Comments on: Preparing for a Heat Wave http://frugaldad.com/2010/07/26/preparing-for-a-heat-wave/ Promotional Codes, Coupons & Deals + Money Saving Insights Sat, 26 May 2012 00:58:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Dolla Thug http://frugaldad.com/2010/07/26/preparing-for-a-heat-wave/#comment-43892 Dolla Thug Tue, 03 Aug 2010 01:34:35 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=5770#comment-43892 I live in NYC and the heatwave JUST let up not too long ago. But I definitely have the utility bill to prove it was here! I can only imagine what the cost would have been without the "energy saver" button on my window AC. That's what budgets are for, right? My mother's central air system just died on her, but it will cost her $1500 to fix it! That's what emergency funds are for, right? I'm visiting her this weekend, so hopefully I'll at least get my own private fan! :/ I live in NYC and the heatwave JUST let up not too long ago. But I definitely have the utility bill to prove it was here! I can only imagine what the cost would have been without the “energy saver” button on my window AC. That’s what budgets are for, right?

My mother’s central air system just died on her, but it will cost her $1500 to fix it! That’s what emergency funds are for, right? I’m visiting her this weekend, so hopefully I’ll at least get my own private fan! :/

]]> By: Diane http://frugaldad.com/2010/07/26/preparing-for-a-heat-wave/#comment-43837 Diane Sat, 31 Jul 2010 13:03:44 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=5770#comment-43837 Take the perishable food from the freezer and fridge and consolidate it to the smallest space possible--in a cooler or a box wrapped in one of those emergency blankets. Take cold showers frequently. If the bugs aren't bad, sit on the ground (grass, not pavement) in the shade or in a tent. Earth is a great heat sink. A plastic tent bottom will still be cool, but even a ground pad will feel too warm. As I lerned on Wise Bread, the reflective emergency blankets are great for keeping sun and heat from the windows. Take the perishable food from the freezer and fridge and consolidate it to the smallest space possible–in a cooler or a box wrapped in one of those emergency blankets.
Take cold showers frequently.
If the bugs aren’t bad, sit on the ground (grass, not pavement) in the shade or in a tent. Earth is a great heat sink. A plastic tent bottom will still be cool, but even a ground pad will feel too warm.
As I lerned on Wise Bread, the reflective emergency blankets are great for keeping sun and heat from the windows.

]]> By: Lenore http://frugaldad.com/2010/07/26/preparing-for-a-heat-wave/#comment-43803 Lenore Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:47:57 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=5770#comment-43803 Yeah my friend just moved from St. Louis to San Diego, and although the weather is divine, the cost of living is crazy. California has higher income tax than just about any other state. The rent is astronomical. Everything costs more. If she had figured all of that in, she might not have left the midwest. But she did it all for love, so I hope she can tough it out. Meanwhile it's reached at least 90 degrees every day here for a month. Without air conditioning, I'd be out of my mind and quite probably dead. Yeah my friend just moved from St. Louis to San Diego, and although the weather is divine, the cost of living is crazy. California has higher income tax than just about any other state. The rent is astronomical. Everything costs more. If she had figured all of that in, she might not have left the midwest. But she did it all for love, so I hope she can tough it out. Meanwhile it’s reached at least 90 degrees every day here for a month. Without air conditioning, I’d be out of my mind and quite probably dead.

]]> By: Maarten http://frugaldad.com/2010/07/26/preparing-for-a-heat-wave/#comment-43802 Maarten Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:08:13 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=5770#comment-43802 On: Miriam's and Sam's comment: Thank you for the webadres of Fixit. I would NOT recommend though that one tries to replace the condensator (or electric condensor) of an AC-unit, or any other appliance (washing machine, tumble dryer, etc.)!! A condensator looks like a small soda can with electrical leads on one side and a bolt and nut fastener on the other side. The capacity (the amount of electrical charge that can be stored) is printed on the side, mostly in micro-Farad mF, or millionth-Farad uF. Even when an appliance has been switched of for months or has been disconnected from the mains, there still is enough charge stored inside to kill a person. It can explode when it is installed the wrong way (it has positive + and negative - charge leads). So whatever you do on maintainance, or replacement of worn parts, never touch the condensator - please call an expert to change it for you (The part only costs a few bob to buy, but one needs expert skills to change it in a safe way). On: Miriam’s and Sam’s comment: Thank you for the webadres of Fixit.
I would NOT recommend though that one tries to replace the condensator (or electric condensor) of an AC-unit, or any other appliance (washing machine, tumble dryer, etc.)!! A condensator looks like a small soda can with electrical leads on one side and a bolt and nut fastener on the other side. The capacity (the amount of electrical charge that can be stored) is printed on the side, mostly in micro-Farad mF, or millionth-Farad uF. Even when an appliance has been switched of for months or has been disconnected from the mains, there still is enough charge stored inside to kill a person. It can explode when it is installed the wrong way (it has positive + and negative – charge leads).
So whatever you do on maintainance, or replacement of worn parts, never touch the condensator – please call an expert to change it for you (The part only costs a few bob to buy, but one needs expert skills to change it in a safe way).

]]> By: sam http://frugaldad.com/2010/07/26/preparing-for-a-heat-wave/#comment-43800 sam Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:32:23 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=5770#comment-43800 On Miriam's comment: I know I can find directions to fix my appliance on fixitnow.com and I've foudn people's instructions on fixing my car by googleing what I need to do on my make & model so you could be spot on for their thing. On Miriam’s comment:
I know I can find directions to fix my appliance on fixitnow.com and I’ve foudn people’s instructions on fixing my car by googleing what I need to do on my make & model so you could be spot on for their thing.

]]> By: Buying U.S Cars, Investments and Preparing for a Heat Wave | Million Dollar Journey http://frugaldad.com/2010/07/26/preparing-for-a-heat-wave/#comment-43791 Buying U.S Cars, Investments and Preparing for a Heat Wave | Million Dollar Journey Fri, 30 Jul 2010 11:31:03 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=5770#comment-43791 [...] Preparing for a Heat Wave @ Frugal Dad [...] [...] Preparing for a Heat Wave @ Frugal Dad [...]

]]> By: Miriam http://frugaldad.com/2010/07/26/preparing-for-a-heat-wave/#comment-43785 Miriam Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:33:59 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=5770#comment-43785 Must have been the capacitor. It costs about two hundred dollars to replace. It looks kind of like a battery and they cost a mere $15.00 to buy on line. I have a hunch it might be easy to install if you know where it goes -- perhaps even just plugs in. We paid $200 for this service a couple of years back and I checked the price of the exact capacitor on line and was shocked at the low price after paying 200.. Must have been the capacitor. It costs about two hundred dollars to replace. It looks kind of like a battery and they cost a mere $15.00 to buy on line. I have a hunch it might be easy to install if you know where it goes — perhaps even just plugs in. We paid $200 for this service a couple of years back and I checked the price of the exact capacitor on line and was shocked at the low price after paying 200..

]]> By: Erica Douglass http://frugaldad.com/2010/07/26/preparing-for-a-heat-wave/#comment-43782 Erica Douglass Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:13:33 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=5770#comment-43782 Well, don't be too jealous...we are looking at buying a house at some point. We found one we really liked. Its price: $569,900. And that's not unheard of for this area. -Erica Well, don’t be too jealous…we are looking at buying a house at some point. We found one we really liked. Its price: $569,900. And that’s not unheard of for this area.

-Erica

]]> By: sam http://frugaldad.com/2010/07/26/preparing-for-a-heat-wave/#comment-43779 sam Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:09:42 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=5770#comment-43779 Holly - those porches sound beautiful. I've always loved the architecture of older houses. Candice - your spot on on the spritzing. On days it's above 100 we 've been getting cold water on our shirts because a wet shirt seems to keep us coll for 2-3 hours. Also my son has been allowed unlimited water sprinkler play time as long as he's actually in the sprinkler - once he's had enough the water goes off! Holly – those porches sound beautiful. I’ve always loved the architecture of older houses.

Candice – your spot on on the spritzing. On days it’s above 100 we ‘ve been getting cold water on our shirts because a wet shirt seems to keep us coll for 2-3 hours. Also my son has been allowed unlimited water sprinkler play time as long as he’s actually in the sprinkler – once he’s had enough the water goes off!

]]> By: Candice http://frugaldad.com/2010/07/26/preparing-for-a-heat-wave/#comment-43778 Candice Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:21:57 +0000 http://frugaldad.com/?p=5770#comment-43778 I live in the southern US, in Tennessee near Nashville, and our heat pump broke back in April - it took our a/c with it. It's been one of the hottest summers on record (right now it's 93, which is one of the cooler days), but I have to completely agree with you. AC is not necessary, and frankly, by going back and forth between air conditioned rooms or buildings, it's harder on your body and mind - not only does your body constantly have to compensate for the temperature change, but in your mind you are thinking about it, too. People have lived without AC until the past 40 years or so - how did they do it? I'm lucky enough to have ceiling fans in nearly every room. Those can lower the temperature of a room buy 6 to 10 degrees. We leave the windows open to catch a breeze because if we close them, it quickly becomes stuffy. (But when we lived up north, we would open the windows at night and close them during the day and that seemed to help, too.) Fans assist in other rooms. The most important thing, and the thing that kills the elderly and children, is dehydration. Dehydration causes heat stroke and heat exhaustion. So the very best thing you can do when your A/C goes out is make sure you drink enough water! I am constantly handing my kids cups of water. Also, spritzing cold water on your face and neck with a spray bottle or putting a cold wet washcloth on your neck also helps to cool you down. Keep curtains drawn during the day if the sun comes in them. And you can prepare for this event by planting trees on the south and west sides (it really does work!) It stinks, but we've lived with it. We're in the process of putting in a new system, but until then, we can do without. It's not comfortable, but it's livable. :) I live in the southern US, in Tennessee near Nashville, and our heat pump broke back in April – it took our a/c with it. It’s been one of the hottest summers on record (right now it’s 93, which is one of the cooler days), but I have to completely agree with you. AC is not necessary, and frankly, by going back and forth between air conditioned rooms or buildings, it’s harder on your body and mind – not only does your body constantly have to compensate for the temperature change, but in your mind you are thinking about it, too. People have lived without AC until the past 40 years or so – how did they do it?

I’m lucky enough to have ceiling fans in nearly every room. Those can lower the temperature of a room buy 6 to 10 degrees. We leave the windows open to catch a breeze because if we close them, it quickly becomes stuffy. (But when we lived up north, we would open the windows at night and close them during the day and that seemed to help, too.) Fans assist in other rooms.

The most important thing, and the thing that kills the elderly and children, is dehydration. Dehydration causes heat stroke and heat exhaustion. So the very best thing you can do when your A/C goes out is make sure you drink enough water! I am constantly handing my kids cups of water.

Also, spritzing cold water on your face and neck with a spray bottle or putting a cold wet washcloth on your neck also helps to cool you down.

Keep curtains drawn during the day if the sun comes in them.

And you can prepare for this event by planting trees on the south and west sides (it really does work!)

It stinks, but we’ve lived with it. We’re in the process of putting in a new system, but until then, we can do without. It’s not comfortable, but it’s livable. :)

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