Summertime thoughts

[Asiel]

We've had 3 heat waves this summer and the humidity has been unbearable . Our A/C runs from am to pm non stop. We don't open the windows at night because it never cools off enough to make it worthwhile. Anytime after 9:00 the air is so humid that it would just make things horribly damp in here. We get plenty of sun , we keep the blinds closed on the side it happens to be coming through. At suppertime we get the hottest of the sun and it heats up the house as high as 78 if we don't let the air run. We have it set for the daytime and I turn it to 68 for the night . Not worth turning it off and as was mentioned it's cheaper to let it run on the cycle than to shut and start it. Things are supposed to be cooling off a little for the weekend but we still need the air or we would fizzle out pretty fast.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Well since I don't even have AC, I don't have a choice to turn it on or off. I have one ceiling fan in the dining room and several floor tower fans. Usually I don't need AC but I sure could've used it during our last heat wave. My cats looked half dead even though I knew they weren't. I had to add another water bowl because they were drinking so much water. If it cooled down enough overnight, I would keep both windows and my sliding glass door open all night with all of the fans running. When it gets too hot out, I close all of the blinds and close all of the windows. I only get the morning sun so this also helps my condo to stay much cooler even though I'm on the second floor of three floors.

Yes, we do have AC at work but on very hot days it doesn't work well. I also sit between two hot ovens so I have a small fan that I keep at work year round so I can turn it on as needed. Humidity and muggy days just kill me. Luckily we rarely have this kind of weather. I would love to live some where that was in the 70's year round. Many years ago my parents had AC put into their house but they rarely turn it on. During this last heat wave, I kept asking them if they turned it on and they only did very briefly. They're in their mid 70's and I worry about them getting heat stoke. They're just too stubborn or don't want to pay for AC so they let themselves suffer during the heat. I just don't get it. They live enough south of me that their weather can be as much as 10 degrees hotter than mine and they really don't even get a breeze. The weather here has been great the last few days and I hope it'll continue to be like this.

[Bengalz]

Fortunately we rarely need A/C. We do have an A/C unit in our master bedroom but only run it on extremely hot days and only long enough in the evening to cool the room to a comfortable temperature for sleeping. I generally close blinds and run ceiling fans during heat spells and this does help to keep the house cooler and air circulating.

Humidity is not generally a problem either, thank goodness. I can handle the heat but humidity just depletes me and I can so relate to the discomfort that so many have mentioned in this post. Stay cool and drink lots of water.

[Randi]

If it's really hot in your bedroom, I've heard that having a bowl of cold water standing next to yourr bed - and a towel, of course, is a good idea. Stick your feet into the water for a few minutes if it's gets unbearable. That will cool your whole body off.

I came across this link with advise to keep cool: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-2...cebook_bbcnews

Also, a hot cup of tea should help.

[pomtzu]

I don't get it!!! Why have AC if you aren't going to run it to stay comfortable, because it's too costly? My comfort is worth the money. I'd rather cut corners somewhere else, than be hot and sick and miserable.

[Catty1]

It's happened in Toronto often, and sometimes in Calgary, that a heat wave causes so many AC units to be turned on that the electric companies have a brownout or resort to rotating power blackouts.

My place is like yours, KAK - I am on the second floor and often leave windows open a bit at night. The sun doesn't come around until the afternoon and I close drapes and windows before then. My place stays very cool and I have one ceiling fan that helps a lot if really needed.

I am thinking of buying some of that window film that blocks heat and UV. I have some friends that have used it and the difference is apparently amazing!

[pomtzu]

It's happened in Toronto often, and sometimes in Calgary, that a heat wave causes so many AC units to be turned on that the electric companies have a brownout or resort to rotating power blackouts.

This happens just about everywhere if it's hot enough long enough.

We're headed for our 4th - or maybe it's 5th - heat wave of this season. They consider it a heat wave if the temps are 90 or above for 3 days straight. Supposed to be in the mid to upper 90's all next week, and probably 100+ on Wednesday. Oh joy!!! - guess I know where I'll be all week with the exception of going out for about an hour for a doctor appointment. If only the humidity was lower it would be more tolerable, but when you open the door to walk outside, it's like someone tosses a hot, wet blanket in your face, and then drapes it over the rest of your body. YUK!!! - too miserable............

I'm so grateful that Myndi isn't a dog that likes to be outside. We go out - she does what is necessary - then we're back in the house.


ETA:
We've had so darn much rain this summer, that it never really drys up before the monsoons hit again. We had over 4" here again yesterday, and just about 12 miles south in Dover, they had over 6" with wicked spot flooding. The hospital parking lot had water up to the windshields on some cars, and other roadways closed because of flooding, and people with kyaks paddling down some of the roads. I just walked out to check the mail, and the ditch by the road is still flooded, and there are hundreds of pollywogs(tadpoles), swimming around in the water. And yes - the mosquitoes are ferocious this year since they have constant standing water to thrive in - even with the state spraying to try to rid them. It ain't working...........

[redbird]

Karen I couldn't live healthy without a/c. I have it on day and night when it's needed. We have had a very hot and humid summer here in NJ and I get physically ill when it's that hot so yes, I need the a/c. When we have a cool day which hasn't happened much this summer, I do open windows and Autumn loves that. Unfortunately most of this summer the windows have been closed, I just can't take the heat.

[Karen]

Well, today it has rained so much, the back yard is a pond! We have had relatively nice weather all week, then today it was absolutely pouring, and when I checked weather.com just out of curiosity, it said, "Light rain" - duh! We had downpours!

[kaycountrygal]

I run a/c starting in April and would find it horrible without one. Although this summer has not been hot hot, it has been wet and humid and warm/hot and I would be miserable without an a/c. Wonderful invention!!!

[cassiesmom]

7:15 PM... it's 80F, but 69% humidity. Not too hot but sticky.

[Asiel]

We're having another heat wave, the temperatures have been up to 30C all week but the humidity is what's keeping everyone down. I keep praying the a/c doesn't decide to break down, that would be a real catastrophy-- it's new but anything can happpen when you least expect it. And with the kind of humidity and heat we're having I think I'd be off to a cooling center in less than an hour.
We're expecting hail tonight, who knows, the forecasters have been so wrong all week about everything. After 8:30 am it's impossible to be outside, so I hope we get relief soon.
Shouldn't complain because if this breaks we could be freezing like 2 weeks ago when we were hitting below 0.