Staying cool during scorching temps, and how to help your AC

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (WPVI) -- We are in the middle of a dangerously hot stretch of weather and it's expected to last through the weekend.

"It's hot. It's the dog days of summer right now," said preschool teacher, Robyn Wheelock.

There's no shortage of places to cool off around the city of Philadelphia.

"One of the best ways to beat the heat for us is to come and spend time in the shade, spend time in the water, and make sure we are drinking plenty of water," said Wheelock.

Wheelock brought her class of nine students to Sister Cities park for an early afternoon splash.

The Center City sprayground is a hot spot for families seeking a reprieve from the scorching sun, especially with temperatures this week reaching the upper 90s.

"Early morning out in the sun and back home," said Jessica Thomas Edwards of West Philadelphia.

Not too far away we found plenty of people running or cycling around Kelly Drive who know how to handle the heat.

"Stay hydrated and don't overexert yourself," said Le-qi Tang of Philadelphia.

If you're staying indoors, experts say to make sure your air conditioning system is functioning properly.

Gorge Tefa, the owner of Green Electric Heating and cooling, gave some advice during these hot days.

"We have noticed a lot more calls coming in. Homeowners are concerned with the heat wave coming in," said Tefa.

His best advice: don't mess with the thermostat too much.

"Because they stress the unit that way when they come back and the house is 85 degrees and they want to put it to 72 degrees then the unit will be stressed," said Tefa.

He also says changing the filter every month for just a few bucks is the best way to avoid expensive service calls in the middle of a heat wave.

If you don't have air conditioning, there are several cooling centers all over the city, as well as public places like your local library or senior center.