I’ve bought myself one of these for future reference. The internet says they will work to some extent up to 70% humidity (but are more effective in dry heat.)
I am considering if I want invest in pcm (phase change mechanism) vest but they are quite expensive. I already have fans, but they are not much use above a certain temperature. I find the high heat v difficult to manage with my diabetes and asthma.
I agree that humid heat is more unpleasant than dry heat, but even dry heat is exhausting if it goes on long enough. It's finally starting to cool down here, but it's been in excess of 35° every day for over a week. My building is a solid concrete tower block, which worked quite well as insulation in the beginning, but the walls have now absorbed so much heat that they never really cool down, even overnight. A good thunderstorm would help (although I fear it might be quite apocalyptic when it finally happens).
I’ve bought myself one of these for future reference. The internet says they will work to some extent up to 70% humidity (but are more effective in dry heat.)
I am considering if I want invest in pcm (phase change mechanism) vest but they are quite expensive. I already have fans, but they are not much use above a certain temperature. I find the high heat v difficult to manage with my diabetes and asthma.
How does it avoid that horrible "wet clothes" feeling though? Or does it?
Well it claims to be wicking and you wear it over a t shirt not next to the skin. That said, at that price I expect I might feel a bit damp. But then, if I am sweating like pig I feel damp anyway.
The phase change options avoid this but are four times the price and a bit heavier.
The other thing I’ve ordered is a Culcan - which you stick in the freezer or iced water and can then stay cold for an hour. You hold it in your hands to cool your palms, which research says cools you down more quickly - it’s mainly been tested in gym sessions and shows people can do more because they are not so hot. I can also then apply it to pulse points, it is both cold but not too cold to hold to skin (like ice). It alsohas the advantage of not feeling wet and not getting water all over you electronics when you are trying to work.
I was trying to administer a table top assessment to someone yesterday morning, and removed my hat because I thought ai would be cooler. But it just meant my sweat kept running into my eyes, which when you are trying to set out stimuli, manage a stop watch and write down answers is a bit of a problem. But it is a bit difficult to show up to a professional office setting wearing a sweatband.
Bottom line, I need some solutions and our building isn’t air conditioned.
@Schroedingers Cat southern England isn't Arizona, it's still humid here and was incredibly humid and unpleasant during the peak of the heatwave on Wednesday and Thursday. Humid 38c weather is still very much hot soup mode.
In the high humidity places like ours, you get used to it every year when the heat comes and the air turns into soup. The first week is hell and then you mostly stop complaining. But that's with air conditioning. Not sure how people sleep without. We open shelters with air conditioning when the temp reaches a certain level.
Also, other environmental factors impact things. A friend of mine is a Filipino-American from the US South, and says that Manila was actually a lot more comfortable despite being hotter when she was there because there was a lot more greenery than her home city in the US. Lots of concrete and glass with little greenery will make things hotter.
In the high humidity places like ours, you get used to it every year when the heat comes and the air turns into soup. The first week is hell and then you mostly stop complaining. But that's with air conditioning. Not sure how people sleep without. We open shelters with air conditioning when the temp reaches a certain level.
They’ve published cool space maps for London this time - air conditioned space with public access. But I think it was yesterday or the day before the ambulance services were reporting cardiac arrest call outs had risen by 30%.
The big problem we have here, fundamentally - apart from aging infrastructure not built for it - is that the episodes are currently too short for adaptation. Either in terms of physiologically or life style changes.
They've also published lists of cooler old buildings such as older churches.
I do wonder if we'll see a rise in people (especially in the south of the UK) self-building Mediterranean style homes based around courtyards. I don't think the housebuilding companies would do it yet but I could see people who want to build their own houses going for that style.
I would adore having a courtyard house. What keeps me from it is lack of money--the design means you have to have a pretty big lot here, because of laws requiring a certain setback from the property line.
There are much simpler options that adapt houses to heat. Our house in foie gras land (ie South Western France) is much more suited to hot temperatures. Outside insulation, shutters on all the windows, and tiled floors. And air conditioning. Oh bliss. I very much hope to be there next time this happens. But even without the aircon, it's pretty comfortable well over 30° C. The same cannot be said of our Paris apartment.
The problem in much of Europe is that the housing stock no longer corresponds to the climate we have.
Also, other environmental factors impact things. A friend of mine is a Filipino-American from the US South, and says that Manila was actually a lot more comfortable despite being hotter when she was there because there was a lot more greenery than her home city in the US. Lots of concrete and glass with little greenery will make things hotter.
An increasing number of US cities have plans and goals around planting trees, but of course there are more trees in wealthier, usually whiter, neighborhoods. The big tree in the front yard of our building shields our unit and the one below from the afternoon sun. The landlord didn't have it trimmed in the fall when he should have, so now the city is requiring him to cut it back. If it gets the full trim, the pollarding it's supposed to have, we and our neighbors are going to get pretty hot in August and September. The landlord's maintenance coordinator listened to our pleas and says he'd have it trimmed just enough to placate the city. We'll see.
Another thing that apparently helps is painting roofs white. I was reading yesterday about a white paint designed to reflect heat through the atmosphere clear out into space. It passively cools buildings enough to reduce AC use, requires no energy, and doesn't pump heat into the surrounding air.
Still hot by British standards but cooler, and Cardiff, just 15 miles away an overnight low record of 23.5c (74.3f) on Wednesday through Friday. No wonder! We are expecting proper rain overnight which will save us watering tomorrow.
Bit of a falling out Chez Sioni.
I took a WHOLE BLOCK of butter out of the fridge having been told to use half a block at a time. I think about half of the whole block could be recovered.
Falling out has not been helped by Mrs Sioni being in a lot of pain due to her poorly knee, so I get the rap for most things at the moment, unsurprisingly.
Bit of a falling out Chez Sioni.
I took a WHOLE BLOCK of butter out of the fridge having been told to use half a block at a time. I think about half of the whole block could be recovered.
Falling out has not been helped by Mrs Sioni being in a lot of pain due to her poorly knee, so I get the rap for most things at the moment, unsurprisingly.
Ouch. Find a recipe which uses a lot of butter, and use the stuff which is not re-constitutable for that?
But I know that further south in Europe especially, the heat may be hotter, but is dry.
But when the wind blows, that dry heat feels like a blast furnace. I know because I grew up in the Great American Desert.
Wind is the thing. We lived on Malta and occasionally would get cold wind from the north (the Mistral possibly) but at other times we got the hot wind from the desert, complete with sand (the Ghibli). Both were pretty nasty and a hot day with a Ghibli, added three or four degrees, plus the awful gritty feeling. We would go to the beach club and stay in the air conditioned club house.
But I know that further south in Europe especially, the heat may be hotter, but is dry.
But when the wind blows, that dry heat feels like a blast furnace. I know because I grew up in the Great American Desert.
Wind is the thing. We lived on Malta and occasionally would get cold wind from the north (the Mistral possibly) but at other times we got the hot wind from the desert, complete with sand (the Ghibli). Both were pretty nasty and a hot day with a Ghibli, added three or four degrees, plus the awful gritty feeling. We would go to the beach club and stay in the air conditioned club house.
I know what you mean. I have seen how car paint can be stripped because of the grit in the air. Had to repaint two of my cars and replace the windshield of a pickup because it had been pitted by the sand in the air.
I’ve bought myself one of these for future reference. The internet says they will work to some extent up to 70% humidity (but are more effective in dry heat.)
I am considering if I want invest in pcm (phase change mechanism) vest but they are quite expensive. I already have fans, but they are not much use above a certain temperature. I find the high heat v difficult to manage with my diabetes and asthma.
How does it avoid that horrible "wet clothes" feeling though? Or does it?
Having now had it arrive and tested it, the answer is it emphatically does not. What it does is allow you to wear a waterlogged garment whilst not looking wet to observers, or the wet T-shirt effect. However, it also drips water - so I might wear it outside at a festival if it were hot enough, but unlikely elsewhere.
Oh well, I tried.
The Ice Beanie I would recommend though. Very cold, or milder if you fridge it, comfy and doesn’t feel wet.
We are headed for the South West of France where they are forecasting 39°. We do have air conditioning, so this time I shall be bored rather than hot (I am anticipating a lot of time shut up indoors).
Boredom can be ameliorated by quantities of Wine, Cheese, Bread, and Melons (happy memories of holiday picnics with my sister in France ), perhaps with a good book or two - though I guess Captain P will require attention from time to time!
BTW, my sister now lives at the seaside (Leucate-La Franqui, not far from Narbonne), where it's 31C in the evenings. She tells me that the worst of the current wildfires is west of Perpignan, close to where she and my b-in-l lived until about 3 years ago...
Got up to 95F/35C today, but the humidity was below 15% which makes it a Red Flag Fire Warning today. No fires in the immediate area. Some small burns that were quickly put out.
We have AC. It did not kick on to later in the day. About 2015 it was cool enough to open up the house.
One of the large reservoirs in southern Idaho is down to 7.8% pool today. They will be out of water in the next couple of weeks.
There are fires as far north as Dijon and Touraine, and more in Spain and Portugal.
I read one report that said 17,000 acres burned in one fire. At 640 acres to the square mile I make that 26.5 square miles. That looks awful 😢
Looked after our little grandsons today after school. They live an hour's drive from here and it was considerably hotter there than here. I felt absolutely wiped out with the heat 🥵 😬
We had a high of 30c, two degrees above forecast and it felt like another two. We did get out to do “A little shopping” which turned into £80!
At least we bought everything we set out for.
It went down to 30° today, but I've had enough, and may have to resort to a foolproof way of making the heat go away: a stiff glass of ouzo with a little water and a plenty of ice.
Dreading the inevitable summer of wildfires in the New Forest (which is not far from me). Also hoping for a wet August in order to avoid a prolongued drought - it's so sad to see the stream by my building looking so low. Wildlife along the river has also been less active in the heat. In 2012 was there a hot June/July before the deluge in August?
Hoping for a rainy August/September and then a sunny October.
It went down to 30° today, but I've had enough, and may have to resort to a foolproof way of making the heat go away: a stiff glass of ouzo with a little water and a plenty of ice.
I've yet to find a drink the cooling effect of which extends beyond actually drinking it.
Comments
I am considering if I want invest in pcm (phase change mechanism) vest but they are quite expensive. I already have fans, but they are not much use above a certain temperature. I find the high heat v difficult to manage with my diabetes and asthma.
Slightly more clement from tomorrow onwards, They say, but no doubt They are planning the now-traditional monthly heatwave for the end of July.
How does it avoid that horrible "wet clothes" feeling though? Or does it?
The phase change options avoid this but are four times the price and a bit heavier.
The other thing I’ve ordered is a Culcan - which you stick in the freezer or iced water and can then stay cold for an hour. You hold it in your hands to cool your palms, which research says cools you down more quickly - it’s mainly been tested in gym sessions and shows people can do more because they are not so hot. I can also then apply it to pulse points, it is both cold but not too cold to hold to skin (like ice). It alsohas the advantage of not feeling wet and not getting water all over you electronics when you are trying to work.
I was trying to administer a table top assessment to someone yesterday morning, and removed my hat because I thought ai would be cooler. But it just meant my sweat kept running into my eyes, which when you are trying to set out stimuli, manage a stop watch and write down answers is a bit of a problem. But it is a bit difficult to show up to a professional office setting wearing a sweatband.
Bottom line, I need some solutions and our building isn’t air conditioned.
They’ve published cool space maps for London this time - air conditioned space with public access. But I think it was yesterday or the day before the ambulance services were reporting cardiac arrest call outs had risen by 30%.
The big problem we have here, fundamentally - apart from aging infrastructure not built for it - is that the episodes are currently too short for adaptation. Either in terms of physiologically or life style changes.
I do wonder if we'll see a rise in people (especially in the south of the UK) self-building Mediterranean style homes based around courtyards. I don't think the housebuilding companies would do it yet but I could see people who want to build their own houses going for that style.
The problem in much of Europe is that the housing stock no longer corresponds to the climate we have.
An increasing number of US cities have plans and goals around planting trees, but of course there are more trees in wealthier, usually whiter, neighborhoods. The big tree in the front yard of our building shields our unit and the one below from the afternoon sun. The landlord didn't have it trimmed in the fall when he should have, so now the city is requiring him to cut it back. If it gets the full trim, the pollarding it's supposed to have, we and our neighbors are going to get pretty hot in August and September. The landlord's maintenance coordinator listened to our pleas and says he'd have it trimmed just enough to placate the city. We'll see.
Another thing that apparently helps is painting roofs white. I was reading yesterday about a white paint designed to reflect heat through the atmosphere clear out into space. It passively cools buildings enough to reduce AC use, requires no energy, and doesn't pump heat into the surrounding air.
I took a WHOLE BLOCK of butter out of the fridge having been told to use half a block at a time. I think about half of the whole block could be recovered.
Falling out has not been helped by Mrs Sioni being in a lot of pain due to her poorly knee, so I get the rap for most things at the moment, unsurprisingly.
Ouch. Find a recipe which uses a lot of butter, and use the stuff which is not re-constitutable for that?
But when the wind blows, that dry heat feels like a blast furnace. I know because I grew up in the Great American Desert.
Wind is the thing. We lived on Malta and occasionally would get cold wind from the north (the Mistral possibly) but at other times we got the hot wind from the desert, complete with sand (the Ghibli). Both were pretty nasty and a hot day with a Ghibli, added three or four degrees, plus the awful gritty feeling. We would go to the beach club and stay in the air conditioned club house.
I know what you mean. I have seen how car paint can be stripped because of the grit in the air. Had to repaint two of my cars and replace the windshield of a pickup because it had been pitted by the sand in the air.
It's good to know that going to church is cool.
Having now had it arrive and tested it, the answer is it emphatically does not. What it does is allow you to wear a waterlogged garment whilst not looking wet to observers, or the wet T-shirt effect. However, it also drips water - so I might wear it outside at a festival if it were hot enough, but unlikely elsewhere.
Oh well, I tried.
The Ice Beanie I would recommend though. Very cold, or milder if you fridge it, comfy and doesn’t feel wet.
Booo! Ssssss!!!
Indeed
BTW, my sister now lives at the seaside (Leucate-La Franqui, not far from Narbonne), where it's 31C in the evenings. She tells me that the worst of the current wildfires is west of Perpignan, close to where she and my b-in-l lived until about 3 years ago...
Alcohol dehydrates
Nothing like chilled water
Forecast is for 25C tomorrow but getting hotter towards the end of the week
Ho hum......
We have AC. It did not kick on to later in the day. About 2015 it was cool enough to open up the house.
One of the large reservoirs in southern Idaho is down to 7.8% pool today. They will be out of water in the next couple of weeks.
Around here, the hot, hot days are in August.
Alcohol does, but at what percentage does that dehydration outweigh the effect of the water it's in?
Thanks for the science.
And that is exactly the recipe on the bottle, which we use. As we add ice and diet lemonade, we should be even more in credit.
They've got a lot of products for all sorts of applications, with evaporative cooling, like this one, or inserted ice-packs.
Even in the UK, it often does get hotter into August, so we may well not have seen the worst this year.
Not looking forward to it. Brain is already in meltdown.
I read one report that said 17,000 acres burned in one fire. At 640 acres to the square mile I make that 26.5 square miles. That looks awful 😢
At least we bought everything we set out for.
Hoping for a rainy August/September and then a sunny October.
I've yet to find a drink the cooling effect of which extends beyond actually drinking it.