Miserable? Hot? Feeling fatigued? Even in your AC house? Make sure you are helping out the AC unit.
Here in central Florida and most of Florida, it is HOT. It is not just the heat but combined with the humidity.
We replaced our AC central unit a couple of years ago and went 1 ton up on it’s capacity. It had a 3 ton and we chose a 4 ton unit. This is an expensive venture but a couple of years ago the unit went out and it has paid for itself by keeping up with the heat, especially this year.
We keep the thermostat on 77. We do have ceiling fans in every room. We also have 4 backup window units in case the central goes out but we have also used the window units to keep one area cool and not overdo the central by keeping rarely used rooms cool. We have drapes closed in every single room. We do not cook except early morning or late evening. The rest of the time we use the microwave. We also wear loose fitting clothing.
There has been times from May until even today...the temps are in the upper 90’s and no breeze. We also have heat index temps of well over 100.
My husband has thrown a water hose on top of the awning on the lanai and it drops the temp maybe 5 to 7 degrees. It is like raining just in that small area. The upright fans cool it off enough out there where it is tolerable to sit out there for a bit. The awning is always providing shade but the water cools that awning off from the direct sunlight. One can sit out there ... Not long but long enough not to feel trapped in a house all of the time. We keep lights off and just one or two lamps. Led bulbs. We run appliances like the stove and washer and dryer at night. There is relief but still hot at night. 80 to 85 well into the 3AM times. Of course the refrigerator is on ALL the time..But we do have coolers with ice out on the lanai to keep from depleting the ice maker ice.
Showers….Unbelievable how cool one can get after a warm shower and step out of the shower. While it sounds counterintuitive, the heat from the shower can help to cool your body temperature when you lay down. “What happens is that dilates the blood vessels in your skin, which helps the body dissipate heat, which allows your body to cool off, to fall asleep..
Hydrate….Hydrate...Hydrate. I walk around with a bottle or glass of water and iced tea in between. . I also keep my feet and head cool. I will wash my hair LOTS during a heat wave. I can run some water and put my feet in a small tub. Believe it or not..and I know this for a fact. A swimming pool in the sun does not cool you off very much. The sun beating down on the pool raises the water temperature and the sun is hitting you while you try to swim. Best to swim early morning or late in the evening but the water will still be warm.
Most people in Florida that have lived here a long time are used to Florida summers but not like the temps we have had lately. Many people in other areas are just dumbfounded on how hot their area like SC and in the midwest has been scorched.
I suggest if you do not have AC in your house… You can buy a small portable ( not window) AC and place it in a room and it helps a lot. Artic Air comes to mind… www.amazon.com/… Depending on what it chosen, can range from 30 dollars upwards in the hundreds. They work.
Don’t decide to go jogging or any activity that raises your core temperature. Take it easy until the heat wave is over. If you do walk or walk your dog...Take it late in the evening or early morning and make sure your pets are shaded all the time and they have plenty of water all the time. In no time at all, pets can dehydrate so be mindful.
If you do not have AC in the vehicle….I don’t know what to tell you. I crank my vehicle before climbing in if possible so I don’t burn my hands on the steering wheel and legs on the seats. I go only out of necessity because I am a wimp when it comes to lots of heat or lots of cold. They now have portable coolers for vehicles but I sure remember sitting bumper to bumper on a 90 plus day with no AC coming home from work in the 70’s and my nose burst out to bleeding. I remember holding my head back and I did not have high BP back then. I think I asked for a different shift or changed cars but I have not always had AC in the car. It is miserable. I ran the fan in the car and had the windows down but it just blew hot air…. I would invest in some small cooling apparatus if I had no AC but more than likely would trade cars even if I had to trade down if I had to drive to work some distance in the heat.
People have asked what is July and August going to be like….and my prediction is that most of that time it will be raining in this area. We have had a deficit of rain and it rains a lot in the summer anyway in Florida. The days it doesn’t rain, will be scorchers. We have had going on two solid months of scorchers and I wanted to pass on these tips for those who are being caught by surprise of this extreme weather. I remember as a kid it was hot and our grandparents worked in the field and canning plants and no AC but they knew a lot about cooling off and even napping. The heat was not so intense back then but to older folks I am sure it was miserable. I know my grandmother and Mother used a pressure cooker a lot in the summer and did not fire up the oven. ( Be careful with those insta pot pressure cookers).
I hope this info helps. If you can’t stay cool...Stay well, hydrated and comfortable as possible. Climate Change is here and here to stay.
The heat is on.