Heat Effects And Precautions Naperville IL

During the summer, many people think about how the use of an air conditioner provides added comfort to their home. However, what about when those beautiful summer days turn to the extremes which leave everyone running for the nearest shade? It’s days like these where an air conditioner changes from a luxury to a necessity due to the extreme heat and the heat effects.

While everyone can be at risk for different heat effects, including a heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and dehydration among other occurrences, there are individuals who are more at risk of heat effects than others:

Babies: Because babies bodies haven’t fully developed their temperature regulating system, they tend to sweat less which leaves them more at risk of having a high body temperature. Here are some ways to care for an infant during hot weather:

• If your infant is sweating, they are too warm and need to be moved to a cooler place immediately.
• Only dress your infant with a hat when you need to prevent sun exposure. Because most of your body heat escapes one’s body through their head, this traps the infants body heat.
• Avoid using a fan directly near your infant, as it will dehydrate them faster.

Children: While a child’s temperature regulating system is more developed than an infants, it still isn’t entirely formed. However, the leading reason why children are more at risk to heat effects are because, during the summer months, children spend an extended period outdoors playing. Here are some tips to make your child less at risk for developing any heat related problems due to heat effects:

• Keep your child as hydrated as possible, especially when participating in outdoor physical activities. Water should be consumed before, during and after each event during extreme heat.
• Dress them in light and breathable clothing. This allows the heat that leaves your child’s body to escape, allowing your child to cool down faster.
• Keep them indoors when possible. Realistically, during times of extreme heat, a child should be kept indoors when possible. During times of extreme heat, it is best to let children play outdoors during the morning and evening, as it’s generally cooler.

Pregnant Women: An increase to a woman’s core temperature could have an effect on the fetus, especially during the first trimester. When outside in extreme heat, here are some precautions pregnant women can take to reduce heat effects:

• Avoid caffeine, salt and alcohol.
• Limit midday excursions when temperatures are at their highest.
• Wear light and loose-fitting clothing.
• Stay hydrated by drinking 6-8 glasses of water per day.

The Elderly: The older people get, the less extreme temperatures their body can handle because your temperature regulating system is less efficient. Here are some tips on how to lessen heat effects with the elderly.

• Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.
• Be prepared. Listen to weather forecasts ahead of time to know what to expect of the day’s temperatures.
• Avoid being out doors.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol.

With the extreme temperatures that Naperville and other Chicagoland towns are experiencing at the moment, it is extremely important to stay as up to date as possible with weather forecasts and prepare yourself to handle the heat. It’s because of these unexpected increases in temperatures that it is extremely important to make sure that your Air Conditioner is working properly and being maintained on an annual basis. If you have any questions regarding your home’s central air conditioning system, this extreme heat, or any other HVAC-related question, never hesitate to call us at (630) 548-1500.