Heatwave

[MargaretR]

Originally Posted by keith higson

Sorry to hear about your problems with the air conditioning, here in Oz quite a lot of AC Mechanics recommenmd having your AC on 22 degreed celcius in summer, according to them th AC works more effecienty at that setting rather than slaving to get the temp around 25 degrees, anyway hope you problems goes away as soon as possible.

It is funny that you should say that, because, by trial and error, I have found that by setting the machine at 22C I can achieve 23 or 24C a few feet away where I sit.

I have two thermometers like this one - one in lounge - one in bedroom - they show the same reading when side by side, so I know they are 'calibrated' correctly

[Neil]

Originally Posted by MargaretR

Those of you who are enjoying the hot sun, please don't label those of us, who aren't, as 'moaners'

Heatwaves and public health in Europe -

"higher risk of dying during a heatwave or from heat stroke, such as living alone, being socially isolated, no working air conditioning; and those in top floor apartments."

My aircon machine is saving my life - 5 days left to struggle before I move from under this hot shallow roof.

It's only because we are not used to it in England. If it carries on like this for a few months hopefully you will start getting used to it.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by MargaretR

I have two thermometers like this one - one in lounge - one in bedroom - they show the same reading when side by side, so I know they are 'calibrated' correctly

Not being awkward but all you know is that they are reading the same temperature. You can't say that means they are 'calibrated' correctly

[MargaretR]

Originally Posted by Neil

Not being awkward but all you know is that they are reading the same temperature. You can't say that means they are 'calibrated' correctly

They match an old fashioned thermometer I have had for years.

Acclimatisation is more difficult for the elderly
Acclimatization


"Circulatory system
With the elderly, there is a decreased ability to pump and redistribute blood to the skin. There is a decline in cardiac reserve and age-related reduction in vascularity which subsequently decreases peripheral blood flow. These changes would reduce the efficiency with which heat can be removed.15 Furthermore, conditions such as atherosclerosis, heart failure, and hypertension reduce even further the body’s ability to respond to extreme heat.16 Sweat glands
Sweat gland function gradually declines in the age range of the 70s and 80s.17 Aging causes a reduction in the number of sweat glands and the sweat gland response.16 Lifetime ultraviolet exposure and other environmental factors contribute with chronological age to reduce sweat gland responsiveness.18
Cardiovascular disease—how does it affect heat response?
Aging is associated with reduced cardiac output as well as less redistribution of blood flow from the intestinal and renal circulations.19 In a study comparing the cardiovascular responses of young and old men during direct passive heating to the limits of thermal tolerance, Minson et al. found that reduced cardiac output was primarily the result of a lower stroke volume, since the older men were able to increase their heart rate to a similar extent as the young men.20 However, the older men had to attain a greater proportion of their heart rate reserve. People suffering from cardiac disease are unable to augment their cardiac output adequately to produce the necessary level of vasodilation to dissipate heat by evaporation, conduction, and convection.20
Behavioural age-related and chronic disease-related changes
Described risk factors for death or morbidity during severe heat episodes characterize the “at risk” population as being socially isolated and elderly (esp. over 75 years old),21 living in urban areas, often housebound or unable to care for themselves independently, and disproportionately living in institutions.22-25 From experimental studies on people in their 40s and 50s, it appears that healthy older people may be able to attain levels of physiologic acclimatization close to younger counterparts, but lack of activity and lack of exposure to a range of temperatures may deprive them of the opportunity to effect this protective adaptation.14 However, people with cardiac and renal impairment may not be able to achieve these results."

[Neil]

Originally Posted by MargaretR

They match an old fashioned thermometer I have had for years.

The use of the word calibrate is incorrectly used so much at work that it has become a slight annoyance for me in recent years.

If you have a known accurate device then you have verified your other devices with it.

Usually your known device has been verified against another device calibrated to some national standard for a large sum of money

[MargaretR]

I had originally hoped to move out at the end of June. I applied for the tenancy on 15th June and thought that 2 weeks was enough time to check my credit rating. My son is essential to me for helping me move and he had a holiday in Italy booked for the first two weeks in July.

The delay was due to Hyndburn Homes denying they had ever received a request for a reference. The credit check took longer than it should because of that.

They also never sent me the 'Termination of Tenancy' form I had requested immediately after I viewed the new flat on 15th June. Despite notifying them of my moving date by email they still required it 'in writing' and got it on a hastily written postcard which a neighbour posted for me at the 11th hour. Any later would have meant paying for another week of rent after the week I move out.

I managed to circumvent their administrative inadequacies and satisfy the credit checking agency that I was a legal tenant who had paid rent by direct debit for over 10 years without default.

So the past few weeks of 'cooking' under this hot roof could have been avoided.

You would think that by vacating a one bedroomed flat, which many are desperate for, they would take the trouble to ensure my speedy departure - they almost did - in a wooden box.

[Aussie Irene]

Originally Posted by MargaretR

Those of you who are enjoying the hot sun, please don't label those of us, who aren't, as 'moaners'

Heatwaves and public health in Europe -

"higher risk of dying during a heatwave or from heat stroke, such as living alone, being socially isolated, no working air conditioning; and those in top floor apartments."

My aircon machine is saving my life - 5 days left to struggle before I move from under this hot shallow roof.

Margaret, you are not a moaner, if you are join the club. no women i know like the heat. I can get out of the heat. My air-con, not like yours is my saviour.

[MargaretR]

When i befriended an Aussie couple during a holiday in Sicily in the late 70s, they came to stay with me in Uk for a few weeks of their world tour.

Types of housing was discussed and they said that corrugated tin roofs and verandahs were nostalgically fashionable in Oz. I wonder now how the people living under those roofs survive the heat.

Incidentally, they described our semis as 'half a house'

[Margaret Pilkington]

I have no air conditioning, but my middle room gets no sun, so it stays relatively cool, but our bedroom has the sun all afternoon.......I pull down the blackout blind......I only open the window once the sun has gone down, and recently I have been taking a large bottle of icy water to bed with me to put my feet on.......and this has worked for me. I have slept fairly well....Oh, I also moisten a flannel with cold water and wipe over my face neck and arms before retiring(simulating the cooling action of perspiration).

[Less]

So, here comes my conclusion, it's hot, by heck it really is hot!

I was meandering my way home, enjoying the heat, as someone like me that never complains would.
Then I felt something like a bee sting, ow I thought that hurts, i stroked my chest in the hopes of relief, it arrived but only momentarily, as I continued home the pain got worse.

I looked down and saw that I had hung my glasses from the neck of my Tshirt, (supplied by Lancsdave), they were focusing the suns rays and burning a spliff type hole, not just in the shirt but in me as well.

Does this mean I can also complain about the heat?

Or should I just put my glasses out of the way and enjoy our rare sunshine?

[shillelagh]

even the bees are hunting for the shade in this weather ..

oh and today was in town .. wandering around in the arndale it was flipping hot ... Iceland wasn't much cooler either .. the coolest shop I found today was the shop in the corner inbetween wh smiths and superdrug .. branded bargains is It called .. they had their air conditioning turned up high .. don't bother about going in the card factory it was boiling in there!!!

[Eric]

Just been reading about your heat wave ... seems like we calculate things differently over here in the colonies:

The humidex, the flawed Canadian way to calculate summer discomfort - Canada - CBC News

[westendlass]

It's hot on the way to work, it's hot at work and it's hot on the way home. I may be a moaning sod but I've always preferred Autumn and Winter. Crisp,bright sunshine and it's easier to add layers to keep warm than try to keep cool. Maybe it's because I was born in the deep midwinter. Hey ho, soon be Christmas!

[gpick24]

It`s all relative to what you are used to. In my last job, it didn`t have to be very warm outside to be roasting inside. 3 ovens belting out 150deg c heat, tin roof and very little ventilation. Took a thermometer in one day and at 7.30 in morning was over 100deg where we were working. This heatwave seems like nothing compared to that.

[cashman]

Agree wi gpick, lived n worked in Southern Spain late 90s, cooking at 35/40 degrees in a confined space aint great, yeh just gotta adapt n get used to it,simple as.