Heat Awareness and Powering Your Air Conditioner
May 31st is Heat Awareness Day
Did you know that heat is a leading weather-related killer in the United States? Hundreds of people die due to heat-related illnesses every year, many of which occur with just a short period of exposure (OSHA, 2021). Numerous employee deaths and thousands of employee illnesses are preventable by keeping the workplace or home cool, having access to water, and having a plan in place. Will the heat stop you in your tracks from going about your day-to-day, or will you be prepared? Prevent the risk of a heat-related illness at home or in the workplace by keeping the air conditioning running even when there is no power with a reliable and quiet-running Aurora Generator.
What Are Heat-related Illnesses?
The human body has an average temperature of 97 to 99˚F and can fluctuate based on our surroundings (Web MD, 2021). Our body temperature remains relatively consistent; however, prolonged changes or temperature variations above or below the average can indicate illness, infection, or other health-related issues. In addition, being exposed to high temperatures can hurt our bodies and lead to heat-related conditions such as heat stroke, heat cramps, and heat exhaustion.
To cool down our bodies, blood rushes to the surface of our skin, but this takes away blood from our brain, muscles, and organs (Khatri, 2019). Prolonged exposure to heat can lead to a loss of physical strength and mental capacity, affecting our ability to work and be productive. In some cases, this can be a severe or life-threatening issue.
What To Look Out For
If you are working in a hot environment, knowing the warning signs of heat-related illnesses is essential so you can act accordingly.
Common first signs of heat stroke and heat exhaustion include:
- High body temperature (103˚F or higher)
- Hot, red, dry, or damp skin
- Heavy Sweating
- Headache
- Tiredness or weakness
- Blisters on the skin
- Etc… (CDC, 2017)
How To Prevent Heat-related Illnesses
You can do various things to prevent heat-related illnesses and stay comfortable and productive at home or the workplace. If you will be in a hot environment, you should choose to wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing. The Centre for Disease Control recommends pacing yourself when doing physical activities outside and listening to your body (NCEH CDC, 2017). When in the heat and working, our bodies sweat as a cooling mechanism, so it’s essential to drink lots of fluids and replace salts and minerals that may be lost from sweating.
One of the best ways to prevent heat-related illnesses is using an air conditioning unit or A/C. Entering an environment that is cooler than your previous surroundings will help to lower your body temperature back to a normal level and thus prevent the potential for a heat-related illness. Most people don’t think twice about their A/C units or their importance for staying comfortable, productive, and ultimately safe from the heat. We spend so much time in our homes and offices, but what happens during an emergency or a power outage? Will you be prepared?
Picking A Generator To Run An Air Conditioning Unit
Once the power goes out, your home or workplace will begin to heat up quickly! Without a backup generator in place, the heat can quickly get to you reduce comfort productivity and potentially lead to illness. When using an air conditioning unit, you need to match the square footage of the space to the cooling capacity of the unit. Air conditioning units are generally ranked by using a unit of measurement called BTUs. To cool a room that is 300 square feet, you will need an air conditioning unit that is ranked at approximately 10,000 BTU, while a 2000 square foot room will need closer to a 30,000+ BTU unit.
The larger the space, the more electricity you will use, so you must plan accordingly when choosing a suitable backup generator. The small wall or window air conditioner would use and can be run on a diesel generator rated for less than 4 kilowatts (kW) whereas a 30,000+ BTU air conditioner will use closer to 10 kilowatts. Aurora Generators recommends a diesel unit over gas or propane as maintenance costs are lower, fuel is cheaper, and the units are more reliable during a time of disaster.
Aurora Generators is one phone call away if you need additional help determining what size generator you need to power your air conditioning unit. Let us know if you have any comments or questions about powering your A/C or other home appliances.