Heatwave 2022

[Medicine Woman]

So I live in the Deep South. It’s currently 91F outside and rising. Expected to get up to 97 and that’s not even the hottest it’s been lately. Fortunately we are in a small house so less place to cool. Looking for ideas and inspiration from others on cheap or free ways to beat the heat.
So today I am throwing free and cheap in the garage because rather than listen to advice on setting my AC to terrarium, I have bought some blackout blinds and curtains I plan on hanging.
I know I am not the only one here hiding inside right now.

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

we have hit the upper 90s and 100F this past week. We closed up the blinds and blackout curtains too. We used ceiling fans and boxed fans at night. We turned on the AC around 5 pm until bedtime just to get the humidity out of the house so we could all sleep comfortably, but we didn't use the AC otherwise. Thankfully we live in a hundred year-old farmhouse with LOTS of mature shade trees around the house

 

[CrealCritter]

It was brutal here last week, we got a bit of a break over the weekend then back to brutal again starting tuesday. I seen Huston Texas forcast and felt cooler already . Put on the skeeter beater and work outside in the evening with a modern version of coal miner's light (led) strapped to your head.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Yep - triple digits for us until next week. We're ALL hiding. Dogs go out just long enough to potty. Horses are on the back porch under the fans, lol. Pig is in her wallow and the goats just endure. They have plenty of shade and I go out and refresh all the water buckets/troughs mid-afternoon.

Just got my electric bill and so thankful that I recently locked into a rate for two years. I'd hate to see what it would be if I had a variable rate right now. I fight DH all day and night. I try to keep the thermostat on 74 and wants it at 72. He turns it down and I sneak over and turn it up, lol. We keep several fans going too. Right around $270 this month and I'm extremely grateful. Plus - we're all electric.

 

[tortoise]

My first strategy is heat acclimation. I use AC more for humidity and try to keep it within 10 degrees of outdoor temp. If outdoors is 95, my AC is 85. Unless DH is home - he works in AC so he doesn't acclimate to heat as well. When he insists on too-cold AC I go outside. (Note: some people are less able to acclimate to heat - infants, elderly, and those with autonomic neuropathy or other conditions that limit their ability to sweat. Probably some other groups I'm unaware of too) Heat acclimation takes a few weeks, and everyone has to start over each season. It's worth it for me to manage my heat intolerance and I think it has value for preventing deaths in the case of heat wave + power outage.

I have an old farmhouse with a mature shade tree on the south side. I have blackout curtains on the east side and south side patio door. I open windows on the shady side of the house - unless the house is 20 degrees cooler than outside (such as if it cooled off overnight), then I close windows and shades to keep it cooler for longer.

I soak my hair before leaving home. That makes a big difference in cooling. I have more trouble with direct sunlight than just heat, so I bring a thin or lace white scarf, pullover, and skirt when I expect I can't get out of the sun.

At events, I use a sport umbrella with aluminum mesh tarp on top of it. I am starting to get into a habit of packing a cooler with electrolyte and/or sport drinks and ice, but that's more for others at dog training classes than for myself.

My sheep lay against the barn walls. My barn is partially sunk in the ground and has cement block walls. We don't put bedding down on the half of pens near the wall so they can lay out on the cement to cool. They graze in the early morning, evening and night.

 

[Medicine Woman]

Yeah….my current home was a very old house my in-laws bought over 65 years ago that already had a history. People have been born and died in the house. But it’s a shotgun style house, popular in southeast Louisiana. It looks like it’s an ideal type house for the area. Lots of them are just needing some roof repairs and such but my house was totally destroyed. It’s not even insulated but it’s not bad on utilities. I am not used to living small though.

 

[baymule]

I’ve lived without AC quite a few times in my life. I much prefer the AC and electric bill to go with it. For sleeping, spray mist the top sheet and blow a fan on it. It can actually make you feel cold.
Hang a damp towel in front of a fan.
Close blinds
Blackout curtains
Do outside work in early mornings and late evenings.

Been triple digits here for a week, more up ahead!

 

[Lilbitsnpieces]

I too old farmhouse and have had high 90s with high humidity. ..last July, in a storm we lost ALL the mature trees on the South..so a major shift and has been uncomfortable..but doing as most are above..swamp coolers, cooler filled with ice and a small fan clipped behind it...all ceilings have fans on low, dark curtains on south and west after 10am..chores start at 3 or 4 AM. Thankfully ducks have ponds and Mama's are in shade from a large everygreen. Caught Chickens standing in water, (which surprised me) so gave them their own small kitty litter pail pool. Also feed frozen fruit, once at 11and again at 3-4pm. Currently in process of trying to mount solar panels above southern windows..thinking double duty as an awning? Yep I'm proud redneck that way!..plus could run some things in mom's room

 

[flowerbug]

So I live in the Deep South. It’s currently 91F outside and rising. Expected to get up to 97 and that’s not even the hottest it’s been lately. Fortunately we are in a small house so less place to cool. Looking for ideas and inspiration from others on cheap or free ways to beat the heat.
So today I am throwing free and cheap in the garage because rather than listen to advice on setting my AC to terrarium, I have bought some blackout blinds and curtains I plan on hanging.
I know I am not the only one here hiding inside right now.

make sure they're white to reflect the most light.

if you have something like a tarp put it up a foot or two above your roof and leave plenty of air space to allow air to circulate. the tarp will catch most of the sunlight and heat and keep the house cooler. of course, make sure not to block important vents. if you have easy access to water spray the roof a few times during the hottest part of the day to cool things off.

 

[Chic Rustler]

the main thing is to keep your ac in good shape. have it serviced and keep the filters changed.

if you have window units pull em out in the spring and take them to the carwash to clean the coils.

100+ aint that bad out if you got some shade and a breeze. its 80°f and 90% humidity that kills me.