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PORTLAND Ore. (KPTV) - Portland-area resident Andrew Imboden and his family spent the day at a food cart pod enjoying savory eats and sunshine before this Oregon heat wave hits.

“My first thought is going to be that we have to spend more time inside,” Imboden said.

These next few days, the National Weather Service would say it’s a shrewd decision. The NWS has issued an excessive heat warning in effect starting Thursday.

Along with these guidelines, Portland General Electric is asking consumers to reduce power, which means getting creative around the house.

“We have a lot of East-facing windows, and it begins to cook when the sun comes up,” Imboden said. “When we want to cool it down, we’ll make sure to keep the blinds down to save us a few degrees.”

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For business owners like Jesse Jones of Daisy Grill Cheese and Tomato Soup, a normally huge revenue-generating weekend could be called on a count of rising temperatures.

“Play it by ear, if it’s too hot, it’s just not worth it,” Jones said. “With what you have happening outside, you have to consider it’s like 10-15 degrees hotter in here, it’s something we all have to consider.”

On Wednesday, a PGE spokesperson shared several suggestions to help avoid potential blackout concerns. During peak usage times, which is from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., the energy provider has a list of suggestions such as setting thermostats set between 70-75 degrees, limiting high-usage heat appliances, unplugging unused devices, and keeping an outage kit for any unforeseen issues.

“You’re going to have those high temperatures impacting the power lines of the transformers, the substations,” PGE Spokesperson John Farmer said. “By everyone reducing energy use, we can we can lower some of the strain on that electrical equipment.”

Portland General Electric said crews will be ready for potential issues but don’t expect any major outages.

Still, it’s a good lesson for all those hoping to keep cool during these sizzling summer days ahead.

“Cereal and milk, don’t turn on the stove or oven,” Imboden said.