Georgia is a beautiful state – but it sure is hot! There’s nothing wrong with a nice warm day, but the Georgia heat can get intense enough to cause health problems, especially for the very old, very young, and other vulnerable people. That’s one reason why it’s so important to maintain your home’s HVAC systems, which include the air conditioning that keeps your space tolerable during the hottest days of summer. The health dangers of extreme heat are very real, but reliable air conditioning can protect you and your loved ones while keeping you comfortable and happy.
The health risks of Georgia heat
Georgia’s extreme heat can cause serious health issues. As the temperature increases and enters the triple digits, our risks also increase. Heat can cause heat exhaustion, which is a depletion of blood plasma volume and manifests as disorientation, nausea, and other unpleasant symptoms. Heat stroke is an even more dangerous condition caused by rising body temperatures – it can even result in death. Then there’s heat stress, a very common condition that can be triggered by physical activity in hot temperatures. These are just a few of the many health risks associated with high temperatures.
Georgia currently averages around 20 dangerously hot days a year. On days like these, it’s risky to do physical work outside or spend much time in the sun. Athletic activities and yard work are bad ideas on very hot days. And if you don’t have reliable air conditioning in your home, these dangerous outside temperatures can find their way into your home, making you uncomfortable and even threatening you and your loved ones with heat-related health problems.
How to protect yourself from the heat
During hot Georgia summers, it’s important to keep the temperature in mind and to adjust your plans accordingly. On very hot days, it’s more important to stay hydrated, use sun protection, and get into the shade when possible. Be very careful with physical activity on very hot days: yard work and athletic events should be rescheduled or cancelled in extreme heat, and activities and hydration should be carefully monitored even in borderline situations. Outdoor events should make sure that everyone present has emergency contact information. Individuals should make sure they have such information on them, too, along with cards for health insurance, Medicare, Medigap, or Medicaid policies and information about allergies or other medical concerns, which will be important in the event of a medical emergency.
Your home is your refuge from the extreme heat, but it won’t serve that purpose if you don’t keep your HVAC systems in good working order. Make sure that your air conditioning is working by investing in maintenance on a regular schedule, and keep contact information for your local HVAC specialists so that you can have emergency repairs made quickly. Local pros like Cumming, Georgia’s Andy Lewis Hobson Heating & Air Clean understand the Georgia heat and will give you a solution that suits your needs. Cool air is a health necessity on a hot summer day, so don’t let your home become unsafe.
Fortunately, most days in Georgia are as safe as they are beautiful. But residents know that Georgia is capable of serving up a day as hot as any in the region, and that it pays to be smart about physical activities, sun protection, and home comfort systems.