This Heat is Ridiculous! 26 Ways to Stay Cool Now and During SHTF

If I said the heat here in the Midwest felt like a desert, my description would be generous because at least a desert heat is dry. Adding in constant 50% or more humidity makes it so much worse.

I can absolutely say that as I get older the heat is no longer bearable, though I’m sure that depends on the individual. My mother, for instance, still loves the heat. My mother-in-law would prefer the arctic. At the moment, I want to move to the upper peninsula or, Heaven-forbid, Canada for the summer.

Whenever I step outside I instantly regret it. But I can’t let my animals suffer, including my chickens and ducks, so I get out there and do what needs done … and then I hightail it back inside where the air conditioner hums continuously. Thank goodness for central air! But enough about me.

What about you? How are you surviving the heat? More importantly, what would you do if that lovely, wonderful, Heaven-sent air conditioning stops working because of a lengthy power outage?

Sure, there’s something to be said about acclimating to the weather, but we can’t all acclimate quickly or without problems that may still arise as a result of the relentless heat.

With that in mind, I’ve chosen to share more than two dozen solutions from my book, The Survival Blueprint, How to Prepare Your Family for Disaster, below. They are taken verbatim from the book. I do hope you find my suggestions useful now and, if needed, during a true emergency.

12 Ways to Stay Cool During an Outage

Everyone instinctively understands that we must stay warm to survive, but few people give much — if any — thought to staying cool during a prolonged summer power outage. But we’re used to air conditioning and some people, like the elderly, can’t stand the heat. Here are a dozen ways to keep cool when the air conditioner no longer functions:

1. Stay hydrated because sweating helps the body stay cool; consume electrolytes.
2. Wear thin, breathable clothing and a wide-brimmed hat when outdoors.
3. Freeze a washrag, bandana, or towel, then wrap it around your head, like a turban.
4. Stay in the shade or lowest level of your home.
5. Use a USB- or battery-powered fan; combine with a spray bottle to add evaporative cooling.
6. Run your vehicle air conditioner sparingly.
7. Keep drapes and blinds closed on windows where the sun shines constantly.
8. Use cross breezes, particularly overnight.
9. Employ a thermal chimney. Open windows on opposite sides of the house and, if possible, different levels of your house so that warm air draws up and out an upper-floor window.
10. Only cook food and heat water outdoors.
11. Take a cold bath or shower; if water is scarce, then just place your feet in cold water.
12. Freeze plastic soda bottles and use as needed.

Note: The following seven recommendations come directly from Part Two, intermediate strategies, of The Survival Blueprint:

7 More Ways to Stay Cool

In Part One, we talked about twelve ways to keep cool temporarily. And, while they’re all good ideas to use no matter the duration of a disaster, there’s more you can do considering that you’ll likely be even more active in a longer-term disaster than not. Here are seven more ways to stay cool:

1. Be active during the coolest times of the day, primarily during the early morning and late evening hours.
2. Block or reflect radiant heat transfer by adding UV-blocking window tint, aluminum foil, or Mylar blankets to windows.
3. Slow down radiant heat transfer by adding blackout shades, ninety percent solar shade cloth, blankets, or even cardboard.
4. Sleep directly on concrete or tile floors to conduct heat away; alternatively, sleep on an air mattress or in a hammock, as convection will help heat transfer away from your body.
5. Sleep under a wet, wrung-out bed sheet; add a fan to produce an evaporative cooling effect.
6. Purchase a portable ice maker to keep drinks, and you, cold; these usually need little power, so a small solar generator should run it.
7. Use Gold Bond® powder or Body Glide gel to reduce chafing because it’s not only about direct relief from the heat.

Note: The following seven recommendations come directly from Part Three, advanced strategies, of The Survival Blueprint:

7 Final Ways to Stay Cool

In Part Two, we talked about eight more ways to keep cool during a prolonged power outage. But what if a power outage lasts indefinitely? Understand, too, that they build homes differently these days because they expect constant air conditioning. Thus, the following actions will be costly and likely permanent, so you should only opt to use them if you don’t expect to move. Here are seven final ways to stay cool:

1. Install outdoor roller-style shades in front of windows. Typically used with a porch or patio, roller shades block radiant heat before it even reaches your windows.
2. Erect awnings, even temporarily from tarps, over windows subject to hours of intense sun. South-facing windows benefit the most, though any window that gets direct sunlight should be shaded.
3. Install a radiant heat barrier in the attic to reflect heat from the rooftop; add insulation.
4. Install solar attic fans to reduce heat in the attic during the day.
5. Plant trees, bushes, or climbing vegetation for shade, although shrubbery planted close to the home can become a fire hazard in areas prone to wildfires.
6. Use light colors — white is best — for exterior siding because it reflects radiant heat the best.
7. Add a kiddie pool or outdoor swimming pool, though these could become breeding grounds for mosquitoes, algae, and more.

I hope the above helps you and your family. Again, if you’d like more of these ideas, including hundreds of additional, easy ways to prepare for disaster beforehand, you can get The Survival Blueprint on Amazon.

What suggestions might you have to keep cool? Did I miss something?