100

[maxtog]

Well, it hit 100F here for quite a while today, coupled with typical high humidity.  Needless to say, no riding for me.  Unfortunately, my AC can't cope.  When it is hot and there is fun sun, my house just bakes.  Best it could manage was 84F with 60%RH.  Wasn't until 8pm before the target 77F was reached again.

I don't know how people survived without AC.

[DC Concours]

Why can't your AC cope?

I know mine runs long but does make it down. My house is old and not well insulated.

[Boomer]

Here in the UK, hardly any homes have AC, so be grateful that you do have some.
In our recent heatwave (104F) it stayed above 90F inside the house despite having all the doors and windows shut.
Our homes are built to keep heat in, so even once the temperatures dropped, it still took days for the house to lose the heat.
We are simply not prepared for that kind of heat here.
To add insult to injury, Ella and I were both in the middle of Covid when the heatwave hit.

[Big Red]

If your AC can't keep up, you can cool down your outside condenser by hosing it off periodically. A mister stand works well to assist AC units when they're failing.

[DC Concours]

I am sorry Boomer. Hopefully the extra ambient heat helped with fighting off Covid faster! How are guys you doing?

And what is going on there? Is this heatwave very abnormal? How hot do summers get over there?

[DC Concours]

My neighbor has one of those AC mist sprays you connect to your garden hose and wrap around the AC fins.

I wanted to buy that too but I am afraid water will rust stuff in there because on high humidity days water will not evap.

If your AC can't keep up, you can cool down your outside condenser by hosing it off periodically. A mister stand works well to assist AC units when they're failing.

[Big Red]

My neighbor has one of those AC mist sprays you connect to your garden hose and wrap around the AC fins.

I wanted to buy that too but I am afraid water will rust stuff in there because on high humidity days water will not evap.

It doesn't have to evaporate. It'll pick up heat and move it away even if it's running down. Obviously it works better when it's less humid, but it does work, even when it's super humid.

[maxtog]

Why can't your AC cope?

I know mine runs long but does make it down. My house is old and not well insulated.

I have an 1800ft2 mid-50's house with mediocre insulation in most places and with an inunsulated great room cathedral ceiling (ranch).  When direct sun hits that roof, the heat just gets in.  My rather new 3 ton variable speed MERV 13 Traine just can't keep up.  It would probably do fine if not for the cathedral ceiling.

Unfortunately, there are already issues with the great room ceiling and it is only 6" rafters, the drywall is missing in some places from moving of the skylights and in poor condition elsewhere.  The only fix is to completely remove the entire ceiling, thicken the rafters, add insulation in the now reasonable stud cavities, and all new drywall/painting.  And the thickening means issues with the two wood-covered walls where they meet the ceiling.  So it is a hugely major project that I just can't do while living in here, especially with two geriatric cats.

I should have put in a 4 ton unit (they didn't make 3.5 ton and said a 3 would suffice).  Now I am stuck.

On top of all that, this house sits on an uninsulated slab and has no vapor barrier there or in any of the walls or ceiling.  So I have almost no control over humidity.  Even with the AC running on 100%, it is not uncommon for the humidity inside to be over 65%.  And in the winter, it plummets to 10% inside.  So I also have to run a dehumidifier half the year and humidifier the other half.   Even with those, I am lucky to keep it 50% in summer and 30% in winter.  Constant noise, more electricity, waste heat, filters, humidifier dust, etc, etc.  Royal pain.  I long for a house with real insulation and vapor control.  And that isn't happening at this point.

<end of sob story>

[maxtog]

My neighbor has one of those AC mist sprays you connect to your garden hose and wrap around the AC fins.  I wanted to buy that too but I am afraid water will rust stuff in there because on high humidity days water will not evap.

It can cause corrosion, and also will deposit minerals on everything as well.  Occasional use might be OK, but doing it long-term would have issues.  Not to mention how expensive water can be...

Today it was 96F, but cloudy.  And it did OK.  Anything 95+ with full sun and it will start falling behind at around 12 to 1pm.  If I know it will happen, sometimes I try to over-cool in the morning to compensate.

[Strawboss]

1926 Craftsman style 2 story bungalow in Cleveland OH, window air unit in bedroom only, judicious use of fans to positive vent the house in the AM, then shut the windows till sunset and fans start again. After about 4-5 days of 90, this technique does not work. The basement is 10-15 degrees cooler with much lower humidity with the dehumidifier running 24/7 and pulling maybe 3-4 gallons a day that we use to water the flowers.

[zrx mitch]

NW Houston suburb

5 days over 100 in June
18 days over 100 in July so far

Forecast shows 7 of the next 12 days over 100.....


Rode daily until I saw 106 on the dash a couple of days and got lazy, been driving and enjoying the AC.

[Boomer]

I am sorry Boomer. Hopefully the extra ambient heat helped with fighting off Covid faster! How are guys you doing?
And what is going on there? Is this heatwave very abnormal? How hot do summers get over there?

Thanks DC, we are both recovering. Ella has already tested -ve and my test yesterday was pretty faint so I may test -ve today.
The heat made having a fever and stuffy head feel even more miserable than normal. I ended up sleeping with a damp t-shirt across my torso and a fan blowing on it, just to cool me down.

In a "normal" summer here the daily high temperatures are between 75F and 90F but in the last 20 years we have had several summers where the temperatures have gone into the high 90s and 3 years it went over 100. Last week we had 2 days of 100F+ and on the Tuesday the highest temp ever recorded in the UK (101.7F in 2019) was broken with the new high of 104.5F.
Today we are back to a "normal" UK summer, ie. 70F and overcast.

What we get in terms of heat is nothing compared to places like Texas or Nevada, but our problem is that we are not prepared for it because it only happens a few days per year. However, the compensation is that our winters are rarely that cold either. We occasionally see -10C (+14F) but even that is becoming rare.

[maxtog]

NW Houston suburb   5 days over 100 in June
18 days over 100 in July so far

Forecast shows 7 of the next 12 days over 100.....

I hate to say it, since it is cliche, but....   it's a "dry heat" there, isn't it?  I could tolerate a lot more heat, if it were not so freaking WET.  I just woke up, it is only 7:20am, it is already 80F and 82% relative humidity outside.  Inside, the temp is OK at 77, but it is 62% humidity... and that is with a large dehumidifier running on maximum, all night long, non-stop, with the AC.

[Big Red]

It can cause corrosion, and also will deposit minerals on everything as well.  Occasional use might be OK, but doing it long-term would have issues.  Not to mention how expensive water can be...

Today it was 96F, but cloudy.  And it did OK.  Anything 95+ with full sun and it will start falling behind at around 12 to 1pm.  If I know it will happen, sometimes I try to over-cool in the morning to compensate.

I'm talking just to get through tough times. Not long term.

An the heat here has been stupid. Monsoon season in Phoenix, so it's like 100 and 60% humidity. It's so gross.

[zrx mitch]

I hate to say it, since it is cliche, but....   it's a "dry heat" there, isn't it?  I could tolerate a lot more heat, if it were not so freaking WET.  I just woke up, it is only 7:20am, it is already 80F and 82% relative humidity outside.  Inside, the temp is OK at 77, but it is 62% humidity... and that is with a large dehumidifier running on maximum, all night long, non-stop, with the AC.

Rarely low humidity and only when we get a strong front with winds out of the north, we're ~ 40 miles from the coast. Heat index over 110 is not uncommon.

Currently 96 and 45% = heat index of 106.

[maxtog]

When I got home today, my INSIDE humidity was freaking 70%.  Why?  Because it rained briefly hours before.  Again, this is with dehumidifier running non-stop and AC on.

Hey, at least it is not 88% like as it is outside.

Have     to          keep                   positive

[DC Concours]

Damn. My asthma would flair up and I would die.

I would invest in single room window AC units. They are about $100/each

[zgirl]

NW Houston suburb

5 days over 100 in June
18 days over 100 in July so far

Forecast shows 7 of the next 12 days over 100.....


Rode daily until I saw 106 on the dash a couple of days and got lazy, been driving and enjoying the AC.

That is ONE of the reasons we haven't lived there since the '80's.   

God bless you and I hope it cools down soon.  It was so difficult to go for a run (or walk or crawl) when it was in the 80's first thing in the AM.

[zgirl]

Rarely low humidity and only when we get a strong front with winds out of the north, we're ~ 40 miles from the coast. Heat index over 110 is not uncommon.

Currently 96 and 45% = heat index of 106.

That is pretty low humidity from what I remember.  Bill and I both remember that you would take a shower, but you could never really dry off.

When we moved to Cali, the humidity was low and a mister would cool you down with a little breeze.  In Houston and in Memphis it just made you into a puddle.   

Just a thought, we found that blackout blinds and some heavy drapes work wonders during the time the sun is shining in or to retain any cool temperatures you are able to obtain. 

Best wishes for your comfort.   

[zgirl]

Here in the UK, hardly any homes have AC, so be grateful that you do have some.
In our recent heatwave (104F) it stayed above 90F inside the house despite having all the doors and windows shut.
Our homes are built to keep heat in, so even once the temperatures dropped, it still took days for the house to lose the heat.
We are simply not prepared for that kind of heat here.
To add insult to injury, Ella and I were both in the middle of Covid when the heatwave hit.

Prayers for your quick recovery and a return to normal.