TIPS TO BEAT THE HEAT DURING A SUMMER GRID DOWN!

[@TurtleMyrtle12]

"You know those little kiddie pools that are about $5, with inflation they're now $200." Cracked me up! 😂

[@shawnclark7326]

Me too!

[@oldschooljeremy8124]

My parents had older friends who lived in Phoenix in the 1890s and early 1900s, that is before air-conditioning or even evaporative coolers, they would hang damp sheets over open windows and screened doors - the breeze would cool the air a bit blowing through them. A lot of houses had porches and verandas, screened or not, and they would move their beds out onto them at night then hang wet sheets along the edges of the roofs. Buildings also often had breezeways, narrow covered passages between 2 structures like a house and a garage or two halves of a residence - these somehow created air circulation through them, hence the name. My place has a short one of these between the house and a shed with a roof between the two, and it always seems to have a breeze moving through it even on still, windless days.

[@secoura]

Power outages in the summer are the worst. If you can freeze some empty soda bottles and grab it when the power goes out, putting it in front of the fan will give you cool air. Once it melts, you have drinkable water if needed.

[@sunshinestatesurvival]

Great suggestion!

[@NoMoreTears64]

How do you put frozen bottles in front of the fan if the power is out?

[@sunshinestatesurvival]

@@NoMoreTears64 I assume that they already had these frozen water bottles in their freezer, before the power went out... I keep frozen bottles of water in my deep freezer and regular freezer, just in case the power goes out, it holds a lot of cold inside because it's so dense.

[@patches1483]

@@NoMoreTears64 if you don't have a battery operated fan ($15 @ WLM) get one. Batteries $2.50 @ $tree.

[@wardrobelion]

you shouldn’t open your freezer if at all possible in a power outage unless it’s a chest freezer. You lose all the cool air in your freezer and risk ruining your food stores. Plus bottles of ice will keep your food cold longer. Just wet a hand towel and drape over your shoulders.

[@Golden3000997]

A dish tub that you can fit your feet in. If you are inside, fill with water and ice cubes. Does wonders!

[@navyjackflag1789]

Cool water on your wrists, ankles, groin, under arm pits & temples are pressure points & will greatly improve cooling effect as your blood pumps. Thanks for all of your vids & candid talk. 👍🇺🇸🙏

[@grinning_owl]

Add sheets of aluminum foil to your window panes to repel sunlight. Add car window film (the darker the tint the better) to the inside of your windows. Auto supply stores sell them as well as the sun shades for car windshields. The shades can be used inside your home. Set up a box fan at the foot of your bed then drape a thin bed sheet over the front of the fan. Don't set it to "oscillate". The steady air from the fan will direct air onto just you instead of all around the room. Some people have said they place chairs on both sides of their bed and then drape the sheet over them and the whole bed in order to create a tent before turning on the fan. Keep a pot or pail of water next to your bed. Dip a washcloth into the water, wring it out, then place the cloth over your face. When your pillow becomes hot, flip it over to the cool side. Repeat until you fall asleep. Place hand fans in every room. When I was in school, we had no A/C, so we would use the cover of a text book or notebook to fan our faces. Sleep outside under mosquito netting. Sleep in shifts with other members of the family who can stand guard and watch out for intruders. Have pepper spray at the ready, a blow torch, and wasp spray, if necessary. Spend time in public buildings that use backup generators, such as hospitals, public libraries, airports, 24-hr grocery stores, bowling alleys, bookstores, restaurants. And BTW, the reason for placing a wet rag on your wrists and other places on your body is because some areas of skin are thinner than others, and therefore closer to the blood running through your arteries. These areas are called the "pulse points": the inside of the wrists, the temples, just below the ear, inside the "v-shaped" spot below the Adam's apple, inside the elbows, behind the knees, and the soft spot next to the ankles. Touch an ice cube to these spots and the ice will melt within a few seconds as it helps to cool down the warm blood running beneath that thin skin. If you are able, place an open patio umbrella next to your sunniest windows after you open those windows. If you don't have awnings over your windows, the umbrellas will serve as a substitute. And speaking of umbrellas, use them when you have to walk in sunny areas. White ones are better because they will repel the heat from the sun. If you have to spend a lot of time outside, place a thin, damp cloth on top of your head. Hold it in place with a cap or tie a piece of cord, shoestring, or a thin strip of cloth around your head to keep the damp cloth from shifting. A wide-brimmed hat will also help to keep the sun off of your head. If you have plenty of water coming to your house, use the garden hose to wet down the roof of your home. Be sure to spray some water on your windows, too, which will help cool any air coming through that window after you've opened it. Hanging damp cloth in an open window will also help cool any air entering the house. And one more tip, at least for now: Go barefoot as much as possible.

[@patches1483]

Great tips. Power outages in summer are awful. I use the frozen water bottle trick, spray bottle and battery operated fan when it happens. I also read that pre-power and fans that they would put a wet towel over an open window and the breeze would be cooled and cool the room some. That might help in a prolonged outage but I can imagine bugs and anything else creepy inviting themselves in.

[@grinning_owl]

@@patches1483 I saw that tip on a RV camping video. If I were to do it, I would make sure there was a screen on the window. I don't want no creepy crawlers sneaking into the house.

[@MB-jg4tr]

Hands, feet, and lumbar are the best areas to cool you down. Long distance runner often grip ice in their hands to cool them down.

[@davidpotter9462]

I got this Kill a Watt meter in the mail ; my little window A/C unit uses 655 watts ; I ran it off of the 20 mule team battery pack today, for a couple of hours...about 1 30 it was so hot so I ran it until 4 ; 45 PM. I made a little dollar general beef stew run and got my $25 of gas to fill up. I bought a 120 mm computer cooling fan, 12 volt, added some wires and a switch, and alligator clips. I mounted it on a short piece of 2X6 so I can just set it by something. I use it to cool my soup. I just hooked it to one of the batteries. It uses very little, like 4 watts. 100 cfm, not bad. So I got an extra one of those fans, and a 12 inch fan that I rescued from the old house place, I cleaned and oiled it, and removed the front guard so it blows more. I had 800 watts of panels out, and was making 625 - 675 watts for most of the day. So yay, I have free off grid A/C. The heat index is supposed to be 105 - 110 degrees tomorrow. I've spent a year and a half fixing this to where it works right. I'm cutting some short boards to fill the rest of the window where the A/C unit is. It's going to be terrible this summer ; I just had to have a cool place. It's worth it to have power to the freezer, too. Now that I have a freezer I can stock up on ice cream. Something cold to eat helps too. I've tried to get this prep right. I think the water in the stock tank will stay cooler with the lid I'm putting on it, so there is cool water in it. Any kind of fan helps when it's hot. If I ever get any black diamond watermelons off of my vines, I needed a freezer to put one in. I think that may be the original idea, an ice cold melon to munch on, lol. Sort of a personal cooling device. I figure if the grid is going to mess up, it will be in the hot weather. Because that will cause more food spoilage than if it goes off in the winter time. Down South of here a ways there were several record high temperatures today. It's going to be a hotter than normal year. This is what started me tinkering into solar power, thinking the whole time about getting it where it can run the A/C. It will be tested tomorrow. Your hair looks nice ; I like it that way.

[@Momma4210]

Last time here in Florida we had a power outage from a hurricane and we ended up all wearing our bathing suits! Easy to wash in a bucket and dry, so we now have a few bathing suits to swap out!

[@sunshinestatesurvival]

Great idea!

[@delorestaylor8114]

Good evening Sunny Girl, It’s always good to hear from you. In days gone by, a poor girl environmental cooler was a frozen large or medium blue ice sealed in a food storage bag, wrapped in a towel, then just put it in between the sheets, then lay it against your body. It amazing🙏🏻❤️🕊🐾🦌🌲

[@TurtleMyrtle12]

The veins in the wrists are very close to the surface of the skin (visible through the skin). Ice cubes or a frozen water bottle on the wrist will cool the blood down as it circulates.

[@donnafuller3226]

Those cooling towels work really well. My grandson used those all while he was playing baseball and when he was cutting grass with a landscaper during the hot summer months. 👍❤👍

[@Buddyboo987]

The cooling cloths are awesome

[@andreatallent2606]

I’ve used a dog cooling gel mat under my sheet to sleep on going thru Menapause night sweats. It works great.

[@patches1483]

Wow! Great tip. Do the mats require any refrigeration to become cool or is the gel the cooling agent? This sounds like a must have...

[@Daveyengland]

Holding that little fan to your face, with your hair billowing in the breeze… it looked like you were on the set of a fashion shoot 😂

[@arlissyoung8899]

A few years back I started playing with solar for the hot summer days and nights. I can run fans and have some lights at night. I am able to run a small AC window unit up to 6 hrs. on a clear day if needed. There's nothing worse than trying to sleep when it hot. Born and raised in Florida so back in the day it was take a cold shower jump in the bed with the box fan on high and sleep good for a few hrs. As always great content.

[@leannepage8267]

What kind of solar system did you get?

[@davidpotter9462]

Nice.

[@patches1483]

If you get some solar garden lights you can save the solar panel wattage for something else. They charge in a windowsill during the day for use at night. One lights a room. They are safe. Much safer than candles and will last several years for long term or short term outages. You can save battery life while in storage by slipping a bit of cardboard between the battery and contact.

[@arlissyoung8899]

@@leannepage8267 I just put one together a little at a time as money allowed. I started off with the L cheapo Harbor Fright system just see if it was something worth my time and money. I got a number of the HF systems and then it grew from there. I got much better panels from Amazon. All in all it would be better if someone wants to get into it to buy a system ready to install. I did what I could as money would allow. I have learned a lot from the way I did it.

[@creatressco.1447]

*** If you're hot, so are your pets.*** As summer sets in, I comb my cat's hair a lot more than normal to keep her cooler. Using a shedding comb is best to thin out their undercoats. Put an extra (usb or battery) fan in front of their favorite sleeping spot (which may change in the heat, as they are good at finding the coolest spots to lie in). As much as I dread power outages in Central Florida, I dread them even more for her. Please makes your pets your priority....they are dependent on you.

[@sunshinestatesurvival]

Oh that's another thing I meant to add to this list and forgot. Thank you for reminding me! My dog has A LOT of hair, so I have a buzzer/ trimmer handy, that I could use to cut off some of the bulk of that hair to help keep him cooler.

[@creatressco.1447]

@@sunshinestatesurvival You're quite welcome. I love how you do your channels....very helpful. I was taking notes through this one. lol Bless ya, Girl!

[@margaritac3416]

For bedding i recommend the cooling bamboo sheets. They feels cool and nice.

[@R2MGolf]

Love the portable chargers. Have a few of those. 👍

[@cherylgoossen4913]

Wet towels over open windows works great in the dry areas of the country! Thanks from NewMexico! 👍

[@cherylgoossen4913]

YES!!!!! The neck things that you soak in water work GREAT! I have been using them for years!

[@elaineh2286]

5" desk fan (Comfort-5) with re-chargeable battery & usb port for $19 at home depot is on my list this month. Hanging a wet towel few inches in front of a box fan helps and a damp sheet across you at night works too.

[@NoMoreTears64]

Again, how is a box fan running if your power is out?

[@flakathy890]

@@NoMoreTears64 If you watch this video, you'll learn the answer to your question. 🙂

[@elaineh2286]

@@NoMoreTears64 Obviously you will need a way to re-charge the rechargeable batteries or a power bank. You can use any small solar system or generator with a usb port. There is even a small rechargeable battery box you can sit on a window sill. Mine is called Universal Solar Battery Charger I got years ago, one of my first preps and super cheap. I have since moved up.

[@babygirldixon6799]

how long will the fan run??

[@elaineh2286]

@@babygirldixon6799 It has 2 speeds so it depends on how you run it. It uses 4xAA batteries or you can plug it into a laptop or solar generator. In the reviews one teacher said she used it for 4 hrs in class. Personally I can't give a review yet as it's on my to buy list next Wed. There is a review here on yt I saw. It puts out a good amt of air and is made of metal instead of cheap plastic which I like so if you have a not elec heat source like a ventless propane heater or wood stove you can even direct warmth in the winter with it. Hope this helps.

[@amyr4189]

We have camping cots, so we could move downstairs to sleep or camp in the backyard if it was cooler. In the travel section are little clear spay bottles, we take them hiking in the summer and mist our faces with water to stay cool. Wet wash cloths are good too for wiping down and feeling cooler.

[@sunshinestatesurvival]

Oooh. Camping cots, great idea!

[@theresariter]

We are saving up for a small solar panel system to be able to run small appliances and fans if necessary.

[@sunshinestatesurvival]

Totally worth every penny

[@michelledee9304]

We have a portable a/c like you just got from Amazon. I don't think it works very well. We are in NV and it's been in the upper 90's this week. Our swamp cooler broke so it's been hot in the house. We also had no swamp cooler or a/c for 5 years. A wet towel in front of a fan helps some. Opening your window and curtains at night, closing everything down during the day and keeping doors shut, etc. helps a lot. My son did 3 tours of Iraq and said that the cooling ties, when wet, help some. The main thing is lots and lots of water.

[@flyinggeckos123]

Good tips! This is not a tip to stay cool but in high school band in TX they would tell us to drink pickle juice if dehydrated. Similar concept if you don’t have pedialyte

[@Willbkool]

A good option for sleeping in hot weather conditions is the old military cot. The air flow underneath it helps to keep you cooler than other beds.

[@JT-2012]

Great subject for a video, especially during hurricane season. I bought those hairbands after you showed them and I love them. They're an incredible value too. I bought four 4" USB fans. Been really happy with them. Slept comfortably through the night when we lost power during a hurricane.👍 You did great collecting those very useful items.

[@sunshinestatesurvival]

Oh I'm glad to hear you liked those hairbands!

[@Jennifer_Cruz]

👋🏻🥰

[@danielledunavant3146]

I would suggest an air mattress, not necessarily a camping one but one that is bed height. Those things tend to be VERY cool! The air inside does not heat up. Excellent to sleep on especially with grid down but have a way to pump them up. I slept on one for a long time and it was so cold I had to place an animal skin rug under me to stay warm.

[@sunshinestatesurvival]

Good idea with the air mattress

[@jemmainthegym]

This reminds me of when I was in my 20's and moved to a new city. I didn't have a bed, and got an air mattress. It was cold! (not the city I live in now that is subtropical). I also bought a wool underlay and then it was good. Great idea!

[@creatressco.1447]

Thank you so much for this! Now when a hurricane is approaching, I'll go ahead and air it up in advance just to be ready and save some pull on my solar generator. Stay cool! (pun intended) lol

[@susanm1224]

Thank you so much for this video. Thank you for the ideas. Florida native so I KNOW this heat.

[@drakejdf]

No kidding I have everything pictured but my power banks are jackery models.I’m a portable fan lover.

[@sunshinestatesurvival]

:)

[@RiceaRoni354]

Since I have pretty bad asthma and COPD heat is my enemy. I need that fan, big time.

[@vicky116]

The cooling the wrist is actually cooling all your pulse points. Back of neck, temple, back of ears, throat (carotid I think it's called), armpits, inner wrist, groin, back of knee, heel, soles of feet and palms.

[@daninedoane7002]

The towels work. Bonus if you have a neck fan.

[@susans9491]

I know this will sound like I’m just sniveling, but we usually get 3-5 weeks every summer here in Vermont where the temperature is close to 100 and the humidity is 85% or higher and we just lay on top of our beds sweating and questioning our decision to move here. It’s especially rough since we live in a brick house which is like a pizza oven once it heats up. And we don’t get enough of that kind of weather to acclimate to it. I don’t see how you folks in the south do it!

[@sunshinestatesurvival]

Oh you have every right to snivel....that's hot!

[@barbaravyse660]

We have central AC. But I live in Boston in an apartment with no AC and summer was miserable. Luckily I only lived in that apartment for one year.

[@billyannecrews6651]

We have air conditioning. Lol. That’s the only reason we live

[@babygirldixon6799]

I live in a mobile home that was vandalized and I can't open the windows and my AC is broken 🥵🔥🔥

[@susans9491]

@@babygirldixon6799 oh my goodness! Try to at least get fans. Good luck.

[@MrsPumpkinCat]

For sleeping on the floor, if it’s in the budget, I recommend a cheaper air mattress, one with literally just air between the top and bottom, usually just 8 or 9 inches high, not a fancy one with coils and foam or raised. The air between you and the floor will help cool you off. I slept on this after Hurricane Michael and it was a huge help. I also keep a couple of those flexible ice pads in the freezer. They usually roll or fold up and look quilted, that’s the best way I can describe them. But I lay one on my chest and yes, I have no shame in putting one on my head. LOL As you mentioned, this Florida heat is no joke!

[@sunshinestatesurvival]

Thanks for the reminder. I need to get more of those portable ice pads. I think you mean the ones that have like a gel type material in them, right?

[@MrsPumpkinCat]

@@sunshinestatesurvival Those will work too. I had to go see what mine is called. It’s very similar to the Igloo Reusable Ice Sheet. Mine is not the Igloo brand and was only $2 or $3 last year. I found it in the camping section at Walmart.

[@D7cooper]

I've taken 2 pillows and a terry cloth towel to lay on my wood floor. Surprisingly cooler and comfortable. Thanks for the tip adding a pinch of pink Himalayan salt to water. Important to have some water "stick" to our systems. I also like the dry ice in open coolers idea. Good luck staying cool.

[@happy2cya70]

I definitely understand dreading the sticky heat when the power goes out. We are in middle Gaand it is absolutely breath taking on some days! We are now wanting to get a solar generator/power station to at least run a fan or two, or maybe even a portable AC unit.

[@kentuckyhome6637]

Great tips today and you had me chuckling with your low key humor. I have a wood stove so winter isn't too much of a concern for me, but I don't tolerate heat very well in summer, so all tips are appreciated. Years ago we didn't have central air but we had an above ground pool and we took a dip in the evening. That and a fan kept us cool all night. Now I'm off to check out your links! God bless. ~~Laura

[@danniemcdonald4903]

Just an FYI, I went through your link to order the portable a/c and the price is $49.99. When I did a Google search, it shows as $59.99. So, I saved $10 by using your link (plus free shipping on this item).

[@pinschrunner]

2+ years ago in September 2019 the ac handler went out in a friends property that I watch over here in Florida. It was 102* outside and 93* inside. Fans just circulate hot humid horrible air. And you have a security risk when u have windows open. @Sunshine

[@debragriffith6628]

We have several fans that use batteries , USB and can plug in. We also have the towels that you wet, snap, and drape around your neck. They really help!

[@cmi7439]

Water is a must to combat the heat. Besides the normal usages, wetting my hair definitely makes me cooler. Our pup seems energized following a bath. Concern wetting your dog down to cool them off since some aren't water lovers. We encourage ours to get into a creek or stream during walks on warm/hot days.

[@DeeDee-dl7sl]

Use that spray bottle of water on your shirt too and also spray your sheets before bed to help stay cool at night. Cold showers are great too. A small wet towel around your neck helps also.

[@patches1483]

Those are good and economical tips.

[@JayDee25895]

USB powered fans work very well plug them into that Ecoflow and it will Run For Days!

[@kstaffidaho4637]

A timely video. I had no idea there are 10" battery powered fans. Thanks!

[@betsyr4724]

Florida is synonymous with heat and humidity. Thanks

[@katespencer4038]

With the box fans if you have a window in front of apartment / house that lines up with window at back. Put the fans as you describe in those windows. I grew up in what was called a shot gun house all rooms parallel and windows lined up for fans. Never had air conditioning in that house btw in central fl Also have ordered dog cooling mat going to try that on mattress just a thought

[@thebiggshomestead]

I love baby wipes for staying cool. When we are sweaty and smelly, a baby wipe is cooling to the skin and they smell really good too

[@Daveyengland]

In North West England we need a “how to beat the cold during a summer grid down” video! I have my heating on half the time 🥶🥶🥶

[@KarenPerez-ov6yi]

The blue towels work great

[@nitab6076]

I not only have the big fan you showed, but I have the small ones that use AAA batteries. I take the small one camping, and fishing. I used both the big fan and small fan on a week long campout in the summer heat, and never had to change the batteries. I also put ice water in the spray bottles you showed when we do anything outside in the summer, and keep extras in my cooler. I overheat easily, so I also keep a rechargeable neck fan handy-it looks like a rechargeable headset for your phone, and charges the same way. Thanks for sharing!

[@NoMoreTears64]

Lol you made me chuckle when you talked about the 5.00 kiddie pool that is probably 200.00 now with inflation. Hahaha Perfect subject as we are expected to get to 102° on Monday and they are saying the humidity this week will be "oppressive ". I would still take summer over winter ANY DAY.

[@FarmersSON55]

A couple of screen doors could help get some airflow in your home while keeping the bugs out

[@ShelbyAsInCar1969]

One thing I used to do in Wyoming when I raised rabbits 🐇 is we would freeze gallons of water and wet rags, as air would pass through it would work like a cooler king of! Also my rabbits would offend lay by the jugs

[@Myfavorites877]

I have tried the wraps you wet and out around your neck. They do work. I was in charge of a church yard sale one time in the hottest day of summer in Alabama. I used one and it really helped, especially when I’d reset it in my cooler of melted ice.

[@susanmoore7864]

I love the cooling bandanas ,wet them and when it starts to heat up, take it off twirl it and it cools it off, going to buy more.

[@SJ-db1lh]

We have a few of the cooling towels, they feel refreshing & cooling to me. I love the mini personal fans (on Amazon), and take one with me all the time along with the cooling towels & water. Never leave home without them! Lol... I just ordered the ponytail holders too. Thanks for sharing your great ideas with us! Stay safe!

[@yukonsmomma3562]

Thanks for the ideas Sunshine.

[@joeyjennings9548]

first its good to have an outdoor thermometer so you can know if it gets cooler outside like after a storm passes. it can drop lots and be better outside to leave windows with screens or doors open. battery op fans are good either rechargable or one time battery but you need batteries & get fans that have a long run time for overnight sleeping. if you go the route of a window a/c 5000 btuh with a solar generator or gas one they use lots of power so if its a solar gen you need to know hours of runtime & startup wattage can run the a/c. if its gas generator NEVER run in doors or inside a garage get a carbonmonoxide detector. and you will need gas "non ethanol" store safely away from flames best off outside cool dark dry place in a real gas can only. also will need motor oil for changes every 20 hours of run time. ALSO you can freeze water bottles stack them in a tray on the table have a battery op fan blowing thru them towards you. they will drip & sweat up so a pan to catch that under them. stay hydrated is important. cold shower if you have water. loose fitting light colored clothes. lower levels of homes are cooler as heat rises. note that cheap dollar store batteries can leak acid i had this personally happen so if you see what looks like water under batteries its acid that will burn you. drink cool water avoid alcohol coffee drinks like that. if your clothes get soaked change out to dry as your body cools by an evaporative system. if its a long power out throw out fridge stuff thats in question like MAYO.. be safe 😁

[@jemmainthegym]

I live in Queensland, Australia, which I feel is similar to Florida. We don't have aircon, just ceiling fans (which don't help hugely if the temp hits 33 + degrees celsius). The kiddy pool we did when our son was young. We had a hard shell one. Great idea! Also, I often briefly jump in the shower for cold water to cool down (wait for the heated water in the pipes to pass lol). We have tiles, and will sometimes lie directly on the tiles just to cool down lol. The biggest thing we do, if it's super hot but won't work in a grid down, is to go to a shopping mall for the free aircon.

[@james0000]

Taking lots of showers or dips in natural pools helps a lot. My well water comes up at around 53F/11C, talk about a cold shower ;)

[@justinstilson7701]

Those cooling towels do work, you really have to shake them good. Definitely cooler than a plain wash cloth.

[@sunshinestatesurvival]

Nice! Thanks

[@GASHUBOY]

They work great for cooling off, especially if you make them go SNAP... if that makes sense.

[@IoneEvans]

The Amazon cooler fan would be good in a tent to keep cool

[@kaceeboxers3580]

Central Florida here. Lots of windows and lots of doors but zero screens! Appears I will be shopping for screening and 1x2’s to build frames. If grid was down for a while, wouldn’t bother me in the least to nail these to outside window trim. We nail plywood during hurricanes, so same concept. We do have in ground propane tank and half house generator, but this will only last for short period of time. We also use this propane for stove. Will definitely look into solar generators and panels as well as the nifty swamp AC.

[@anthonyr5869]

You are very intuitive. Thankfully here in PA we really don’t use our air conditioner so much I have a heat pump that is heat in the winter and ac in the summer, and of course basements are cool in the summer and some what warm in the winter. I lived in Florida for 26 years of my life and the heat really is something else.. going on my second year in PA I love the weather here.

[@louisiananana652]

Mission makes Cool Core, the type of cloths that she mentioned. They come in various sizes, shapes, and colors. And yes, they do work. You do have to keep wetting them if you use them for several hours. I have used them for several years

[@FiatVoluntasTua23]

Thank you perfect timing

[@thebiggshomestead]

So thankful that we live in the Ocala National Forest. We are at least 7-10 degrees cooler than in town because of all the trees

[@sunshinestatesurvival]

Lucky!

[@anthonyblake5678]

Luckily for me living in southern cali the summers aren’t that bad,but I’m really am thinking getting a power Station Luv your videos so much really important content..👍👍

[@GASHUBOY]

My 88 year old Mum and I survive Virginia summers with cold drinks and an assortment of fans. Circumstances. We've had to get used to it. Been thinking about trying to afford a decentish but affordable set of solar panels and a generator to match it. Would be nice to be able to keep the small comfort electrics going for a while. Great suggestions SSS!!

[@sunshinestatesurvival]

Oh wow, that's got to be tough for your mum. When I was younger, I feel like the heat was easier to deal with.

[@GASHUBOY]

@@sunshinestatesurvival Thankfully she does pretty well (so far) with the warm/hot seasons. It's the cold seasons she hates. Her hands get cold if it drops below 75 degrees. I think that's why I've been trying to focus on grabbing the cold weather stuff lately. Clearance prices are purdy DANDY sometimes!!! LOL

[@beccasbythebay]

First Aid we always use cool cloths on the back of the neck, wrists & ankles. It cools your blood returning to your heart & cools the body down. Electrolytes are super important. I use Gatorade zero, propel & add a liquid Electrolyte called 10,000 volts from amazon. Hubby & I are doing lawn care & live in South Texas its triple digits now. I made reflectix mats for the inside of our windows on our home they are like the car sunshields but on a roll from home depot for $100. I saw a video on rechargeable battery shop fans by Dewalt & Milwaukee at home depot. They are a bit pricy. We have a 8 ft poly stock tank pool & people freeze water bottles to put in it to cool.the water a bit more. Cold showers at night before bed. I bought cooling bandanas you soak in water. They don't expand & you have to dip often but they do help. The expanding cooling bandanas worked ok but fall apart.

[@conniesutton9043]

after watching last night, i ordered the fans, batteries and hair bands...i also ordered cooling towels :)

[@johncasey5594]

I have 3 air conditioners in my house. All 3 ACs, their initial surge, pops my Delta Max's fuse. So I am replacing the oldest with a more energy efficient 10,000 BTU Midea U shaped inverter AC. As I understand, my Delta will have no issue with it. With sufficient panels, which I have, I should be able to run it for hours in a blackout. Another tip if you don't have a pool is to get a kiddie pool. Spraying your face is fine, but after getting out of a cool pool, you will feel cool for quite some time.

[@Iridium242]

Yeah see i can run window units and my portable AC on generator power or solar but i can get away with swamp coolers out here because our humidity is so low, where you are you cant do that.. with the high humidity Some great ideas you have there

[@Jackie1111]

Thank you!

[@penneyolsen3098]

Hi Sunshine, I have tried both kinds of cooling towels and they do work! I'm a bus operator and some of the buses do not have A/C. So when I get one of the buses without, I use a cooling towel to help keep cool. They are reusable and cleaning them is easy too! Hope this helps! Take care!

[@dixievixen6045]

Cooling towels do work. Seems counterintuitive, but they do. The last fan that you showed.....I just sent it back. The problem with those is they don't work well with high humidity.

[@sunshinestatesurvival]

Ohhhh. Good to know period of course I was testing this thing out in my air conditioned home, so it wasn't a real life grid down test.

[@Myjesus-1]

I just bought 2 of the 10" fans. Now I need to collect plenty of batteries for them.

[@childoflight3388]

I have been using cooling towels that last quite a bit around my neck. You can get them in a few sizes. I use them with my kids when we do outdoor events here in North Florida. Walmart carries them in their camping section.

[@christinawhite9256]

Thank you

[@marilynb.4482]

I have the cooling towels and they are made of a mico fiber with very small holes for air flow. They are very cold but they do dry out quickly so just add more water. I live in the high desert area so they cool me off while doing chores outside. I do not know how they will do in your neck of the woods.

[@karzyladymj]

I have same fan for hurricane 🌀 season

[@briancarr186]

Very good suggestions. I might add one. As for fans... Years ago we would put a damp cloth on the back of the fan in turn it would pull cool moist air through the cloth. And periodically a spray bottle on mist directed toward the fan blowing the cool moist air back into the room. The styrofoam cooler with ice water is an excellent idea. It does work well. Should be easy enough to find some tutorial videos for making one. Thanks for all your work.

[@sunshinestatesurvival]

Thanks for that suggestion!

[@carolwhisenhunt7504]

Excellent video. Great tips I hadn't thought about. Ty. Be blessed.

[@francineg6818]

Always so helpful with great advice..Thank you ~

[@danieladams3245]

Make sure you put a towel under the swamp cooler it will sweat or condensate .... the cooling towels do work I used them in construction but you do have to rinse them off often they get slimey when sweating great ideas

[@sunshinestatesurvival]

Thanks. Just found that out! I let it run for a while after the video and it was definitely sweating.

[@danieladams3245]

@@sunshinestatesurvival your welcome

[@connieosburn6886]

Great tips ,thanks !!

[@danniemcdonald4903]

Great video with some interesting options. I will be looking into the battery-operated fans. I do have a larger one that uses 8 D batteries. I have 16 batteries for it and may look into rechargeable ones. I have 2 USB operated ones that I got on Amazon. They put out a good amount of air..

[@dawnjj]

We just had our first black out here and I used my little battery powered fans. I think I need to upsize because I had to put the fan right up to my face to get any relief.

[@caroledavis3741]

I freeze a couple of gallon water bottles and freezer them. I use a sports cooling towel and wet with the cold water as the ice melts and put it around my neck. I keep them in my cooler to help food to stay cold. I also put ice cubes i n my cooler, I put some in a bowl and put it in front of a a small 12 inch fan like (12 inch like you were showing) and as the fan blows over the ice it makes the air cool. Kind of a miniature personal swamp cooler.

[@dawnjenney5519]

Thank you for this information. I’m in SW FL and it is already very hot and humid. I have been pressing my husband for the solar generator. In May he said maybe in 2 months. I wrote it on the calendar and going to hit him hard shortly!!!! I can’t be here with no cooling.

[@michaelgoodwin6754]

Being a Midwesterner we only lose power during severe storms, but the green deal hellscape is promising rolling blackouts 🤔. We've purchased another solar generator, rechargeable fans, more rechargeable lanterns and even car battery jump starters with accessory ports to have larger stored battery packs. Not sure if i want 12volt travel coolers or buy batteries and a larger inverter to keep the fridge running 🤔. Thanks for the other ideas.

[@grindychum]

Next on my list to get is a table top ice maker ($120) the wattage usage vary from 120w to 260w for that price point. You can use the ice to fill a cooler or use to make a swamp cooler, drinks, ice packs/bags. Many of the recharable tool companies (ryobi, Milwaukee ECT) have products that are not tool related. For example I have 3 differant sized Ryobi fans, a misting fan that fits on top of a 5 gallon bucket for hours of misting pleasure, and power inverters to run AC /DC items. Tool batteries use the same lithium ion batteries (18650) that is in your eco flow SoGen and jackerys.

[@Golden3000997]

I bought an RV fridge. It draws very little power and works great! I needed it when my regular fridge died and I had to wait for a new one delivered. These are designed to use in a car/ van/ RV. They draw very little off the car battery with just a start now and then. I would expect to use it with my Ecoflow also. I am in FL also and have prepared for hurricanes for years. I always keep as many water bottles in the freezer as I can fit. Take a little water out first to allow for expansion. After power off you can take one out and have cold water as it slowly melts. If there is a hurricane approaching, I would use up as much frozen food as possible and fill the space with more water bottles. The small fridge/ freezer does a great job of freezing ice and water bottles, too. Cold water and ice are the most important things in the world to me.

[@Golden3000997]

This is the one I bought. It has two compartments, but only one setting (I used it as a freezer). I would love to have one with dual settings, but they are a lot more expensive. Also, I bought two wheeled plant stands and zip tied them together. I put the fridge on them so that I can roll it around easily. I can lift it, but don't want to have to do that all of the time. Change Moore Electric Cooler for vehicles, 42-Quart Heavy-duty Freezer/Refrigerator

[@sunshinestatesurvival]

Oh the small RV fridge is a great idea!

[@sarahshowalter9539]

That'D" cell fan I'm buying RIGHT NOWWWWWW! (didn't know ) Thank you!

[@sunshinestatesurvival]

At walmart.com, its now $19.99, but I found the same one on Amazon for way more...

[@marybethg5505]

Great video I also use a blade less fan right now when it gets too hot while I’m working it has three different speeds and it has two or three different colors nightlight it’s USB so I could be charged on the solar. It’s on Amazon it’s a desk top version but there’s also handheld and then there’s also those kind you put around your neck that blow air on your neck.

[@tamera621]

Loved this video!

[@shawnclark7326]

Love this video, thank you! Girl, you crack me up! (when you said the kiddie pools are probably now $200 since the inflation and when you were dealing with the lights on the portable ac). I use Columbia cooling sheets on my bed and they work so well. The microfiber cooling towels do work, you just have to rewet them. I'm buying the world's best hair bands, fever eez wipes, and the portable ac now. You're awesome!

[@sunshinestatesurvival]

😀 Prepping is a serious thing, but we do need to laugh about it every now and then. You'll love those hairbands!

[@billyannecrews6651]

My mom bought me the scarf like thing to cool you down because I get bad hot flashes and temperature changes. They do work: it helps to cool you down.

[@donaldmiller7580]

All great advice sunshine and again love your calm easy delivery. Focusing on one area of need (power grid down) yyou were really ableto cover lots that we, i haven't readily stored in my head.

[@sunshinestatesurvival]

Thank you!

[@charlenebrissette3348]

If you are really stuck those Japanese paper fans work better than expected.