Posted on 09/03/2017 2:11:56 PM PDT by publius911
How do you deal with extreme heat? I have zeroed in on a strategy that works very well for me. I am retired, on a limited budget, do not own a swimming pool; limited retirement income.
I am also lucky to own a 41-year old house, with the originally installed ac/heating unit capable of maintaining a 33-degree differential between outside and inside temperature, apparently indefinitely. Limited only, so far, to the amount I am able to afford for pay for the energy.
I do a minimum of work inside the house and keep the thermostat between 78-82, keep the large screen LED TV- heater off, and all lights off, even the C-F and LED ones, and do al heating (soups, frozen, cooked meatballs and coffee) on the microwave.)
I go outside every 30-50 minutes and spend 3-6 minutes sitting in the shade. It is currently 110 outside, and still not the hottest part of the day. The humidity outside is 27%, inside it's 44%.
It is currently 83 inside the house.
When I come in it feels absolutely chilling for 30-50 minutes, whether the A/C is cycling on or off.
Drink plenty of liquids.
Rinse and repeat...
What works for you?
I moved to a better climate.
Before that I sweated a lot and tried to move very little.
I’m in Connecticut - it’s cold here. Today in the low 60’s. Could a borrow just a bit of your heat to get the rest of my summer veggies ripe?
p.s. The only electrical devices on at the mo are one LED floorlamp, one low power laptop and one Low power Notebook.
At 27% humidity, a swamp cooler would provide great cooling, for very little money.
....relax in your tub
I've been in desert heat (Arabian Peninsula) and I've been in Florida in September (humidity!!!) and those visits have made me wonder how people lived in either place before A/C.
Lived without AC for about 55 yrs. In southern Mo it’s just like north of philly. Hot and humid sometimes. LOVE SHADE. I have long hair and I stick my head under the faucet and have fans going. In from under the trees and out towards the sun. No insulation in homes. You would be surprised at how you can adapt. I LOVE the snow and being cold. Was in heaven (and hell) for the 3 yrs I was in VT.
My jeep doesn’t have air either. Drove up from NC to PA and it was awful. Poured 8 bottles of water over my head and clothes while driving. LOL I didn’t go 95 cause I hate that ride. Stopping in the shade to eat. Nice country people always asking if I was ok cause I had the back hatch open.
Can’t wait for the mini-ice age coming.
How do you deal with extreme heat?
I live in a moderate climate.
We cope by setting the A/C at 78 days, and 79 nights. Keeps the place nice, and cool during these Summer months when it’s always hotter’n Hades inland SoCal.
The electric bill pushes $500.00 bucks a month for several months each year, but we budget for it. SCE freaks out, sends us all sorts of condemnations in the mail for “not taking conservation seriously”, but to HELL with them, and their AGW BS.
90 plus here near southern Puget Sound with forest fire haze - we have a 2004 manufactured home with central a/c set at 69 degrees, 66 at night. A few hours daily watering of garden and shrubs, then back inside. The dog and cat don’t like it this hot, either. I miss Alaska.
I’m in Hernando Cty, an hour north of Tampa. Mid 80’s now, a little cool for this time of year only because of the on and off rain from whatever’s left of Harvey. Though it’s still too early to tell what Irma’s gonna do. Yeah, I often wonder how the Seminoles managed with the crazy summer humidity. When we first got married I made deliveries all over NYC in a truck without AC, even those few days when it would get just as hot as down here was brutal.
1. Go to a bar that allows you to run a tab.
2. After about 9 drinks stand up & scream, “Oh my God! The baby!” & run out.
3. Find new bar. Repeat.
I’m in central CA, it’s been 10-113 I keep my house like a meat locker. Costs like hell.
Also having lots of cold Gatorade on hand would help. My doc told me with type 2 staying hydrated is just as important as the diet.
I lived in CA along the west coast north of san Francisco; not a residential AC unit in sight. Ideal mild weather year round.
Then TSHTF and I lost my job after 45+ years and was offered another in the central valley, a developing desert of temperature extremes. And while away working, my wife divorced me and sold my house. But that's a whole other story.
Well....
When I come in it
Not like that.
>>At 27% humidity, a swamp cooler would provide great cooling, for very little money.
Bump that.
Throw in a whole house fan to circulate the moisture molecules on a path through the house sucking heat as they go... to be expelled out the attic vents.
Thermostatically controlled Fans on the attic vents also help.
Swamp Cooler without circulation = a humid, moldy, hot, mess.
Get a window fan and blow in cool air at night then in the morning close all blinds and curtains to keep out the hot air and solar rays.
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