Summer Heat Tips

The temperatures continue to soar, so we want to remind everyone of a few summer heat tips.

• Keep blinds and curtains closed from morning until the late afternoon to block extra direct heat from sunlight.
• Drink plenty of water, and avoid alcoholic beverages.
• Take advantage of the heat to dry to clothes on a line, instead of heating up your laundry area.
• Use small appliances like slow cookers and outside grills rather than your traditional oven or stove to keep kitchen heat to a minimum.
• Insulate and weather-strip your attic access cover. Install a latch to hold the cover tight and reduce air leaks. 
• Use programmable thermostats so you're not always running your central air conditioner at full blast when you are not home.  Set it to 78 when you aren't home, as this will usually take care of the extreme heat and humidity, yet can quickly cool down right before you come home automatically.
• Check in on your elderly neighbors daily, especially if they don't have an air conditioner.
• Take advantage of Simsbury's cooling centers.
• Don't forget our four-legged friends.  Never leave your pets out during the day, even if you leave them water.