July 4th went down as the hottest global average day since records have been kept. That same day marked the start of El Nino, and temperatures and challenging weather patterns are expected across the nation.

Central AC keeps you cool in Miami heat, but what if the power goes out in your area? What if your AC system stops working unexpectedly? What can you do to beat the heat? All Year Cooling has several tips that will help you stay cool.

Wear Damp Clothing

One of the best tricks for keeping cool is to dampen your clothing. Let it evaporate naturally. The damp clothing against your skin helps keep you cooler. It does this because to dry the water from the clothing, it needs to change from liquid to gas. That requires heat, so the heat is taken from your skin, which cools you.

When your clothing dries out, get it damp again. Keep this process going as long as you need to and feel nice and cool. You can also get your pet’s fur wet to help your pet stay cool.

What’s the easiest way to dampen your clothes? Hop in a lukewarm shower in a t-shirt and shorts for a few seconds. You can also dampen a t-shirt in a sink and wring it out before you put it on. If you’re near the ocean. Let the ocean water get you wet and then find a shady place to sit and dry out. If it’s raining, go stand out in the rain for a minute or two.

Don’t Take Cold Showers

Despite what you may believe, a cold shower isn’t going to cool you down. Think of your skin like a central AC system. In the center of your body, the blood is warm. The blood vessels and veins travel around your body to the small vessels and capillaries near the skin’s surface. Warm blood travels to the surface where heat is released. That helps regulate your core temperature.

When your skin is cold, blood flow to the skin slows down. Warmer blood stays below the skin and doesn’t come near the surface to cool down, so your core temperature increases. If you take a lukewarm shower, the blood still flows to the surface to cool you down. Pair this with damp clothing and feel cool for hours.

Block Out the Sun

This is a good tip even if your central AC system is working. Put light-blocking curtains or blinds up on all windows. If the sun is coming into the room, make sure they’re shut to keep the sun from heating up the room.

What if you don’t have any blackout curtains or blinds? Before you make an emergency trip to the store, look for cardboard or thicker sheets or blankets in order to block out the sun when you don’t have another option.

If you have power, use a fan in a darker room to keep the air circulating. Sitting near the fan helps you feel cooler. Have a fan blow on your face and you’ll feel even cooler as there are a lot of nerves in the face that help you feel cool.

Stay Hydrated

When it’s hot, you’re going to sweat more. The purpose of sweat is to cool your skin. Make sure you’re drinking extra water to make up for the water you’re losing while sweating. A good goal is to drink a glass per hour. Milk is best for hydration, so drink that if you can tolerate it.

Don’t Cook Inside

Do not run the stove, oven, air fryer, or toaster oven. It’s going to heat up your kitchen and transfer to the rest of your house. If you want a hot meal, cook it outside in a garage or on a patio. Otherwise, have a salad and sandwich.

Place a layer of lettuce, spinach, or cabbage and top that with cottage cheese, your favorite chopped vegetables, some canned chickpeas, and canned tuna packed in olive oil. That meal is cold and covers the majority of your nutritional needs at once.

If you want a hot meal, eat something spicy. Spicy foods will make you sweat, and sweat helps cool your skin. It seems unusual, but it’s a quick, easy way to stay cool when it’s hot outside. Grilling spicy tandoori kebabs and vegetables and serving those with pita and a cold garlic, yogurt sauce is ideal for a hot meal that helps you cook down.

Sit in a Tub or Pool Filled With Room Temperature Water 

If you have the space in your backyard, set up a children’s pool in a shady spot. Sit in that from time to time to cool off. If you have a pool, spend as much time as you can in that. Even better, wear shorts and a T-shirt in the water. When you get out, sit in the shade and let yourself air dry.

Wear Loose Clothing

If you cannot stand wearing damp clothing, lightweight, loose clothing is best. Aim for fabrics like cotton or linen and make sure it doesn’t cling to the skin. If there is room for air to move across the skin, you’ll feel cooler.

When you’re sleeping, stick to loose clothing or sleep without clothes on. If you’re still too warm, put a damp washcloth on the back of your neck. You can also sleep in damp socks. Cold feet will make the rest of you feel cold.

Don’t Be Afraid to Seek Shelter

If it’s too hot and you have a chronic health condition or are an older adult, don’t be ashamed to seek shelter in a hotel that has working AC. Spend the day in a mall or shopping center with AC. Or, see if there is a shelter being set up for emergencies when power is out after a storm. It’s better to stay cool than to risk your well-being.

Get Your AC Repaired as Quickly as Possible

If you have power and something’s wrong with your AC, call All Year Cooling. Our technicians will diagnose the issue and make the necessary repairs if that’s a possibility. Our team offers repairs on almost every AC brand and is fully licensed and insured for repairs, maintenance, and installations. If we determine our system is beyond repair, we offer same-day installations on new air conditioning units.

All Year Cooling understands the importance of having a cool, comfortable home all summer. Give us a call to get a free estimate for your system’s repair or replacement. Use these tips to stay cool until we arrive, and we’ll have your system back and get you cool in no time.