SALT LAKE CITY -- Our cool, wet spring seems like a distant memory.
Temperatures will hit the highest marks of the year this week in northern Utah, and triple digits are possible.
FOX 13 News spoke with experts on how to best deal with the heat from your pocketbook to your health.
If you're staying cool indoors that means your electric bill is rising along with the temperatures.
“Anytime there is a change in the weather it puts a certain amount of stress on the Rocky Mountain Power electric system,” said Margaret Oler, spokeswoman with Rocky Mountain Power.
To avoid blackouts during the summer months RMP encourages customers to cut down on energy use between the hours of 2 and 10 p.m.
“Summer is the high peak demand for electricity so we need customers to remember that and anything they can do to shift their use away from the high peak demand of the day is very helpful,” Oler said.
During the day, RMP officials suggest keeping the house thermostat to at 78 degrees.
“When you're away from home set that at 80 degrees or higher than that,” Oler said.
But it’s not just your energy bill. Extreme heat can also take a toll on your health.
“Infants and the elderly cannot regulate their body temperatures as well as an adult can and so you think they're asleep in the car it's dangerous it's never a good idea to leave a child alone in a vehicle the temperatures can get really hot really fast and it can be deadly,” said Jenny Johnson the Unintentional Injury Manager with the Utah Department of Health.
The health department says it's important for everyone to stay hydrated.
“By the time you get to being thirsty it's too late, you're already dehydrating so if you're planning a bike ride drink water beforehand so you're hydrated,” Johnson said.
And don't forget the sunscreen.
“Wear a hat that's going to cover your face your ears your neck make sure you stay hydrated also wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher.
You can see other energy saving tips at https://www.rockymountainpower.net/res/sem/het.htmland health tips at http://www.health.utah.gov/media/pdf/20050718-summerheat.pdf
