A power outage in July isn’t just uncomfortable — in an apartment with no backup cooling, it can turn dangerous fast. This one is for anyone living in an apartment or rental, and honestly, it’s personal. Our daughter is moving into what her dad affectionately calls “the bowels of Hades” very soon, and it’s got him a little concerned. So sweetheart, this one is for you — and for everyone else in a similar situation.
If you own your home, you have options such as whole-house fans and window-unit installations. If you rent, you’re working with a different set of rules. You can’t always modify the structure, and you may be sharing walls, water heaters, or even a single bathroom with people who need the same resources you do. But that doesn’t mean you’re powerless. Here’s how to stay cool and safe, whether you’re dealing with a planned rolling blackout or a longer grid-down situation.
Know Your Climate First
Before you do anything else, figure out whether you live in a dry climate or a humid one. This matters more than you’d think. Techniques like misting yourself with water or running a fan across a wet towel work beautifully in dry air — the water evaporates and pulls heat away from your body. In humid air, that same moisture just sits there and makes things worse.
If you’re in a humid climate, you’ll need to lean more heavily on ice, cooling centers, and air conditioning where you can find it. If you’re in a dry climate like we are, evaporative techniques are going to be some of your best friends.
Your location within the building matters too. A basement apartment will run cooler than a top-floor unit under a hot roof. You may not be able to change that, so plan around whatever situation you’re in.
Understand the Difference Between Rolling Blackouts and Grid-Down
In the summer, high demand for air conditioning can cause rolling blackouts — the power goes out for a while, then comes back. This is different from a true long-term grid-down event, and it actually gives you an advantage: if you know a blackout is scheduled or likely, you can prepare in the hours before it hits.
Before a scheduled or expected outage:
- Chill your apartment as cold as you comfortably can.
- Fill containers and freeze them for later use as ice packs or to cool drinking water.
- Fully charge every battery, power bank, and portable power station you own.
Windows: Your First Line of Defense
Windows are one of the biggest sources of heat gain in any home, but especially in an apartment where you can’t control landscaping or roof insulation. A west- or south-facing window with afternoon sun beating through it will heat a room fast.
- Use a removable window film. These films block up to 94% of UV rays and 85–87% of infrared heat, and they’re inexpensive. They cut and stick with a simple spray-bottle application — no permanent changes, fully renter-friendly, and easy to remove when you move out.
- No film? Use a Mylar blanket. Tape it up in the window with painter’s tape for a temporary, budget-friendly version of the same idea.
- Close blinds and curtains during the heat of the day, and open windows at night or early morning when it’s coolest outside — as long as humidity allows it.
- Create cross-ventilation by opening windows on opposite sides of your space, even just cracking two windows, so hot air has somewhere to go.
Water: Store More Than You Think You Need
In a heat emergency, plan on 2 to 3 gallons of water per person, per day — more than you’d store for a typical emergency, because your body is losing so much through sweat. This doesn’t have to be expensive.
- Clean, reused bottles filled with tap water work just fine and can be tucked under a bed or in the bottom of a closet.
- If you have a bit more room and budget, stackable water storage containers or a water storage kit made for bathtubs (often called a “water bob” or “Aquapod” ) can hold a large volume in a small footprint.
- Rockwell Water sells a 35-gallon water tank called the Exodus 35 that can be covered and used as furniture. It would be a great investment for anyone living in an apartment for water storage. Use the promo code PROVIDENT to get 5% off.
- Add electrolytes to your stored water, especially if you’re sweating heavily. You can buy electrolyte packets, or make your own oral rehydration solution: 5 cups clean water, 6 teaspoons sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, and if you have it, ½ cup orange juice for added potassium. Stick to a tested recipe — too much salt can be dangerous, so don’t guess at the ratios. this recipe comes from Armageddon Medicine.
- Print the graphic below and put it with your emergency notes. This is based on the CDC recommendations.
Personal Cooling That Actually Works
The goal here isn’t just to feel cooler — it’s to actually lower your body temperature, especially for anyone elderly, very young, or medically vulnerable.
- Cool your pulse points. Ice packs or a cold, wet cloth under the arms and in the groin area cool your blood — and your whole body — faster than almost anything else.
- Use a spray bottle. Misting your arms, neck, and face and letting it evaporate works especially well in dry air.
- Try a wet sheet or wet clothing. Soak a sheet, wring it out, and drape it over yourself to sleep. It sounds extreme, but in summer heat it can be the difference between sleep and misery.
- Cooling towels and neck wraps with built-in crystals absorb water and release it slowly, keeping you cool for hours. This cooling hoodie towel is amazing!
- A personal battery-powered fan can run for many hours on a single charge and can be worn around your neck for continuous airflow.
Power: Small Sources Make a Big Difference
You don’t need to power your whole apartment — you need to power the few things that matter most.
- A portable power station can run a fan, charge phones, or run small medical equipment, even if it can’t run a refrigerator. If you have a balcony or window that gets sun, a small solar panel can help keep it topped off. Check this post to learn about sizing your power station.
- Your car is a backup cooling option. If it’s safe to do so (never in an enclosed garage, due to carbon monoxide risk), sitting in your car with the air conditioning running for a short time can give you real relief while also charging your devices. This is also a good reason to keep your gas tank at least two-thirds full during hot months.
Food Without Cooking or Constant Fridge Access
When the power’s out, every time you open the fridge, you let the cold out. Plan ahead:
- Decide in advance what you’ll need, then load a cooler or ice chest with those items so you’re not opening the fridge repeatedly.
- Stock shelf-stable foods that need no cooking — granola bars, sandwiches, fruit — so you’re not adding heat to your space by using a stove.
- Cold drinks do double duty: they hydrate you and help cool you from the inside.
Mobility Is Your Superpower
If your apartment becomes unsafe or unbearable, you are not obligated to stay in it. Look for a cooling center, a public building like a library or mall, or the home of a friend or family member with power. This is especially important if anyone in your household is elderly, very young, or immune-compromised — heat can turn dangerous quickly for these groups.
Lean on Your Community
This is one of the most important tools you have, and it costs nothing but a little effort now. Get to know your neighbors before you need them. We once had a family member having a severe asthma attack with no power for her nebulizer during an outage — we ended up driving until we found a house with its lights on and asking a stranger if we could use an outlet. They were gracious, and it made all the difference. It’s always better if it’s someone you already know, so start those relationships now. Find out who has a bigger power station, who has medical equipment needs, and who you should check on when the power goes out.
The Bottom Line
If you take nothing else from this, remember three things: personal cooling, hydration, and mobility. You don’t need to own a home to be prepared — you need a plan, and you need to act on it before the heat forces your hand.
Thanks for being part of the solution!
Jonathan and Kylene Jones