HOT

[snowhiker]

So, your user id is sarcastic.

It's turning out that way it seems these last 10 years.

10-20 years ago I did a lot of backpacking, mostly in SoCal (San Jacinto and San Gorgonio) but occasionally the eastern Sierra and Yosemite as well. Mostly went in the winter to avoid the crowds, bugs and be extreme.

 

[jtr1962]

Finally cooling off a bit. It will be under the 110s for most of the week.

I guess cool is a relative term. At least that's dry heat. 80°F with the normal humidity levels we have is stifling.

 

[snowhiker]

I get the "dry heat" argument, and for the most part agree with it, but once temps are above 110F (and especially 115F) things feel completely different than just a temp of 105F. 105 is "damn its warm today" vs 110+ "MUST GET OUT OF HEAT NOW!!"

I think there is a fine line between what the human body can "live with" and what triggers the "OMG we are in danger" do something now threshold.

 

[jtr1962]

I get the "dry heat" argument, and for the most part agree with it, but once temps are above 110F (and especially 115F) things feel completely different than just a temp of 105F. 105 is "damn its warm today" vs 110+ "MUST GET OUT OF HEAT NOW!!"

I think there is a fine line between what the human body can "live with" and what triggers the "OMG we are in danger" do something now threshold.

You're right of course. 110°+F is definitely "must get out of the heat now" hot even with low humidity. High humidity just lowers that threshold. 77°F right now but probably close to 100% humidity. My shirt is soaked after walking about 1.5 miles to run some errands.

 

[LunarMist]

Damned quote bug due to the °...

When I was stationed in the PR I'd shower 3 times a day and was sweating much of the time. It was hot and humid 9 months a year.

 

[snowhiker]

Winter is officially over in the greater Phoenix, AZ area.

I had to turn on my car's A/C during my drive to work last Thursday afternoon. I anticipate a 6-8 week spring before summer begins.

Yipeeeeeeeeeeeee.

 

[CougTek]

Winter is officially over in the greater Phoenix, AZ area.

Here, we are enduring Winter's coldest weather right now. It will drop to -26°C during the night (currently only -21°C).

 

[LunarMist]

Here, we are enduring Winter's coldest weather right now. It will drop to -26°C during the night (currently only -21°C).

Damn, that sounds awful, but I suppose you are used to it. How do the cars hold up in the cold?

 

[CougTek]

Damn, that sounds awful, but I suppose you are used to it. How do the cars hold up in the cold?

They are generally fine up to ~-25°C. Below that, it's a good idea to use them for at least half-an-hour once or twice a day. Below -30°C, sometimes even those with a new battery have a hard time starting. Some car models hold up better than others.

 

[ddrueding]

The AC kicked on here this evening. A combination of 80F+ in the afternoon and me cooking (spicy orange chicken wings and lavender rice with mushrooms). 425F in the oven for 40 minutes puts a lot of heat into the building envelope.

 

[mubs]

Do you use an engine warming blanket?

 

[Stereodude]

Damn, that sounds awful, but I suppose you are used to it. How do the cars hold up in the cold?

Cars and the parts in them are generally designed and tested down to -40C.

 

[CougTek]

Do you use an engine warming blanket?

No. I frown at my car and order it to start. And it does, every time.

 

[LunarMist]

No. I frown at my car and order it to start. And it does, every time.

Damn. I guess that's better than using an app to start it.

 

[sechs]

The AC kicked on here this evening. A combination of 80F+ in the afternoon and me cooking (spicy orange chicken wings and lavender rice with mushrooms). 425F in the oven for 40 minutes puts a lot of heat into the building envelope.

The measured high here on Friday was apparently 100

Are there still climate change deniers?

 

[LunarMist]

The AC kicked on here this evening. A combination of 80F+ in the afternoon and me cooking (spicy orange chicken wings and lavender rice with mushrooms). 425F in the oven for 40 minutes puts a lot of heat into the building envelope.

I find the A/C turns on around 60°F outside, but I like it cold.

 

[Handruin]

We've had some cold spells this past weekend. I think it dropped to -16F (-26C) over the weekend. Tomorrow I think it's supposed to be 53F which is a huge swing. The heater pretty much ran a ton over the weekend.

 

[Howell]

Wet

 

[Chewy509]

Are there still climate change deniers?

Yep, there sure are...

The simple matter is that climate is always changing (eg natural cycle between Ice Ages and Warmer periods, due to many factors including distance from Sun, Sun output and solar radiation, etc). Based on historical data, there is no doubt that climate changes over time... This is something that even the most hard-core "Client Change" deniers all agree with.

What they deny, is that human activity is the source of a more than expected/rapid increase in change seen over the last 50 years, and will point to historical data where similar things with climate change occurred (highly variable rates as we see now) in the pre-industrial past as the basis of their belief.

Personally, I think "Agent Smith" was right, we are a disease on this planet.

 

[LunarMist]

Cars and the parts in them are generally designed and tested down to -40C.

That's colder than my body could survive.
I don't know about those electric cars. I read some users complaining about range in the dead of winter. I wonder if there is a pug-in electric heater for the battery packs.

 

[mubs]

Personally, I think "Agent Smith" was right, we are a disease on this planet.

Amen. When there was all that brouhaha about the end of the world with the end of the Mayan calendar (2012 December), I was hoping there'd be multiple events - earthquakes, tsunamis, polar shift, what not, which would wipe out 65 - 80% of earth's population so we could start over. I absolutely didn't mind if I was one of the dead. Nothing happened - not even a fart

 

[ddrueding]

That's colder than my body could survive.
I don't know about those electric cars. I read some users complaining about range in the dead of winter. I wonder if there is a pug-in electric heater for the battery packs.

The Model S battery packs are water cooled, I suspect that would also work to heat if required. There are videos of the automatically extending door handles punching through thick ice when required, pretty cool.

 

[Will Rickards]

The chevy volt has a battery heater. So it keeps the battery at optimal temperature range. The leaf does not and this has led to premature battery degradation in the leaf.
You also have to cool the battery. I forget if the volt cools the battery.
Yes winter means your range is affected (28-32 versus 40+ miles). This is mainly due to having to use the electric cabin heater.
The engine also runs when it gets really cold, which is great as the electric heat is kind of weak and takes miles away from your range.
Preheating the car is almost a necessity unless you use the engine. This is something I didn't really anticipate before having the car.
You can also use hold mode to have the engine run for a bit to heat up the cabin and then turn it off.

Thankfully I can plugin at work most of the time so the reduced range doesn't really affect me.

 

[LunarMist]

If you can charge at work for free that would really help the practical range.

 

[ddrueding]

Many of the larger or tech employers around here have free charging stations in the parking lot. Some of them actually have competition for the spots, and make you go take turns during the day.

I'll end up negotiating with the boss about having one installed at my spot. This will be much easier if I successfully convince him to buy one as well (they are adjacent).

 

[sechs]

The simple matter is that climate is always changing (eg natural cycle between Ice Ages and Warmer periods, due to many factors including distance from Sun, Sun output and solar radiation, etc). Based on historical data, there is no doubt that climate changes over time... This is something that even the most hard-core "Client Change" deniers all agree with.

Problem: We're overdue for an ice age and going the wrong way

I don't think that it's relevant whether man is causing it or not. The point is, man may be able to stop it, and a stable climate is to our advantage.

 

[DrunkenBastard]

Installed a 15k BTU window unit in the house today, it's been abnormally hot and humid for the end of May.

 

[ddrueding]

The solar panels seem to be having a significant effect on my need to cool the house. They cover the two sunniest planes of the roof, and stand about 4" off the surface. I suspect that having those parts of roof shaded helps keep attic temps significantly lower.

 

[DrunkenBastard]

Interesting. I have a vented attic (for the snow) with R-49 on the attic floor, so I don't think panel shading would help me much.

 

[Tannin]

Shading the roof should make very, very little practical difference. If it does, there is a problem with the roof insulation.

As a general rule, the roof cavity should be an almost-sealed box with convective insulation (e.g., fluffy fibreglass) on the base and reflective insulation (foil or similar) on top. Provided that there is sufficient convective insulation, the temperature inside the roof cavity doesn't really matter.

Ventilating the cavity has become very fashionable but it is practically useless - little better than a scam in most cases. It is nearly always cheaper and more effective to add another layer of insulation than it is to install a roof ventilation system. However, in climates where winter temperatures frequently drop well below zero, humidity in roof spaces becomes a serious issue. This is why roof ventilation is a necessity in many parts of the US.

(The geography of the US - essentially the gigantic arctic funnel formed by the Rockies on the western edge and the Appalachians along the eastern seaboard - leads to far greater seasonal variations than in most of the rest of the world.)

DB: I reckon panel shading would improve your situation by, on my rough calculation, approximately 0.00000321023%, give or take a few decimal places.

 

[ddrueding]

Tannin likely got this one right as well. Using the thermal camera, the ceiling is no warmer than interior walls.

The insulation is likely sufficient; 1.5" of expanding foam (R-7 per inch in addition to being air-tight), R-30 fiberglass on top of that, and 3/4" outdoor-rated plywood on top of that. No fancy shiny insulation up against the roof, though. Should look into that.

I do have a vented attic as well, but it is mainly because I use the attic for storage. The fan brings the temperature down about 10F.

 

[snowhiker]

Seems are 6-7 month long summer was delayed a few weeks, but now the hotness is coming to town later in the week and weekend.

 

[Bozo]

The main reason for ventilating the attic is to prevent condensation and mold. Trying to create a dead air space in the attic is almost impossible.

 

[Handruin]

We've had some large fluctuations in temperatures over the past few weeks here. A couple days in the upper 90's and then following days in the 60s.

 

[Mercutio]

The water park directly across the street from my office opened today.
As one might imagine of a water park located in northwest Indiana, it's a lot like getting to see "People of Walmart" but in bathing suits.

I'm sure timwhit can come by later to support me on this one.

 

[timwhit]

The water park directly across the street from my office opened today.
As one might imagine of a water park located in northwest Indiana, it's a lot like getting to see "People of Walmart" but in bathing suits.

I'm sure timwhit can come by later to support me on this one.

Yes, I try to avoid NW Indiana at all costs.

 

[LunarMist]

Is there excessive exposed blubber?

 

[timwhit]

Is there excessive exposed blubber?

Yes.

 

[snowhiker]

^^ Probably true of most public pools.

 

[Mercutio]

It's Indiana, so the big advantage of the water park over the beach for a lot folks is that the water park is a lot more friendly to smokers. Yes really.