Prepare Your Home For Summer

MILPITAS, CA — So summer showed up with a vengeance for the holiday! As summer approaches, now is a great time to prepare your home for warmer weather and beat the heat with a cool house.

Extreme heat may affect your health or the health of those around you. Learn ways to reduce the heat in your home. The Ready Campaign recommends the following measures to keep your home cool this summer:

• Check to see if your home’s cooling system is working properly.
• Make sure your home is well insulated and that you have weather stripping around your doors and window sills to keep the cool air inside.
• Install window air conditioners snugly; insulate if necessary.
• Check air-conditioning ducts for proper insulation.
• Install temporary window reflectors (for use between windows and drapes), such as aluminum foil-covered cardboard, to reflect heat back outside.
• 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.)

Remember pets, infants, those with health issues and the elderly are especially susceptible to heat related illness, including death. Please make sure to prepare and take care of your loved ones.

- Announcement from Milpitas Emergency Services Coordinator Toni Charlop; Image via Shutterstock