DFW Weather: How to take care of your home in the heat

DALLAS — As the Texas summer season soars to close to report temperatures, the potential for human calamity is clear. But your home could be in want of slightly TLC too.

“We have been extremely busy,” mentioned Brian White, the assistant operations supervisor at MedStar, which operates 65 ambulances and covers 436 sq. miles of Fort Worth and 14 surrounding counties. 

MedStar’s heat-related requires help from May 1 to July 5 have elevated 89.9% over the identical interval final 12 months.

“Take precautions, hydrate before you go out,” White mentioned. “And if you start feeling dizzy, nauseous, start cramping up in any kind of fashion like that, stop sweating, that’s when you need to listen to your body and take a break.” 

And for all of you who could be new North Texas residents, you may want to pay attention to your home as effectively.

Perma Pier Foundation Repair of Texas runs a complete YouTube channel on the subject. “Shift Happens” is the on-line program the place they discuss all issues basis, together with basis restore and the impression that Texas climate can convey. 

The subject for this time of 12 months is that watering your garden does not simply maintain the grass and landscaping alive, it additionally helps maintain the soil from shrinking like a drying sponge.

“And as the ground starts to pull away from the structure, the foundation, and we get these fissures in it, it just continues to contract and contract and contract,” mentioned Justin Bryant, EVP of gross sales for Perma Pier. 

“As it contracts, the soil is no longer supporting the structure, and so the weight of these houses start to drop. And the way to stay ahead of that is to keep that moist, not just around the foundation but the yard as a whole,” he mentioned. 

Difficult maybe, as many North Texas neighborhoods additionally face water restrictions proper now. Bryant mentioned maintain that in thoughts too, with your finest guess to water at evening.  

“So, if you have twice a week watering restrictions, you just need to do it twice as much on those two days. It’s easier to prevent it by being ahead of the game and doing that maintenance,” he mentioned. 

So, as first responders send out alerts, reminding us of the very actual risks of Texas heat to our kids and to our pets, keep in mind that “shift” does occur too. An instance of one thing to be cautious of as the “joys” of summer season are simply getting warmed up.