Prepare the house for extreme heat

Protect the people first, reduce heat gain, test cooling, and choose a backup place before the house becomes unsafe.

Prepare for extreme heat around people first, then the house. Identify anyone who may need extra help, arrange a cooler backup location, reduce sun before it enters, check cooling equipment under normal controls, and plan for a power outage. Fans can improve comfort, but they are not a substitute for a safely cooled space in dangerous indoor heat.

Ready.gov's extreme-heat guidance emphasizes recognizing heat illness, checking on people at higher risk, and knowing where cooling is available. Use current local emergency and public-health instructions for the actual event. A house plan should make those instructions easier to follow.

Decide who checks whom

Make a simple contact plan for older adults, young children, people who are pregnant, people with health conditions or limited mobility, outdoor workers, and anyone without dependable cooling. Include pets and the practical needs around medications or powered medical equipment. Ask the appropriate health professional about individual heat or medication concerns rather than improvising medical advice.

Choose a backup place that is reliably cooler and confirm how everyone will get there. Local cooling centers, family, community spaces, or lodging may be options depending on local guidance. Decide what condition triggers the move: cooling failure, outage, unsafe indoor temperature, a health warning, or an evacuation notice. Do not wait for someone to feel ill before discussing the route.

Stop solar heat before it reaches the room

Close appropriate shades or curtains before strong sun reaches the glass. Exterior shade can be more effective when it is safely installed and does not block required egress or ventilation. Keep doors and windows closed when outdoor air is hotter or unhealthy, then ventilate only when local conditions are suitable.

Pick the rooms that remain coolest and reduce unnecessary heat from lighting, cooking, laundry, and electronics during the hottest part of the day. Use safer meal and appliance timing without compromising food safety. Never use an outdoor grill, camp stove, or other combustion appliance indoors for convenience.

Test cooling before it becomes the only defense

Run the system with the normal thermostat controls. Note whether the indoor blower and outdoor equipment start, whether airflow is typical, and whether the house is gaining temperature despite continuous operation. Check the accessible filter and clear ordinary blockage from grilles and around outdoor equipment according to the maker instructions.

Do not open equipment panels, handle refrigerant lines, or repeatedly reset a breaker. Visible ice, leaking water, a burning odor, smoke, sparking, or repeated electrical trouble needs service. The AC not-cooling guide separates safe observations from technician work without turning the heat event into a replacement pitch.

Use fans for people, not empty rooms

A fan moves air across skin; it does not cool the room itself. Turn it off in an empty room unless it serves a specific ventilation purpose. During extreme indoor heat, follow public-health guidance on whether fan use is appropriate. Do not point a fan at a combustion problem, contaminated area, or source that would spread pollutants through the house.

If smoke or poor outdoor air is part of the event, cooling and filtration decisions become connected. Keep the correct HVAC filter installed and use the indoor-air guide to avoid fixes that overload the system or mask a source.

Plan for the power to fail

Charge phones and necessary battery equipment, prepare safe lighting, keep drinking water available, and know how building access or garage doors work without normal power. Protect food by minimizing refrigerator and freezer opening. Follow utility and emergency guidance for outage reporting and restoration estimates.

Write the utility account and outage contacts somewhere available without internet access. If the household depends on powered medical equipment, make a backup-power and relocation plan with the equipment provider and health professional. A portable phone battery is useful, but it is not a substitute for a medically appropriate power plan.

Never run a portable generator, grill, or fuel-burning engine inside a house, garage, basement, shed, or other enclosed or partly enclosed area. Generator placement, connection, fuel storage, and electrical transfer equipment have serious carbon-monoxide, fire, and shock risks. Follow the generator maker, utility, fire-safety, and emergency guidance, and use qualified installation help rather than improvising a connection.

Know when the house plan has failed

Leave for the cooler location when the agreed trigger occurs. Follow emergency guidance for signs of heat illness and call emergency services when directed. Do not rely on a thermostat display alone if people are struggling, and do not delay because the cooling system might restart soon.

Our view: a fan, a case of water, and a closed hot house do not make an emergency plan. The plan needs a person responsible, a destination, transportation, and a clear reason to go.