防风雨:如何应对热浪

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2021年7月是官方公布的最热月份 ... ever. 我们正在为另一个可能破纪录的夏天做准备, 考虑这种热量如何影响你的家是至关重要的, 汽车和其他个人财产. Find out how to prepare for extreme heat and summer temperatures.

如何为你的爱车做好应对炎热天气的准备

阳光照射 会对你的车造成很大的磨损吗. These conditions can wreak havoc on many systems in ways you may not expect, so it’s important to make sure certain elements are in tip-top shape going into the season.

Tires

Excessive heat can reduce the elasticity of rubber found in tires and windshield wiper blades. 确保你有质量好的雨刷片, 比如那些用硅橡胶做的, 哪个更能抵抗恶劣天气. 检查轮胎 for cracks and keep them filled to the recommended tire pressure to help prevent any additional strain on the rubber.

汽车电池

Your battery is another part that may struggle in hot summer weather. Before the season changes, make sure to check the age of your battery. If it’s old and nearing the end of its life, consider replacing it now. An older battery may not be able to hold a charge during periods of high-energy demand, 比如当你开空调的时候. Better to swap your battery out now than to be left stranded in dangerous heat.

Fluids

Some experts recommend timing your fluid changes to occur before summer and winter months. 这取决于你的车和气候, your car may benefit from different types of oil in the summer and winter months. 不管你是否需要不同的产品, it’s best to make sure that your oil and other fluids are at recommended levels before going into a new season.

冷却剂和气候控制系统

Coolants ensure elements of your engine stay at the right temperature while the climate control system manages the temperature of the inside cabin of your car. If your coolant is more than a year old, change it before summer. Make sure it is at the appropriate level and top it off if needed. It’s a good idea to have your climate control system checked before summer as well. 如果你的空调工作太辛苦， 它会对引擎造成压力 并导致故障.

家居防风雨

Keeping your home cool in extreme temperatures can be expensive, 但它也可能是危险的 if you consider how much energy goes into continuously running an air conditioner. 根据安全电力.org, 如果你的空调过度使用, it can stress the overall electrical health of your home and leave you vulnerable to electrical fires or shocks. That’s why weatherproofing your home and extreme heat preparedness is so important. Here are some tips to help keep your home cooler in the summer and reduce the electrical strain that the air conditioner can cause.

绝缘

Updating the insulation in your house — especially in the ceiling — can prevent cold air from leaking out of your house. 除了防止空调空气逸出, improving your ceiling insulation can lower the overall temperature of the house.

空调

最好找个专业人士来 检查你的空调 每年都要确保它的高效运行. 有些事情你可以自己做, like replacing any filters and carefully clearing the outside unit of debris, 树叶和泥土.

Awnings

Installing window awnings to prevent sunlight from coming directly in the windows can also reduce your need for air conditioning and save energy. 对于朝西的窗户，遮阳篷可以 减少太阳能热增益高达77%.

吊扇

根据能量.gov, ceiling fans are effective at cooling your home because they keep air moving throughout rooms. In fact, if you run your ceiling fan counterclockwise and have your air conditioner on at the same time, 你可以把恒温器调高 大约4度 并且仍然有同样的舒适度.

定时器或可编程恒温器

Now is a good time to get ahead of the heat and install a timer-based or programmable thermostat. When you program a thermostat to increase the temperature while you’re gone, it can reduce your reliance on an air conditioner and decrease your energy needs. Not only does this decrease the energy stress on your home, it can also save you money. In normal to moderate climates, having a programmable thermostat can 节省10%的能源费用.