Living Car Free - The energy cost of personal environmental control

South-eastern Australia where I live, and further west ,are proceeding through a heatwave worse than any since the start of records in the mid 19th Century.

Now... much is made of how the world relies on oil to power motor vehicles. But it's only a heatwave of this proportion that indicates that the human effort to control personal environments is putting a lot more pressure on energy resources than we think.

Melbourne's power supply had a signficant meltdown so that half the city, including all the CBD and many consumers in the suburban area were without power. ALL electricity-powered urban train services were cancelled.

The national body that decides on what power goes where ordered that distribution networks "shed" huge amounts of electricity from the grid, meaning that in order to cope with demands and avoid a system overload, power blackouts were ordered on a rotational basis (this is separate from the big Melbourne blackout).

In essence, in order to control the temperatures in their homes, offices and other indoor locations, people are using air conditioners in unprecedented proportions... and chewing through power to overload.

I work outdoors, so I have been enduring the heat as well. But I have coped, without air conditioning at home or elsewhere.

It has got me thinking, though, that people spend way too much time in their atmosphere-controlled environments to the point where they are unable to cope with extreme conditions outside. "If it ain't 26 deg C out there, I ain't going out".

I've ridden home from work in the maximum heat of the day (42+ deg C), and in the evenings, when it's still quite warm, I've gone riding again to get the air moving over my perspiration, and that's been effective in keeping me cool. I've sought out tree shade, too.

I've actually put no extra load on the power system, except maybe for the slightly added power to keep the contents of my refrigerator cold.

My immediate neighbours installed an air conditioner during the week... come on people! It's been six days out of 31 in January, and likely it will be only seven or eight days out of a year when the heat is on like this. Why consume more power than you need to, especiallly when a lot of it is generated by coal???!!!

Notably, winter power consumption for heating does no cause anywhere near this problem -- likely because there is a diversity in fuels -- gas, electricity, wood, even solar.

Ultimately, I think much of western society has become too soft for its own good. And the oil debate is only one part of a very much wider issue relating to Western society's gorging of energy resources.

I agree with everything you said... as much as I try to be positive and I do indeed think it is best to have a positive outlook, it is increasingly hard to escape the belief that people are generally incredibly lazy, wasteful, and selfish.

We've becomed accostomed to living in constant 72 degrees because we were able to live in constant 72 degrees cheaply. Now our fat, pathetic bodes can't handle anything else, and we'll squander all resources to stay in 72-degree comfort at all costs - starting the car 15 minutes early, for example.

The same goes for cars: the USA just doesn't get the fact that incessantly using 4,000-lb. vehicles to move around single occupants, whether they are running on oil, ethanol, batteries, or anything else is a tremendous squandering of resources.

The ferocity of the current economic crisis is indeed scary, but I for one am looking forward to the days of fewer big-box stores full of cheap imported goods, less incessant driving, less swaths of land being turned over for parking lots and roads, and less bailing out the irresponsibility of folks who aren't able to live within their means. Life may be tougher, but it will also be more rewarding, and we will ultimately be better for it. That's more than I can say for our current zombie-consumer society that seems to revolve entirely around cars, fast food, TV and cars and fast food on TV.

It seems like no matter how hard evidence points to a lifestyle change being necessary to manage future economic, population, or energy challenges, the western world will be 100% unwilling to do anything until it's absolutely life or death. If we started seriously developing renewable energy back in 1970s, would it be economically viable by now? If not, it would certainly be close.

I don't know how much you can expect people to give up. We all want our comforts, whatever they may be.

I use neither heating nor cooling, just layers of woolen clothing during our mild winters and an electric fan during the torrid summers. My body has adjusted, and I'm no longer comfortable when I visit "normal" folk who artificially heat and cool their homes.

I think that people adjust to temps alot better than they realize. It's uncomfortable for a little while and then one day it just doesn't seem as hot/cold as it was.

For cooling off, though, nothing beats sitting in a kiddie pool drinking a beer in the shade.

great post ~ I think its true that we are going to have to hit rock bottom before we realize that our ways must change...

I live in north qld and it can get hot and humid, but that is the local climate... there is an air conditioner in my shed, but i don't use it ... a small fan is enough for when it gets really hot


The ferocity of the current economic crisis is indeed scary, but I for one am looking forward to the days of fewer big-box stores full of cheap imported goods, less incessant driving, less swaths of land being turned over for parking lots and roads, and less bailing out the irresponsibility of folks who aren't able to live within their means. Life may be tougher, but it will also be more rewarding, and we will ultimately be better for it. That's more than I can say for our current zombie-consumer society that seems to revolve entirely around cars, fast food, TV and cars and fast food on TV.

:thumb: dam right... all our techonology and 'progress' has produced nothing but community disconnection, overweight and depressed people who have lost touch with the natural world. I too am looking forward to the day when community bonds are strengheneed and people start to get to konw their neighbours... local food production... bring it on




I don't know how much you can expect people to give up. We all want our comforts, whatever they may be.

:rolleyes:

Here in the northern US we're at the opposite extreme right now. When I got home last Sunday, I discovered that my furnace had quit working. The temperature outside went several degrees below zero that night (~ minus 20*C). I bought a small electric space heater, and also used my electric oven for some heat. Even so, the temp in my apartment never went above 54*F or 12*C for the next two days and nights.

I discovered why our ancestors always wore heavy wool suits, and why they didn't bathe much. I even learned why they wore beards--it was way too cold to take off my shirt to shave. I ate fast, because the food got cold as soon as it came off the stove.

But actually, I wasn't too uncomfortable. I slept warm in polar fleece and a thinsulated cap with a big down comforter. During the day I wore my outside garb in the house, minus the outer shell. I kept thinking about those ancestors, who didn't even have the polar fleece, and that helped me to maintain a positive attitude.

Of course, when I finally got the furnace fixed, I cranked it up to 68F (20C) and took a nice hot shower.

:thumb: dam right... all our techonology and 'progress' has produced nothing but community disconnection, overweight and depressed people who have lost touch with the natural world. I too am looking forward to the day when community bonds are strengheneed and people start to get to konw their neighbours... local food production... bring it on

Yes, this is a dream of mine also. I hope it happens this way, but it'll take a lot of work and communality--and probably many new ways of looking at the world and at ourselves. Do you really think we can do it?


:rolleyes:

I've been getting a lot of :rolleyes: lately. And I hardly ever get a :thumb:

I think I'm going through a contrarian phase.

I discovered why our ancestors always wore heavy wool suits, and why they didn't bathe much. I even learned why they wore beards--it was way too cold to take off my shirt to shave. I ate fast, because the food got cold as soon as it came off the stove.


Beards in the US have been a style thing, Our first presidents shaved their faces. What do you shave that you have to remove your shirt- your chest hairs so you can look like a teenager when you go to the pool?

My dad hustled newspapers on the streets during the depression. He said that he put layers of newspaper inside his jacket for extra insulation because the family couldn't afford warm enough clothes for the coldest days. This works for me when I get caught with a drastic temperature drop. Some times here in DC it is cool in the morning but I forget to check the weather and the ride home at night can be cold. Stuffing a layer of newspapers in the chest area and sometimes in the arm area can help.

I agree to an extent, but complaining about the neighbor getting AC when it's 42C outside is a bit much. During the winter, my Minneapolis genetics kick in and 62 to 65 is pretty comfy. Summer is entirely different. I get back from a muggy and hot Illinois summer day and hope the house is at 75-78 degrees.

I think home air comfort is going to be one of the last energy-heavy things to go. It's going to be re-thought, not removed.

Ultimately, I think much of western society has become too soft for its own good. And the oil debate is only one part of a very much wider issue relating to Western society's gorging of energy resources.

That's certainly the truth. Most people around here think I'm nuts to bike to work in temperatures around 5F (-15 C).

The reason why they think this is their complete lack of knowledge of how to dress properly in cold weather. If you are rushing from your car to a warm building with just one layer of clothing over your skin, you will feel bitterly cold. Of course...

Same with dealing with hot weather in the summer. I've been able to cut down on air conditioning by adjusting the flow of air through my house. If you can take advantage of a good breeze, it's very cooling. As well, previous generations were in the habit of getting outdoors... particularly sitting around on their front porches when the sun starts to go down. On really hot nights, you might even see people sleeping outdoors. You'll never see anything like that behaviour today.

Of course, when energy is cheap and plentiful, most people just crank up the air. When energy is scarce and costly, they might relearn some old techniques.

I agree to an extent, but complaining about the neighbor getting AC when it's 42C outside is a bit much. During the winter, my Minneapolis genetics kick in and 62 to 65 is pretty comfy. Summer is entirely different. I get back from a muggy and hot Illinois summer day and hope the house is at 75-78 degrees.

I think home air comfort is going to be one of the last energy-heavy things to go. It's going to be re-thought, not removed.

I see more and more people (particularly the cheapskates like me...) who are pushing their comfort zone. In summer I keep my house at 80F (when I have the air on... which wasn't often last year.) and in winter, it's 66 by day and 62 in the night.

Many people do likewise. However, ten years ago, these measures would have seemed as extreme as being car free. :)

I agree to an extent, but complaining about the neighbor getting AC when it's 42C outside is a bit much. During the winter, my Minneapolis genetics kick in and 62 to 65 is pretty comfy. Summer is entirely different. I get back from a muggy and hot Illinois summer day and hope the house is at 75-78 degrees.

I think home air comfort is going to be one of the last energy-heavy things to go. It's going to be re-thought, not removed.

Several things:

It might be OK for 42 deg C, which might be for six days a year, but now it's installed, it will get used even when the temps are down to a more comfortable 30 deg C.

Do you know how noisy air conditioners are on the outside? More environmental impact.

But the whole point is: If it was in the city, the installation of the unit would have been pointless at the height of the heat -- because the CBD's power supply shut down through overload of.... air conditioner use!!! Even consuming power like that in the country puts a load on the electricity grid.

And for those huffing and puffing about global climate change, that means consumption of carbon-dense fuels (coal).

The original point of my thread was that we all carry on about oil as a dwindling resource, but it is only part of the whole energy equation that involves fossil fuels. You can point the bone at car drivers, but the collective we who criticise them might be just as guilty of overconsumption, for personal climate control, as they are. Which tends to make us hypocrits.

Same with dealing with hot weather in the summer. I've been able to cut down on air conditioning by adjusting the flow of air through my house. If you can take advantage of a good breeze, it's very cooling. As well, previous generations were in the habit of getting outdoors... particularly sitting around on their front porches when the sun starts to go down. On really hot nights, you might even see people sleeping outdoors. You'll never see anything like that behaviour today.



This reminds me, I've read that people from hot apartment buildings used to go sleep on the ground in the parks in the summertime. Who knows, maybe this is a change we'll experience shortly. Some of the old houses in the city still have "sleeping porches". When I lived in the city in a non-air conditioned house, we would crawl out the window onto the roof of the kitchen and sleep up there.

It is easy to dream of the good old days when things weren't as the are today. But we have built cities and people have moved to where we as people were not designed to live. However it is when we as a race are faced with these problems that we come up with new solutions so that we can continue living a lifestyle we all seem to want to live. I can assure you that not many people living in any of our major cities would consider sleeping outside a good idea. No one I know living in LA would I can assure you. As far as energy we may be seeing the beginning of a new drive for more Nuclear powerplants and some may post in a few years how much more they enjoyed the old days before those very same powerplants.

Rowan (as usual) has some excellent points. Older houses in the Deep South used to be built with high ceilings and clerestories that would allow a house to cool naturally. No it wasn't the same as air conditioning, but it made it a bit more tolerable. We have become addicted to controlled climate spaces. I work outside for a living, I can tolerate heat better than cold, but suspect that is because I have spent most of my working life in the heat rather than the cold.

I can recall in high school, not having air conditioning in the schools or at home. Now they cancel school if the a/c is not working, they build schools and other public building with no means of ventilation other than powered. Houses could be built much more energy efficient if they chose or were forced to by codes.

I like my comforts too, but what I consider comfortable some people would consider intolerable, and as far as living in a place like Michigan in the winter...:eek:

Aaron:)

I like my comforts too, but what I consider comfortable some people would consider intolerable, and as far as living in a place like Michigan in the winter...:eek:

Aaron:)

I don't know if this makes sense, but I've often thought about the patterns of wher people have lived over time. 100 years ago, a lot of people liked living in Michigan, but nobody wanted to live in Florida, Southern mississippi, Houston, Arizona, inland California. Those places were all too damn hot. You could light a fire in Michigan, but you could do almost nothing about the heat in the deep south or the desert. That's all changed now. Since AC was invented, everybody wqnts to live in a hot climate. Will the last one to leave Michigan please turn out the lights?

Ultimately, I think much of western society has become too soft for its own good. And the oil debate is only one part of a very much wider issue relating to Western society's gorging of energy resources.

I agree with you completely; here in the US, whole regions are thickly populated with people who can't imagine life without AC in their houses and their cars.

I think the energy situation, world-wide, is going to get a lot uglier before it gets better. I'm sure there are a lot of people, billions actually, in China, India and the Middle East, who are eagerly looking forward to the opportunity to grow as soft as we have.

I put aluminum foil on the windows of my apartment in the summer time. It keeps the place about 5-10 degrees cooler during the day. As soon as the temperatures outside are below the inside temperatures I open the windows. I close them just before going to sleep to store the cool air for the daytime. This works for me because I go to sleep near dawn.

Elderly and ill people need good climate control. If people in power strained communities could agree to keep their thermostats set at 85 degrees the brown-outs might not happen. Eighty five degrees is about the highest the temperature gets in my apartment in mid-summer. With a fan blowing directly on me I feel fine. In the winter I wear a sweater indoors.

I don't know if this makes sense, but I've often thought about the patterns of wher people have lived over time. 100 years ago, a lot of people liked living in Michigan, but nobody wanted to live in Florida, Southern mississippi, Houston, Arizona, inland California. Those places were all too damn hot. You could light a fire in Michigan, but you could do almost nothing about the heat in the deep south or the desert. That's all changed now. Since AC was invented, everybody wqnts to live in a hot climate. Will the last one to leave Michigan please turn out the lights?

I guess they couldn't stand the cold...or the heating bills:roflmao2:

Many years ago I looked at buying a house in upstate NY, the fuel oil bills averaged more than the mortgage payment would have been!

People have built larger and larger houses, in 1950 the average was 292sf per person by 2006 it had grown to around 900sf per person.(US statistics) That is insane! as well as a waste of energy. I think in some cases as the population ages we may see a slight reversal of that number, however with a declining population rate who is going to buy the big houses? or will they become white elephants? divided into multi-family units? converted to commercial space? Only time will tell. One thing Obama was promising was to increase the size of the electrical infrastructure and lower people's utility bills, is that what is really needed and what we really want?

Aaron:)

The slothful change in how we look at energy conservation when it comes to buildings is indicated by the building codes. There has been some change, but not nearly enough enforcement, I believe. And the problem is, the changes bring a cost penalty.

Ironically, my same neighbours are building an energy efficient house on their property not too far away from here. They were talking about vista windows to take advantage of the truly magnificent views of the valley they have. To install double glazing was going to add something like $AUD50,000 to the cost of the house, and there were significant engineering issues related to the expanses of glass and support to overcome. They've lived in homes independent of the energy grid before, so maybe they are cashing in their chips with the air conditioner.

Anyway, imagine my total surprise when I went to Canada to see how they build their houses. Double glazing, heavy insulation, plywood roofing (timber is one of the greatest insulators if used properly)... the test was in how quiet the houses were inside -- the insulating properties were that good.

It's interesting how western society has trouble coming to terms with its environments. The do-gooder governments here have, over various generations, insisted on building European-style brick, two or three bedroom houses for Aboriginals in Outback and tropical Australia. The Aboriginals tend to destroy them... because all they want is a large pitched roof, with a fire pit and opening in the middle, and open sides, because environmentally that is the most comfortable configuration for them.

I have often wondered why some humans want to control their environment so much, rather than adapting to what's already there.

Smallwheels, that aluminium foil sounds like a great idea!

I guess they couldn't stand the cold...or the heating bills:roflmao2:

Many years ago I looked at buying a house in upstate NY, the fuel oil bills averaged more than the mortgage payment would have been!

People have built larger and larger houses, in 1950 the average was 292sf per person by 2006 it had grown to around 900sf per person.(US statistics) That is insane! as well as a waste of energy. I think in some cases as the population ages we may see a slight reversal of that number, however with a declining population rate who is going to buy the big houses? or will they become white elephants? divided into multi-family units? converted to commercial space? Only time will tell. One thing Obama was promising was to increase the size of the electrical infrastructure and lower people's utility bills, is that what is really needed and what we really want?

Aaron:)

My apartment is "only" 600 square feet (56m^2), but that really seems too big for me. I'll try to find something a little smaller when I move. The problem is, it's hard to find a small apartment that's "nice". Smaller places are often in less desirable neighborhoods. I think that's because people who can afford a "nice" place usually demand more square feet.

As for Obama, I haven't heard him talking about increasing the size of the electrical grid. He said we should extend it to areas where solar and wind power can be made, to encourage and enable more alternative energy. He also said we should modernize the grid to make it more efficient. I guess a lot of power is lost or wasted in the transmission process.

I read somewhere that if people weatherized their homes, we wouldn't need to build any of the 70 some coal power plants that are being built. I know that conservation is the main topic of this thread, but efficiency is important also.

Conservation and efficiency are not mutually exclusive. I think they are intertwined with each other when it comes to energy resources.

In the context of my original post, if people increased the threshhold temperature where they needed air conditioning, or dispensed with it entirely because of adequate insulation and alternative non-powered cooling means, there would be an efficiency gain (making best use of the energy resource available) that also would result in conservation (reducing generation output and therefore reducing fuel input).

My apartment is "only" 600 square feet (56m^2), but that really seems too big for me. I'll try to find something a little smaller when I move. The problem is, it's hard to find a small apartment that's "nice". Smaller places are often in less desirable neighborhoods. I think that's because people who can afford a "nice" place usually demand more square feet.

As for Obama, I haven't heard him talking about increasing the size of the electrical grid. He said we should extend it to areas where solar and wind power can be made, to encourage and enable more alternative energy. He also said we should modernize the grid to make it more efficient. I guess a lot of power is lost or wasted in the transmission process.

I read somewhere that if people weatherized their homes, we wouldn't need to build any of the 70 some coal power plants that are being built. I know that conservation is the main topic of this thread, but efficiency is important also.

Yes, weatherizing is one of the first things that must be done. We should also think about whether it is really necessary to heat an entire house. Most houses and flats here in Andalusia don't have central heating, so a special heater called a brasero is placed under a table (mesa camilla (http://www.subarna.net/fotos/0011459.jpg))--and the table is then covered with a heavy tablecloth that extends to the floor to provide heat for people sitting around it. Modern braseros are electric, but in the past they were just pans full of hot coals. My wife, who is not quite as Spartan as I, makes use of one.

I believe a similar system is used in Japan, and I have read that they think it is rather odd that in other countries people find it necessary to heat the whole house.

(Edited to add: The Japanese system is called Kotatsu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kotatsu).)

I got to thinking about Rowan's first post. IF they use the small window a/c unit to cool a single room in the house, like a bedroom, it is a better use of energy that trying to cool a 2,000sf house when no one is at home. I have done that in the past with some of my older homes. Trying to cool a whole house with window units is not particularly good.

Roody I don't consider 600sf for a single person unreasonable at all. My wife and I share a 940 sf home. I have actually lived in a pickup camper for several months and it was a whopping 96 sf:D I spend most of my working days "living" in motel rooms:twitchy: I do own an Airstream trailer, that, when I am done with it, I will use for temporary housing when working on the road, it works out to around 210sf. It would never be considered very energy efficient, but with proper placement you can usually get by pretty well, without a/c.

Aaron:)

I spend most of my working days "living" in motel rooms:twitchy:


In my down-and-out days, I lived in a motel room with two other guys and four cats. Cozy!

I've spent the last 4 years living in a space that is about 200 sq. ft. It's a bit crowded, but it has worked. If this space had big windows to let light in, and if I'd started the sort-and-remove process earlier, it would have been nicer. And I do have limited access to more space if I happen to need it for something.

I'm not sure how big Rowan's house is ... maybe 500 sq. ft. and that's where we'll be living when I get there.

But about air conditioning ... I'm not a fan of it at all. It seems to me that it makes the indoor temperature too cold. When I lived in Winnipeg, we'd have days up around 30C (86F) to 35C (95F) and I didn't mind that at all. But I'd go into work and have to wear a sweater because they were desperately trying to keep the temperature about 20C (68F). I can't help but think that doing a 10-15 degree transition between outside and inside can't be healthy, and keeping the indoor temps so much colder than the outside temps does nothing for acclimatization.

My ex was one who liked the indoor temperature to be somewhere around 20C on hot summer days too ... I went out cycling all evening just to warm up! When he and I separated, I turned the air conditioning off, and I think in the next 6 years I might have used it maybe a dozen times for an hour or so just to cool it a bit when the temps went up and over 35C.

I like the idea of a fan, however, because a bit of air movement is nice if it starts to feel a little stifling, and in my place in Winnipeg, I installed a ceiling fan in the bedroom, and had a couple other fans around the place too, which I'd use now and then.

A Lebanese friend told me a trick he used for more comfortable sleeping in hot weather when he lived in Lebanon ... you take a sheet and soak it in water. Turn on your ceiling fan, lie down and drape the wet sheet over you. The movement of the air from the fan blows on the wet sheet and creates an air conditioning effect. He told me that some nights he'd have to get up a couple times in the night to soak the sheet again because it was so hot and dry there.

I've spent the last 4 years living in a space that is about 200 sq. ft. It's a bit crowded, but it has worked. If this space had big windows to let light in, and if I'd started the sort-and-remove process earlier, it would have been nicer. And I do have limited access to more space if I happen to need it for something.

I'm not sure how big Rowan's house is ... maybe 500 sq. ft. and that's where we'll be living when I get there.

But about air conditioning ... I'm not a fan of it at all. It seems to me that it makes the indoor temperature too cold. When I lived in Winnipeg, we'd have days up around 30C (86F) to 35C (95F) and I didn't mind that at all. But I'd go into work and have to wear a sweater because they were desperately trying to keep the temperature about 20C (68F). I can't help but think that doing a 10-15 degree transition between outside and inside can't be healthy, and keeping the indoor temps so much colder than the outside temps does nothing for acclimatization.

My ex was one who liked the indoor temperature to be somewhere around 20C on hot summer days too ... I went out cycling all evening just to warm up! When he and I separated, I turned the air conditioning off, and I think in the next 6 years I might have used it maybe a dozen times for an hour or so just to cool it a bit when the temps went up and over 35C.

I like the idea of a fan, however, because a bit of air movement is nice if it starts to feel a little stifling, and in my place in Winnipeg, I installed a ceiling fan in the bedroom, and had a couple other fans around the place too, which I'd use now and then.

A Lebanese friend told me a trick he used for more comfortable sleeping in hot weather when he lived in Lebanon ... you take a sheet and soak it in water. Turn on your ceiling fan, lie down and drape the wet sheet over you. The movement of the air from the fan blows on the wet sheet and creates an air conditioning effect. He told me that some nights he'd have to get up a couple times in the night to soak the sheet again because it was so hot and dry there.

Like many things..air conditioning has it's place but is quite often miss/over used. The Lebanese friends trick would be useless in the deep southeast of the US. The high heat and humidity is the issue down here. It isn't unusual to have a Heat Index of 90 degrees (F) at midnight in many areas. And yes going in and out between cold interiors and warm exteriors is hard on the body, many a heart attack has been triggered that way in less than healthy people.

We use ceiling fans a lot (have 4 in a 900sf house). We also have whole house or attic fans in this part of the country that will pull the cool night air in and exhaust it out through the attic. They pull about as much electricity as a small window air conditioner, but will help reduce the overall temps in the whole house. I had one house built in the 1920's, at night you opened the lowest door in the house and the windows at the head of the hallway on the second floor, the natural chimney effect would pull the cool night air into the house. You had to close the house up before the sun got up high in sky the next morning, but it would keep the house a tolerable tempuratures, but it would be pretty stuffy by the time it was time to open it up again. Shade trees are often overlooked as a necessity, they provide a massive amount of cooling through the transpiration process, also at least around here the acres of parking lots don't help.


Aaron:)

My trick is drinking a chilled bottle of Riesling. Five years in NJ without A/C and it's never failed. I think it's great to not have A/C, keeps you more in tune with the weather patterns. Just a wonderful feeling to feel the nasty, sticky heat at night knowing that it's going to break any second and you feel the wind pick up, then comes the thunder, and then the rain pours down cooling everything off.

People who have the windows closed and the machines humming are missing a great experience.

We use ceiling fans a lot (have 4 in a 900sf house). We also have whole house or attic fans in this part of the country that will pull the cool night air in and exhaust it out through the attic. They pull about as much electricity as a small window air conditioner, but will help reduce the overall temps in the whole house.
Aaron:)

In a small house or apartment, a $20 box fan is adequate. You put the fan in an open window so that it's blowing OUT of the window. Block the gaps between the fan and the window frame with cardboard or styrofoam. Close the other windows in that room, but open windows in other rooms of the house. Turn the fan on ONLY AT NIGHT or when it's cool outside. Early in the morning, turn the fan off and close all the windows to keep the cool air in.

This cheap setup will usually cool off a hot house by bedtime, if you start the fan at sunset.

BTW, we had a "heat wave" here in the northern Lower Peninsula today. Temps were in the low 40s (6*C) with sunshine all day. People were walking around with their hats off and coats unbuttoned. Last night the snow started sliding off the roofs of the houses, making loud booming noises. You would not want to be standing under the eaves!

This is the first time since early November that the temperature has been above freezing, and we've had 84 inches of snow so far. However, we did not turn the AC on, in spite of the heat wave.

Roody...I won't rub it in (too much:p) we hit 60f (16c) here today and will hit a bit over that tomorrow:love:, it was to windy to open up the house all the way (18mph gusting to 30) but it didn't stop me from opening a couple of doors to get some fresh air in. But of course the weather will be changing later in the week, back into the 20's with a chance of snow/sleet by Monday night and again on Wednesday.

Box fans in windows work fine, I was thinking of larger houses, I grew up in a ~3,000sf house that was built in the mid 1930's, there were 8 of us in the family at the time. Mom and Dad still have the old monster, but I don't see them moving anytime soon, besides how would all of the extraneous kids find them? I run into people all the time that know who I am and comment on the fact they saw on or the other of my parents just the other day, out and about, or drove past the house and saw them in the yard. Hard to cause trouble when you are that well known:innocent:

Aaron:)

My trick is drinking a chilled bottle of Riesling. Five years in NJ without A/C and it's never failed.

Hmmm... you may be on to something. I'm going to give that one a try next hot day. I usually go for a Beaujolais or dry reds, which momentarily solve the problem, but next morning.... One thing I do know: get enough vino aboard, it's all good. Who cares about the heat?

In my motorcycle days I soaked a light jacket in water and put it on before going to work in the summer time. It kept me cool in 95 degree weather for about twenty five minutes. By the time I got to work it was nearly dry. Only the cuffs were still damp. It worked well even in high humidity due to the air flow.

At home I have not ever needed to keep myself damp in the night time. If the heat is ever that high this summer I will try the soaking the sheet method. I wonder how my little dog will react to it.

My favorite fan is not a box fan. It is a blower fan. I like this one;http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-655702-High-Velocity-Blower/dp/B0001BJDUQ/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1233557560&sr=8-1. I got mine locally for less money. I liked the first one so much I got a second one. In the winter they stay on the floor and point at the ceiling. They suck up the cooler air on the floor and put it on the ceiling. Doing this equalizes the temperature throughout the room. The Vornado brand fan web site explains that by doing this the thermostat can be kept at a lower temperature, thus saving energy.

In the summer the fans can be pointed directly at any space, even the floor. The column of air is powerful. What one can do is point one of these at a wall and the air bounces off it creating a slight breeze throughout the room. This makes it possible to raise the thermostat in homes with air conditioners. I recommend these fans to everybody. Get one and you'll love it. There are Lasko fans like these that are the same thing only black and gray instead of black and yellow. They cost more. It would be cheaper to buy a can of spray paint and paint the Stanley version a color you prefer.

What is the humidity where you are Rowan?
I worked outside when it was 110, 115 degrees
Fahrenheit but it was a dry heat--and I adjusted
to it well. You just have to make sure you drink water,
then beer, if any, after work. We regularly have 110 degree
days here in the summer (Sacramento, CA). Again though
it is a dry heat.

My trick is drinking a chilled bottle of Riesling. Five years in NJ without A/C and it's never failed. I think it's great to not have A/C, keeps you more in tune with the weather patterns. Just a wonderful feeling to feel the nasty, sticky heat at night knowing that it's going to break any second and you feel the wind pick up, then comes the thunder, and then the rain pours down cooling everything off.

People who have the windows closed and the machines humming are missing a great experience.

You've captured that essence with weather patterns. In tropical Queensland, the Wet would be heralded by a period of intense heat with incredibly still days. Then the heavens would burst and the cooling rain was paradise.

The unfortunate part about the current heatwave here is that the air has been dormant, and has been heating during the day, cooling at night, then heating even more the next day. The heating effect has been cumulative. Plus there has been no cloud.

Today, there was cloud and a little wind, and all was good.

I spoke with the neighbour last night (we are on good terms) and she said the air conditioner was one they had put away sometime ago and only just remembered where it was stored when the heatwave started. It is only to cool one room.

She did make an interesting comment about the air conditioning in her car and shopping at various locations during the heatwave -- and that was how she started to feel ill getting into and out of the car all the time. "I knew I wasn't hungry or thirsty, because I had had lunch and a drink with it".

The health factor is significant on both sides of the air conditioning debate, of course. Some will say they feel better and work more productively in control atmosphere; some will say otherwise.

Evaporative coolers are big here in Australia. They take the use of a fan one step further and have it push the air through a cascading stream of water. The evaporative effect cools the air.

The Coolgardie Safe was designed to have fabric sides with a bowl of water on top so capillary action drew the moisture downward. The safe had a timber frame, and mesh windows to keep the insect life out, too. It was very effective in Outback Australia, where the temps are high, but the humidity quite low.

The traditional goatskin or canvas waterbottle or sack makes use of similar principles. I have made use of the same principle by putting my bikes' water bottles into cotton socks and soaking them in water before departing. A squirt every so often from a second bottle ensures the contents remain at a palatable temperature... using the evaporative cooling technique. And yesterday (Sunday), my shopping day, I needed it!!!

There was a thread over the weekend in General Cycling Discussion posted by, I think, an Asian member seeking advice on whether there was a market for a "head air conditioner" in cycling. He got a nasty reception from several, but what many who responded don't realise is that much of Asia has a high humidity, and the evaporative techniques they use (dew rag, dousing hair with water or relying on sweat) just don't work as well in Asia. This was pointed out here by Aaron's comments on the humidity in the Deep South, of course.

The thread was an unfortunate clash of cultural understanding... but also went a long way to explaining why the Asians I work with out in the field seem way too overdressed to be comfortable -- gumboots, two or three layers of clothing in 30+ deg C heat. Come to think of it, maybe they are creating a moist or humid microclimate within their clothing that actually makes them feel more comfortable rather than putting up with parched skin in our low humidity.

EDIT: In answer to kaiju-velo's question, yes we are quite dry. I think the humidity during the heatwave where I am was around 18%. Hence my comment about the Asian workers and their seemingly excessive clothing.

^^^ Same thing with a lot of the Mexican/Hispanic fellows I work with. Most of them are from the desert regions of Mexico, a couple are from Honduras which is much more humid, they can tolerate the weather better in this area than the Mexican fellows from the Chihuahua desert region, and none of them like weather much below freezing;)

Aaron:)

Energy consumers pay only a tiny fraction of what the energy should cost.
This is why demand increases exponentially.
Very few people on this planet practice conservation in a meaningful way unless they are forced to.
No democratically elected government will ever be allowed to make real environmental policy that reduces consumption.
This is why I don't have kids.

I don't know if this makes sense, but I've often thought about the patterns of wher people have lived over time. 100 years ago, a lot of people liked living in Michigan, but nobody wanted to live in Florida, Southern mississippi, Houston, Arizona, inland California. Those places were all too damn hot. You could light a fire in Michigan, but you could do almost nothing about the heat in the deep south or the desert. That's all changed now. Since AC was invented, everybody wqnts to live in a hot climate. Will the last one to leave Michigan please turn out the lights?

That's true. The entire South likely would not have developed much had air conditioning not been invented. I've worked in warehouses for years now with no AC in the summer, and I'm still not used to it. It's pretty miserable, and with fans it's still cooler than outside. People here don't understand why I like winter and hate summer, but most of those people are always indoors. ALWAYS! I can't imagine living like that, even if it is more comfortable. Interestingly, most of those people are sick quite often, as well. We can adapt to nature, or we can adapt to man-made devices that will eventually fail. If we choose to adapt to our perfectly regulated buildings and cars, then we will be in for a serious beat-down if we no longer have those things some day.

There was a thread over the weekend in General Cycling Discussion posted by, I think, an Asian member seeking advice on whether there was a market for a "head air conditioner" in cycling. He got a nasty reception from several, but what many who responded don't realise is that much of Asia has a high humidity, and the evaporative techniques they use (dew rag, dousing hair with water or relying on sweat) just don't work as well in Asia. This was pointed out here by Aaron's comments on the humidity in the Deep South, of course.

The thread was an unfortunate clash of cultural understanding... but also went a long way to explaining why the Asians I work with out in the field seem way too overdressed to be comfortable -- gumboots, two or three layers of clothing in 30+ deg C heat. Come to think of it, maybe they are creating a moist or humid microclimate within their clothing that actually makes them feel more comfortable rather than putting up with parched skin in our low humidity.

Last summer I was working on my bike out in the sun and an Asian came out and put one of those straw cone hats on my head. Big difference, those things work great they're light and provide shade all the way around. I was talking to her about it, she said she had two a water proof one for rain and a light one for sun. She said when she was young they wore long sleeves in the fields for protection from the sun- the heat was a given. What they did was get up early and work outdoors, then ate lunch and took a nap or did indoor chores in the middle of the day and sometimes returned to the fields as the sun got low. When biking on the roads they'd put a scarf over their nose and mouth because of the dust. In the summer here in DC when she bikes she wears long sleeves and white gloves but doesn't need the dust scarf.

Interesting assertion I recently heard about modern heating was:


Yes, it's true that for the vast majority of human history, we have not had anything like modern indoor temperature-control systems. But in the past, people lived in well insulated homes so they were still able to have their indoor spaces be close to the same temperature year-round.

What do you think?

Interesting assertion I recently heard about modern heating was:



What do you think?

In the summer, my new "efficient" apartment heats up very early in the year and stays that way all summer, even with AC. It simply will not let the heat escape. I am remodeling a house currently, which was built in 1947. The walls and ceiling are some sort of plaster/mortar combination, and in the summer it stays MUCH cooler despite also having many more windows letting in sunlight. In fact I doubt I'll even need AC there except for maybe the hottest month of the year, August. And right now I have the thermostat set to 60F and it's warmer than my apartment which is set to 65-67. The house is simply designed well for this region, which has hot summers and fairly mild winters. It seems like builders now can't fathom this concept.

My old apartment was built right above a bar in downtown San Diego. It was 267 sq ft with no bathroom. There were 16 unites in the complex who all shared 6 bathrooms that were cleaned daily and hand showers. It was great! More than enough room for a single person! No AC but like others have said a box fan in the window was more than enough, that and otter pops. There was a small heater on the wall but I only used it when it got REAL cold or I was sick, which was rare in SD. Besides 267 sq feet does not cost much to heat, especially since I had a bar below me and another apartment on top! I only had one wall connected to the outside. I would also hang thick curtains between the main living area and the kitchen so that I was not heating/cooling that space as much as possible.

Interesting assertion I recently heard about modern heating was:


Yes, it's true that for the vast majority of human history, we have not had anything like modern indoor temperature-control systems. But in the past, people lived in well insulated homes so they were still able to have their indoor spaces be close to the same temperature year-round.

What do you think?

Somebody talking through their hat. I have owned many old homes and NONE of them had any insulation to amount to anything. If our forefathers did anything, it was to sit as close to the fireplaces as possible and have the servants keep running for more firewood. Go to any historic home and see what type of heating they used, and in many of them you can see through the walls. But by going to better insulation and central HVAC systems we can condition the entire house rather than one or two rooms. There are excellent designs out there, however they are quite often squashed by restrictive zoning laws and building codes that are supported by local developers who are afraid of losing their cash cow.

Many of the early homes did have energy saving features, but insulation was not one of them. I have been around and studied the various types of energy efficient homes (hobby of mine). I have even built a few that looked conventional but utilized things like 2x6 walls, heat exchangers, active solar panels for water heating, direct solar gain, earth sheltered, thermal chimneys and the like. In most cases we built the homes in areas where zoning laws were non existent and the building codes were very lax. I wanted to build an earth sheltered home on my property but local codes won't allow it unless it is a basement with a structure above it.:rolleyes:

Aaron:)

I wanted to build an earth sheltered home on my property but local codes won't allow it unless it is a basement with a structure above it

Haha... my idea is: build a home on the bottom; build a bicycle shed/workshop on top of it. :D

Haha... my idea is: build a home on the bottom; build a bicycle shed/workshop on top of it. :D

I was going to plant grass on the roof and let the sheep and goats have at it:roflmao2:

I was going to basically build a basement and have it open to the south, but the a**holes at the local planning department wouldn't approve the plans, so no building permit. It was going to be very cost effective too.

Aaron:)

Haha... my idea is: build a home on the bottom; build a bicycle shed/workshop on top of it. :D

I would prefer having some heat in my bike shed. So I say put the bike shed in the bottom and the house on top. This winter I have had to move all my bikes into the basement because it's impossible to work in the unheated garage. As a matter of fact, I have my feet resting on one of them as I type this.

Haha... my idea is: build a home on the bottom; build a bicycle shed/workshop on top of it. :D


I would prefer having some heat in my bike shed. So I say put the bike shed in the bottom and the house on top. This winter I have had to move all my bikes into the basement because it's impossible to work in the unheated garage. As a matter of fact, I have my feet resting on one of them as I type this.

Yes, but with the shop on top the heat will rise from the house;) I used to have a second floor center apartment, my heating bill was less than half of the people below me and about 1/3 of the ones next to me on the outsides:D

Aaron:)

I have always preferred cold to hot. I couldn't cope with the conditions you are describing in the South, the south of England was too hot for me! So when I got the chance, I moved 600 miles north. Up here it rarely gets above 25C, down to maybe -10C in winter. I used to work outside, and I adapted pretty quickly. It is always easier to get warm than to cool down.

A couple of years ago my boiler broke down, leaving my house with no heating other than an open fire in the lounge. I kept meaning to fix it, but I kept putting it off... I went a whole year with no boiler, and by dressing appropriately, using another blanket, and lighting the fire when it got really cold I was fine. Eventually though I felt the need for a hot shower, so I got the boiler replaced. This one is supposed to be far more efficient than the old one. I'm sure the house is warmer than before, though of course this perception may be coloured by living without heating for a year, but my gas bills are certainly lower. I don't use the heating at all in summer, and not that much in winter either. If I needed air conditioning, it'd be too hot for me, I'd have to move to Siberia!

Somebody talking through their hat. I have owned many old homes and NONE of them had any insulation to amount to anything. If our forefathers did anything, it was to sit as close to the fireplaces as possible and have the servants keep running for more firewood. Go to any historic home and see what type of heating they used, and in many of them you can see through the walls. But by going to better insulation and central HVAC systems we can condition the entire house rather than one or two rooms. There are excellent designs out there, however they are quite often squashed by restrictive zoning laws and building codes that are supported by local developers who are afraid of losing their cash cow.

Many of the early homes did have energy saving features, but insulation was not one of them. I have been around and studied the various types of energy efficient homes (hobby of mine). I have even built a few that looked conventional but utilized things like 2x6 walls, heat exchangers, active solar panels for water heating, direct solar gain, earth sheltered, thermal chimneys and the like. In most cases we built the homes in areas where zoning laws were non existent and the building codes were very lax. I wanted to build an earth sheltered home on my property but local codes won't allow it unless it is a basement with a structure above it.:rolleyes:

Aaron:)

That would depend on who your forefathers were, wouldn't it? If they were from Mexico or the Southwest, they might have lived in houses made of adobe, an excellent insulator, or, if they were Moors, they might have lived in houses built with walls made of thick stone blocks surrounding a patio. Believe me, those houses stay cool in summer.