including Fletcher Free Library’s main branch from 10 AM to 8 PM and its New North End branch from 2 PM to 6 PM. Other options include the COTS Daystation on North Avenue, the CVOEO Community Resource Center, City Hall Park’s interactive fountain, and the Burlington waterfront and beaches.

Officials said signs of heat-related illness include muscle cramps, heavy sweating, nausea, headaches and light-headedness. Anyone experiencing persistent or worsening symptoms, or who becomes confused or loses consciousness, should receive immediate medical attention by calling 911.

Vermonters also may consult a statewide online map of cooling sites available through the Vermont Department of Health.

Also, Efficiency Vermont offers tips on how people in hot climates have been using passive cooling strategies for many generations. If the summer temperatures have you needing to chill out, try these tips.

1. Open your windows at night. In Vermont, temperatures drop during the night. Take advantage of cooler summer evenings and open your windows to promote a cross-breeze. Bonus: This can also help you sleep better! The cooler air will circulate all night, allowing you to start fresh with a cool home in the morning. In building science, this is referred to as night-flush ventilation. Don’t forget to close the windows and blinds before things get too hot in the morning.
2. Close your window coverings. Summer sun delivers heat right through your windows. Block the heat with shades or blinds during the sunniest hours to keep your home cool without AC. This is a passive, or “natural” cooling method that is one of the cheapest and simplest way to keep your home cool in summer.

3. Insulate and air seal your home. Many of the things that help keep your home warmer in the winter also help keep your home cooler in the summer. If you feel the temperature extremes in both seasons, consider a weatherization project. Cape-style homes and homes with varying ceiling height tend to overheat in the summer. A professional weatherization project with an Efficiency Excellence Network contractor can fix the areas that make the home too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter.

4. Bake and wash at night. Large appliances give off significant amounts of heat. Wait to turn on your oven, range, dishwasher, and clothes washer until evening hours when temperatures are cooler. Also, consider hanging laundry outside to dry. You’ll save the cost of running the clothes dryer while reducing heat and moisture in the house.

5. Fire up the grill! If you can, take your cooking outside. If hot food is in order, fire up the grill instead of turning on the oven. Summer is not the time to roast chicken or make lasagna. Instead, plan for grilled dishes and salads to avoid generating more heat in the house.

6. Install an exterior window shade. Installing an awning, pergola, porch, or shade trees by your west windows will shield your home from hot afternoon rays. Direct sunlight is like a heater in the cooling season!

7. Use your fans in the right place. Fans keep air moving around, rather than cooling the air. Blow air directly on people to get a cooling effect or set up your fans to draw in cooler air from the outside (or a cooler part of the house) to the warm areas.

8. Use your exhaust fans. Exhaust fans in your kitchens and bathrooms capture hot air before it mingles with your house air and contributes to overheating. Operate your exhaust fans during showers or whenever cooking indoors.

9. Set your ceiling fans to rotate counterclockwise. In the summer, the fan blades should rotate counterclockwise (as you look up at it) to push the air straight down. Increase the fan speed on the hottest days.