The heat that has been baking the southern states has reached MN. I had the house open and drew in cool air from outside until sunrise. Then I closed every thing up and just left the fan on. The inside and outside are about the same temperature now but it is so humid out side that you drip within seconds.
I hope they install the AC tomorrow.
Hi Joe,
We're lucky so far this summer, with our highest temperatures reaching only 78 degrees. But even that's too hot for me.
So I'm forced to eat bowl after bowl of ice cream to keep cool! ;) And if it gets really bad I go shopping because nothing is colder than a grocery store.
Yes, I broke down and had a dish of Ice Cream for supper.
Jan went down to clean things up for the installers. I took my right crutch and got all of three steps down before the anxiety overwhelmed me and I hat to get back upstairs. It has taken me 10 minutes of "I am calm" to feel like me. I guess I have to work on my anxiety issues now.
Quote from: Joe S. on June 27, 2012, 04:10:35 PM
Yes, I broke down and had a dish of Ice Cream for supper.
Can I come over??? :)
Joe I think if you answer the door for the installers with your crutches ....they will understand if you did not move anything
We had upper 90's almost 100 for a few days ...so I did run AC with fans in the room as well ...and pulled the shades where the hot afternoon sun heats the rooms ...with the fans 72 degrees on the AC worked. We replaced a tree that came down with a fast growing river birch (outside the master bedroom 2nd fl) and that has helped too.
News says the next wave is coming ...Mom had her insulation redone on her contemporary ranch and says her house at the shore area is cooler (cement basement and treed lot). She has not used her AC yet.
Here in Central Illinois we're suppose to reach 100 tomorrow! :o Ugh!! Way, way too hot for me!
I play musical shades in the house. I keep the Eastern window shades closed until noon, then I open them and close the shades on the west side of the house. Keeping the direct sun out of the windows seems to help keep the house cooler. We do run the AC too if we need to, but it doesn't have to work as hard because of the window shades.
Getting in and out of the car is rough! With the car sitting out in the full sun while I'm at work - it can be quite toasty when it's time to come home. After work when it's this hot, I try not to go anywhere else . . . I just wanna go home!
We're going to be in the 90's for at least another week. :(
Joe, it's understandable the anxiety trying to do the steps. Keep on breathing! ;)
Everyone stay hydrated in this heat. Don't forget your outdoor pets too . . . make sure they have fresh water too and some shade.
Bucky
Hi Joe, We are forced to keep the windows shut and the air conditioning on early in the season due to our son's business and all the traffic that blows the dust in my house. As you know, I don't clean much and can't take all that dust sitting around.
We don't keep the air on very low and try to leave the theramstat at the same temp all the time. I do the drape thing also and having them shut really keeps the temp down in the living room and kitchen. The one thing that really helps us is that we are ono "energy Saver" with Excel energy.
They placed a box outside of the house and somehow they are able to interrupt the electricity to the AC when usage in the area gets high. They will run it for about 15 minutes every 20 minutes. This cessation in AC can happen any time, but generally it happens in the afternoon or early evening. I never wash clothes or use the dryer before 9 PM when it is hot---cheaper rates at this time. With the Energy saver we are guaranteed a 15% discount on our bill June through September and it is well worth it.
When it gets that hot I cook with crock pot or grill or we eat ice cream or cold cereal for supper. Somehow it just seems a lot hotter and especially a lot more humid than it was when I ws a kid.
HOpe you get the AC tomorrow Joe. Good luck all and stay cool Irish
I have central air, but unfortunately it just can't keep up with 111°F (~44°C) weather that we had yesterday. It does fine in normal midwest weather but when it gets to record breaking temps over 100° the compressor never shuts off. Rather than spend a small fortune on a bigger unit for the couple of weeks its bad we just got a couple cheap 110V window units that we put in the larger rooms to help the central unit out temporarily.
Oddly enough, in past experience they have made no significant difference on the utility bill. I'm assuming that the power that the little units consume is roughly offset by the fact that the big unit only runs less than half the time versus always staying on without them. Of course, when it gets that hot we also tend to shut all doors, windows, blinds, and drapes and stay downstairs where it is always cooler.
The weather did catch me off guard yesterday when it suddenly got crazy hot to the point I felt ill (heart patient, it happens), so I turned on all of the units and went for a ride in the pickup while waiting for things to cool down inside the house. I don't drive it often due to gas prices making me favor the bland sedan. But one thing is for certain, full size GM trucks have an A/C that can freeze you out of the cab in 20 minutes.
This really isn't related, but that reminded me of my first vehicle which was an 1984 Chevy pickup. I got rid of it when I started commuting to college as it got *8* mpg ;D However, I remember that it also had a stout A/C but it only had three settings; off, less-warm, and frostbite. The lower setting was inadequate in the summer, but the higher setting was always way too much for a single cab truck. I ran around with the A/C cranked and the windows down about 2" to find the sweet spot. 8)
I like to take a hot shower, wash my hair and then camp out in front of the a/c unit going full blast with my wet head... it's like super duper air conditioning. ;D GG
Hi
Having lived in FL most my life (thank God I am not now) I learned ways to keep the house cooler. I have a good window film on my windows. ALL of them. I also use shades that reflect the UV rays and heat back out. Drapes and many other window treatments just trap the heat between them and the windows. I can see through the shades and so don't feel like I am missing lights... (this all also dropped my AC working and electric bills by about 100.00 - added bonus) I keep my AC set at 78 and never feel hot in the house. An added bonus is that the window film kills the white glare of the sun so my eyes are happier. Do not use the film at the stores. Have a professional do it. Worth every penny...
Gayle
Bought an ice cream making machine... it is the BOMB!!!!
They started installing the new AC unit this morning at 7:30am. I hope that they will be complete by noon.
Gayle, is there a name to the film that you had installed? Does it hold up in a COLD climate like MN?
Hi
LLumar and Vista both have good films for windows. I am in Ga now and have some cold, (10* sometimes) but not like MN. I don't think the cold would make it fail but would ask window film dealers and installers in your area. It is with a strong warranty too...
Check it out!
Thank you Gayle.
We have central air that works!
Quote from: Joe S. on June 28, 2012, 07:46:31 AM
They started installing the new AC unit this morning at 7:30am. I hope that they will be complete by noon.
Does that mean no Ice Cream Dinner tonight??? :'(
Gayle....my Mom had film put on her skyligts...major difference. What kind of Ice Cream Maker? Inquiring Minds Want to Know.
My sister filled a tube sock with rice, then she puts it in the freezer for while. Once it's good and cold, she drapes it around the back of her neck.
Also, based on some of the studies they've done at my work, there are temperature sensitive areas on our bodies that help regulate our total temp. These areas are behind the knees, the inside of our elbows, and the palm of our hands, and of course the neck.
So if you're just lounging about in the heat, with no a/c, put some cold rice socks in those areas and your total temp will go down.
Science lesson for the day!
Congrats on the new A/C Joe!
Ohhh yall I got another cooling tip... refrigerated watermelon sliced up. Not only does it cool you off but it's really helpful for dry mouth... seems to stay moist longer than just drinking fluids. And this is summer time we might as well enjoy it while its in season. LOL <3 GG
Glad you got the AC Joe. I found mine bit the dust and got a new one installed on June 12th. Thankfully I got it before all this heat happened here in Iowa. Costwise the price has really gone up in since I bought one when I had my starter house 10 yrs ago. Wow! :o
Temps in Eastern Iowa are in the 90s and not expected to change for 2 wks. But as of now we are getting a "sprinkle" of rain. As dry as we are here, we'll take what we can get on the rain.
Yuck...99 with 50% humidity in NJ today......AC @ 72 with the ceiling fan going. We will do our errands in the early AM tomorrow.
Iraisin?? My sister filled a tube sock with rice, then she puts it in the freezer for while. Once it's good and cold, she drapes it around the back of her neck.?
Wow?I am going to try that for headaches and pain?great tip!!!
Ashewoman...we love frozen pineapple chunks... I would semi-freeze crushed pineapple for my children when they had a fever.
Joe....any Ice Cream tonight???
Tonight was meat and potatoes. Snack was Carmel and Cheese corn. The house is nice and cool.
Joe, Glad to hear that you are back to the AC world. How in the heck did we grow up with the summer heat. I remember just lying on the floor in a lightweight nightgown watching TV (balck and white of course) in the dark---trying to stay cool.
Times have changed and this hot weather and humidity we have just gets us all down. My hubby doesn't think it is any hotter than years ago and I don't agree with him. I can remember working as a nurse back in the mid 60's wearing support hose and a girdle with a polyester uniform. When I drove into my town the bank said 100 degrees. It was hot but the air was cleaner and crisper back then and the humidity and dew points must not have been as high.
Am I nutz concerning the weather. Also, thank goodness for cold cereal and ice cream in this hot weather. Irish
We had a basement family room that I spent hot days in. As a Teen, I installed a 3/4 bath in the basement so I could have a shower when it was hot. I remember a lot of cold meals and Popsicles.
I also remember sleeping on the porch with my cousins at their Lake home. No electricity, no radio, no TV, just a windup Victrola, and 78 records. We had to have split wood and tinder for cooking in the morning and hot water for clean up.
Well, today in the midst of this heat I decided to take down the crib used for the grandchildren. I didn't ask anybody if they were going to need it again. I figure the kids are getting too old to be thinking about more kids.
So, it is down and I am cooling off with a glass of ice water in front of the computer. Will soon have to get it to the basement. The basement needs cleaning---heck the whole place needs cleaning cause relatives from Arizona are coming again on the 11th and I have my infusion the 2nd and hubby sees oncology the 3rd. Gee, than we wonder where the time goes. We all know that we spend a lot of it in the doctors office. Stay cool. Irish
It's hot in se Georgia... And the temps make me miserable. Thank God for ac! And for iced tea :)