manonthemoon2
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Border of 46 and 24
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Post by manonthemoon2 on Jul 21, 2021 23:04:51 GMT 1
We've all been complaining about the wet weather recently, including me, but now it's above 30°, even in the house it's hot, how do you keep cool?
We don't have air conditioning, so keep shutters closed (don't like being in the dark though), have fans going which don't seem to cool they just blow warm air around, and even put a floor level fan on the dogs to try and cool them.
My body just doesn't seem to regulate temperature very well. Maybe a past chemo/radiotherapy thing, maybe age related?
In general how do you cope?
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JohnnyD
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Mayenne (53) When Covid allows..........Which isn't very often these days........
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Post by JohnnyD on Jul 21, 2021 23:15:30 GMT 1
I don’t think there is an easy way, the only way I have found is to do very little, and stay indoors as much as possible, it’s still cooler than outside here, if this is a reoccurring trend yearly I think I will be looking at a portable air con unit to keep at least one room cool in the house……drinking lots of cold water is good also…….
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ibis
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Post by ibis on Jul 21, 2021 23:36:14 GMT 1
I have always been told that hot drinks are better during the hot days.
During the daytime, close the shutters. Do not let the hot sun in. Open them when it is cool or with no sun on them. That is one reason why french shutters are thick.
Ceiling fans also help circulate the air. There should be a switch for winter and summer - direction of the blades spinning. I think counter clockwise is for summer.
Wear a tshirt. Sweat is a cooling mechanism for the body, if shirt less it evaporates directly into the air; with a shirt the moisture stays and cools you.
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Nifty
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Post by Nifty on Jul 22, 2021 4:04:46 GMT 1
Mopping tiled stone floors and, opening windows in morning. Keep windows and shutters closed after about 9.00 am.
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Post by Polarengineer on Jul 22, 2021 6:45:05 GMT 1
Observation of life in the hotter countries leads me to believe we need to adapt to the future climatic changes by changing our lifestyle. I tend to get up earlier, about 4:30 while still dark and get out on the garden, do the outside chores as soon as it is light enough. When the heat sets in, work in the shade and later indoors or out on a wet patio. Sleep in a cool place during the midday sun and afternoon and do the rest of the days work in the evening. A siesta is so sensible. The nights are cool enough to enjoy, but in the day heat you need to take care. Edit...the far north is looking better every day
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2021 7:39:43 GMT 1
Jump in the pool two or three times a day.
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ibis
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Post by ibis on Jul 22, 2021 8:00:23 GMT 1
Mopping tiled stone floors and, opening windows in morning. Keep windows and shutters closed after about 9.00 am. Making the room more humid is not ideal for the heat index.
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Nifty
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Post by Nifty on Jul 22, 2021 8:02:39 GMT 1
Invest in air conditioning.
that was a glib comment btw.
My floor mopping suggestion was an afterthought from my time spent in hot countries and seeing it done. I am not quite sure of any timings or reasoning. I should think it depends upon circumstances. One thing that I am confident of is that if the shade temperature outside is 40 and the inside temperature is 30 leaving any windows open will decrease the time that both temperatures are the same
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Post by spectrum on Jul 22, 2021 8:09:42 GMT 1
When we designed the house we had the bedroom with a North and East facing walls we drop the shutters on the East side then Pm put them up and drop the ones on the West side, the Velux shutter is kept closed all day, all tiled floor. Any work is done just after 0600 hrs, stay inside and read, 1600hrs is beer o'clock time so we sit in the shade on the East side just inside the garage door, but we have two fitted A/C units that I have not had connected up yet silly boy, cooler tomorrow and next week.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2021 8:26:30 GMT 1
I would definitely invest in air conditioning, it’s a godsend.
Otherwise, close shutters and windows, soak feet in cold water, drink plenty hot and/ or cold and avoid the British thing of having carpeted floors.
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Post by sw31girl on Jul 22, 2021 8:45:16 GMT 1
The house is cool so it’s not too much of a problem. My real problem is our chickens. We had one die from heat stroke last summer. Fortunately the tiled floor under the pergola is cool. I run cold water over it, mist the area with more cold water, fill up a dish with more cold water and then let the chickens out. They make a bee line for the pergola and will stay there most of the afternoon which means I have to as well. They love frozen grapies and seed!
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Aardvark
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Living in soggy 22 and still wondering what's going on.
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Post by Aardvark on Jul 22, 2021 8:51:27 GMT 1
Lots of good practical advice above. Now for something a little radical. I spent my early years in California. When the heat got too much I would completely soak my T-shirt in water and put it back on. The evaporation had an instant and reasonably long lasting cooling effect. The same trick works here. Go for it ladies if you dare.
My first thought when I read the thread title was about losing your temper. My solution would be to count to ten before throwing the first punch.
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Post by annabellespapa on Jul 22, 2021 9:25:31 GMT 1
Really good post, lots of things suggested that I have tried but I will try and combine some of them, hate the heat, that's why our holiday home is in north Brittany It was 31 degrees yesterday and any attempts at garden jobs leave me as a dusty sweaty mess, I will take on Polarengineer's advice and get up early and get the essential jobs done outside. Shutters and avoiding sun on windows certainly works and when the shade hits a window open it and still keep the shutters closed, our kitchen door has a heavy voile curtain and is great for letting cool air in. In my daughters bedroom it is very hot as it gets the sun all day, I freeze water in two litre bottles and then put two of them on a tray and blow a fan through them (with a gap between the bottles) and it does lower the temperature in her room by a couple of degrees overnight. I also put the fan on a timer so it switches off about 2 a.m and then back on again about 7 a.m. Apparently there are thunderstorms and rain predicted for the weekend, so I will wait to do my outdoor work then, 18 tonnes of gravel from the quarry due on Monday morning, I think I will rest up in the shade in anticipation
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Post by Polarengineer on Jul 22, 2021 11:57:46 GMT 1
spider gave me an idea. For those of us less decadent non pool owners, rig up an outdoor shower. Easy done with the pistol d'arrosage tied to a pole. Be very careful though, if the hose lays in the sun and it is full of water it will get hot enough to burn you severely, so run the shower till the water is cool before stepping under.
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Post by woolybanana on Jul 22, 2021 12:11:45 GMT 1
Over the winter I had an electric awning installed which runs out just over four metres from the house. This has kept the house cooler this summer as it cuts the direct afternoon sunlight considerably which used to blast straight into the house until sunset. The shaded terrace is now also a great place to sit for most of the day. Not cheap but very pleased with the result.
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