In case you haven’t noticed, iit’s hot out there. It almost doesn’t matter where you live—even the goddamn arctic circle experienced temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit a couple of years agoand heat waves have made life unbearable in Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia this summer. And we know there are going to be more heat waves more frequently, bringing even higher temperatures. While we’ve all learned a few lessons about surviving extreme heatwe’re at the point where preventing climate change is probably no longer an option—now it’s all about preparation and planning. If you’re suffering in your house right now because of a heat wave, it’s probably only going to get worse.

The (slightly) good news is that you can take some steps today that will at least mitigate the effects of heat on your house tomorrow.