Five Ways to Beat the Heat in Ottawa 2023

When the temperature and humidity are high, our bodies can overheat, especially in the first few days of hot weather while our bodies adjust. Here are some ways to stay cool even if you don't have air conditioning. Before you head out, check the linked websites for opening dates, locations, fees, and hours of service!

Take cool baths and showers as often as needed or soak hands or feet in cool water to lower your body temperature. If you cannot shower or bathe easily, sponge often with cool wet towels. Focus on cooling the back of the neck, under the arms and groin area.

Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol and caffeine.

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Shade from a tree is cooler than shade from a building that holds heat. Bring a parasol or an umbrella, sunscreen, and water in case you need to wait outdoors in the heat, such as in a lineup.

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If you have air conditioning, use it during a heat wave to keep your home cool. Heat that builds up in buildings stays for days, even when cooler outdoor temperatures arrive.

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Fans keep you cool by speeding up evaporation of your sweat. Fans do not cool the air; they just move it around. For this reason, use a fan along with windows or doors that are open to the outside or another space with cooler air. Drink lots of fluids so you perspire normally and wear minimal clothing indoors—cotton is a good choice in hot weather.

• Mist or wet your skin or clothing with water to help cool off faster when using a fan.• Using a fan in a closed room without windows or doors open to the outside or cooler space is less effective.

If it's hotter inside (and cooler outdoors):Open windows when the outdoor air is cooler than the indoor air. Use a fan in or next to a window or door to bring in cooler outside air, especially at night or from a window on the shaded side of the building. If you only have one fan but want cooler outside air to come in to more than one room, open windows in each of the rooms and use the fan to blow air out of a window in another room or hallway – air will be drawn into the home through the other open windows. If a second fan is available, use one to bring air in and the other to blow air out of the home through a different window to help move cooler air throughout the home.

If it's hotter outside (and cooler inside): Close windows and window coverings, especially when they get direct sun. As the temperature drops outside, reopen windows that are no longer receiving direct sunlight.

Note that fans may not be enough to keep you cool when the humidity is very high, it is very hot, or your body doesn't produce enough sweat, and you may have to seek a cool shelter. Call 2-1-1 or 3-1-1 to seek assistance in finding a cool indoor or outdoor place to go.

City of Ottawa services and facilities call 3-1-1