Tips to Beat the Heat

The high heat and humidity will return to the Arnold-area this week with high temperature of 93 degrees on Monday and a heat index of about 102 degrees, The National Weather Service website said.

Here are a few facts, from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, to help Arnold residents deal with the heat.

1) Go to a cooling center — The Arnold Senior Center, which is located in the Arnold Recreation Center at 1695 Missouri State Road, is a designated cooling center. To find other cooling centers in Jefferson County, readers should visit the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services website and provide their zip code, city or county to find the centers close to their homes.

2) To lower utility bills in extreme heat:

• Install temporary window reflectors, between windows and drapes, such as aluminum foil-covered cardboard, to reflect heat back outside.
• Install window air conditioners snugly; insulate spaces around the air condition for a tighter fit, if necessary.
• If you have central air conditioning, set the thermostat no lower than 78 degrees.
• Change or clean the air-conditioning filter once a month.
• Weather-strip doors and sills to keep cool air in.
• Cover windows that receive morning or afternoon sun with drapes, shades, awnings, or louvers. Outdoor awnings or louvers can reduce the heat that enters a home by up to 80 percent.

3) What to do during severe heat and heat emergencies:

• Consider spending the warmest part of the day in public buildings such as libraries, schools, movie theaters, shopping malls, and other community facilities. Circulating air can cool the body by increasing the evaporation rate of perspiration.
• Stay on the lowest floor of the home and out of the sunshine if air conditioning is not available.
• Eat light, well-balanced meals at regular intervals. Avoid using salt tablets unless directed to do so by a physician.
• Drink plenty of water. Individuals who have epilepsy or heart, kidney, or liver disease, are on fluid-restricted diets, or who have problems with fluid retention should consult a doctor before increasing liquid intake.
• Avoid strenuous work during the warmest part of the day; use the buddy system when working in extreme heat; and take frequent breaks. Slow down and avoid physical exertion to avoid heat stress.

4) If your home is not air-conditioned, use moving air to try to beat the heat:

• Open all windows early in the morning to get rid of heat and help cool the home.
• Keep the house closed during the hottest part of the day. Check indoor and outdoor thermometers to make sure that the indoor temperature is still cooler than outside. Later, open up the house so the cooler night air can lower inside temperatures.
• Use floor and ceiling fans as much as possible to circulate a cooling breeze. Also use window fans if not using air conditioning.
• Sleep in a cooler part of the residence, such as lower floors or the basement.
• Take showers and baths early in the morning or late at night.
• Limit the use appliances and equipment that give off heat (iron, light bulbs, clothes dryer, hair dryer, etc.) to the early morning or at night, not during the middle of the day.

5) Please check on family, friends and neighbors who do not have air conditioning and who spend much of their time alone.