# Surviving Heat in Grid Down Situation



## Momturtle (Nov 2, 2009)

Well, we got to check out how well we do when all our power is out and it is 100+ degrees. We have a place in the country, does have some power, enough for an air conditioner and fans. We are also in the middle of a drought so everything is super dry. Like a lot of folks here in the east, power went out Friday night. No lights, no water pump, no air conditioner. Oh no! Okay, lights, no problem, have a little solar system that has a light bar. Water, check, we keep 15 gallons in jugs with spikots - no running water in the house so we are covered for a bit anyway. Ah but no air conditioning . . . the horror. I have never done heat well and this was excessive. I keep chilly pads on hand for the heat working outside. You soak them in wateri and the evaporation keeps you cooler. We also have fans that operate on 12 volts, made all the difference in the world sleeping. Cooking outside in the shade is a little easier. Thank goodness it is cooler at night but it is still energy sapping to try and do anthing in the heat. We still had to water the garden, tend the chickens (who spent the day under the house where it was cooler- smart birds), but it was only possible to do a little work at a time before having to cool off. We were luckier than a lot of folks, we had water to drink, water to water the plants (rain barrels - lots of them) and fans to cool off so it was OK for us, not great, but ok. 

We did learn some things. It is better to sleep outside with mosquito nets than inside, it is much cooler. A good nights sleep is so important to happy survival. We need to get more rain barrels to store even more water for the garden and animals. More solar panels and batteries to have access to more lights and fans. And I hear that your body will adjust over time and make it more tollerable. Hopefully that is true because if the grid did go down full time I think heat would be harder for us to deal with than cold. Anyone else have any tips that might be helpful? I would really love to hear it.


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## Tweto (Nov 26, 2011)

Did you consider buying a small RV that has a generator with AC/heat water storage and toilet. A good RV is completely self contained and for emergency's they would work great. I have been looking at them for just such an emergency and 10-20,000 will get you one that would work. Even some of the small trailer RVs are self contained with AC and can be purchased for less then $10k.

I have had this discussion with my wife and we will be looking within the next year. What ever we buy will rarely leave our property.

If those of you in the middle of these power outages could let us know what's going on there it could be a big help to the rest of us with our preps.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

The cold will kill me faster than the heat..can't tolerate..had my ac on 82 most of daytime; at about 5, I turn to 80.
Do you fill jugs and keep frozen-- if room in the freezer??
Can be used lots of ways to cool...bandanna/handkerchief with ice around neck???
I seriously keep thermostat at this to try not stress the transformers--neighbors sitting on their porch MOST of the day have theirs on 72.:ignore:


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## CrackbottomLouis (May 20, 2012)

Tweto said:


> Did you consider buying a small RV that has a generator with AC/heat water storage and toilet. A good RV is completely self contained and for emergency's they would work great. I have been looking at them for just such an emergency and 10-20,000 will get you one that would work. Even some of the small trailer RVs are self contained with AC and can be purchased for less then $10k.
> 
> I have had this discussion with my wife and we will be looking within the next year. What ever we buy will rarely leave our property.
> 
> If those of you in the middle of these power outages could let us know what's going on there it could be a big help to the rest of us with our preps.


Ive been checking out the same thing. I like the Scamp brand. What do you think?


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## SimpleJoys (Apr 28, 2012)

I had power back during the great Texas heat wave of 1980, but my AC had broken and I couldn't afford to get it fixed. I kept a spray bottle full of water handy so I could mist myself and let the water evaporate. Soaking a very thin piece of fabric (like thin muslin) in water and wringing it out then covering with it when you lay down might cool you off enough to fall alseep.

I have not tried this but somebody who was in the Peace Corps in Africa said that if you put sand in the bottom of a big clay pot, set a smaller pot inside the big pot and fill the gap between them with sand, soak the pots and keep them covered with a towel, the inner pot will be cold enough to keep food chilled. I keep meaning to pick up some clay flower pots and try this to see if it works.


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

"I have not tried this but somebody who was in the Peace Corps in Africa said that if you put sand in the bottom of a big clay pot, set a smaller pot inside the big pot and fill the gap between them with sand, soak the pots and keep them covered with a towel, the inner pot will be cold enough to keep food chilled. I keep meaning to pick up some clay flower pots and try this to see if it works. "

I've seen several designs like this but to work well the weather has to be very low humidity/dew point.


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## Tweto (Nov 26, 2011)

CrackbottomLouis said:


> Ive been checking out the same thing. I like the Scamp brand. What do you think?


I checked them out, they don't appear to have a generator which would be no go for me. The RV's I was looking at are 10-20 years old and already have AC/heat , generator, 40-50 gallon fresh water tank.

I like the size of the scamp RV's and you could add a generator on the back. I've seen RV's with generators custom mounted on the back. I have 2 generators at home but the advantage of the RV is if the house was damaged by a storm of fire and you couldn't live in it just walk out to the RV and live in it till the house is repaired.


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## Possumfam (Apr 19, 2011)

Tweto said:


> Did you consider buying a small RV that has a generator with AC/heat water storage and toilet.


We've thought about this, too, but the downfall (for us anyway) is if we don't leave for "the hurricane" - the weather (winds, tornados, etc...) would likely take our RV and fling it over to the neighbors. Now it becomes a projectile.


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## tac803 (Nov 21, 2010)

In a pinch, you can pile in the car or truck and run the ac for a little while without wasting too much gas. If older folks are involved, you might need to take them to a place with power and put them up in a hotel / motel if possible, or even practical. 

Another suggestion, fill the bathtub with water. Use it to soak in and cool down...don't need to drain it unless it becomes dirty, and the cool water can help take the heat away. Watch for the signs of heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. Don't ignore them...having had heat exhaustion, I can tell you it sneaks up on you with little warning. Getting hot, then the sweat stops and you feel better. That's when things start to get bad.


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

Two years ago I went the entire summer w/out using the AC. Having a fan was key. I did a weekend of 95+ with high humidity w/out the fan and it was a bit rough. I found sitting on the N side of the house with a spray bottle of water did the trick enough so I could survive. The ground was cool enough so you could lie down and spray water on yourself. You would have to move to a new spot every 10 or 15 minutes but it was a workable solution. Coming back to that damp grass was pretty nice. Chores were done as soon as it was light enough to see and then again after the sun went down behind the trees. Middle of the day was spent spraying the pup and myself while staying out of the sun.

I did allow the dog to play with the well cooled hose water to keep cool. You would sweat up a storm just standing there spraying her!

For me, around 90 degrees even with humidity was bearable. Once it got into the mid 90’s my body could handle it but I couldn’t. So, I could survive a NC summer w/out electricity. Heck, what did they do back in the day? Rough it out by sitting on the porch with a mint julep and a hand fan.


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## Possumfam (Apr 19, 2011)

Yeah, A/C has only been around so long. When I used to deliver mail, it got *HOT* in the vehicle. DH wanted me to run the A/C, but I just couldn't fathom that, what with the window down, stopping and turning off the engine, etc. The key was acclimating myself over time. If you go from A/C one day to stifling hot w/ high humidity, yeah, it's gonna be bad. But if you can slowly adjust over a few days, it's a little easier.


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## stayingthegame (Mar 22, 2011)

try taking strips of cotton,wetting them and tying them to the cage on your fan. you can buy the "beads" that are in those wet collars. in candle making they are called smelly jellys. they soak up something like 10 times there weight in water. there are also found in some diapers.


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## pixieduster (Mar 28, 2012)

stayingthegame said:


> try taking strips of cotton,wetting them and tying them to the cage on your fan. you can buy the "beads" that are in those wet collars. in candle making they are called smelly jellys. they soak up something like 10 times there weight in water. there are also found in some diapers.


Hhmmm. Soak a clean diaper and place on head. Lol! I'm so doing that. Nope, I don't care what the neighbors think.


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## pixieduster (Mar 28, 2012)

I do think getting acclamaited is key. Old houses in the south have very high ceilings and tall windows. Its not just pretty, its science. Heat rises. All those ladies back in the day had long dresses and layers. They were use to it. Hand held fans and lots of lemon aid. History tells us a lot. Think I need to do some reaserch myself now. Don't have high ceilings but sure I can make a few changes.


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

You do become acclimated to heat over time. Probably the biggest key is hydration. Drink a ton of water. If your pee is dark you're not getting enough water. That's the easiest way to check. Drink water like crazy and some Gatorade or something once in a while for the electrolytes. I know Gatorade can seem pricy but it's not bad if you buy the tubs of powder. 

Don't overexert yourself, especially if you're not used to the heat yet. Like others said, get up early or work later in the day to beat the heat. Take frequent breaks and don't push yourself.

Where I work they are very cautious about safety and heat stress is a biggie this time of year. They monitor us and if the temps exceed limits, we are put on periods of 75%work 25% rest, 50/50, etc which means for every hour we work 45 minutes and rest for 15, work a half hour and rest a half hour, etc.

Heat can injure or even kill if you aren't careful. It's not something to be taken lightly.


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## SimpleJoys (Apr 28, 2012)

This "can't live without airconditioning" thing is really recent. When I was growing up in Dallas in the 60's, none of the schools were airconditioned. Each class room had a big fan. We started school in August, and it was hot.

If you can find them, double hung windows are great. You can have them bottom part open on the side of the house the wind is blowing and the top part open on the opposite side so that the cooler air pushes out the hotter air.

Shading the south and west sides of the house helps a lot. I saw a great looking pergola a guy had built with one inch PVC pipe. He used 3' pieces of rebar as his base and hammered them halfway into the ground 2-3' apart, and then put up a ledger board on the side of the house with PVC connectors mounted to it and spaced to match the rebar. Then he used 1" PVC between the two in a nice arch and screwed white painted 1x2 lengthwise along it to steady it. I think there were four courses of the 1x2, but I don't remember. Then he planted fast growing vines at the base and trained them up over the pergola so that in the summer, he had a shady tunnel on the side of his house and the sun didn't touch the wall at all.

I couldn't even afford to do that, so I hung really cheap white plastic blinds from Walmart on the west side of my house from the soffit. They lasted all summer and kept the afternoon sun from heating up the side of the house. It made a huge difference in comfort--without them, the side of the house would get so hot that it would be about two in the morning before the house cooled off. If I had stayed there, I would have eventually built some sort of permanent structure to keep the sun off and grow grape vines.

Those mister things that are on stands and attach to the water hose can make sitting outside a lot more pleasant. And don't forget popsicles and iced tea! Cold peppermint tea is really refreshing and doesn't have caffeine.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

I grew up west of Dallas in the 60's and we dealt with he heat, didn't have air conditionin. I remember it being hot but not life threatening, we knew where all the swimming holes were and where all the cool shady spots were around the country side. We sometimes slept outside but not often.

I guess you can acclimate to the heat, I didn't live in a house with AC until the early 80's and I look back and wonder how we did it.


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

I work in an office full of ladies.

The ladies that are over weight complain about "too hot" and the ladies under weight "too cold". Never just right.

And then we have outside plant Techs that have the A/C in the vehicle turned up to full blast and about drop when they exit the vehicle.

My point is prepping is not just storing away food stuffs, ammo and fuel. It is also about being physically fit.


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## Ration-AL (Apr 18, 2012)

stayingthegame said:


> try taking strips of cotton,wetting them and tying them to the cage on your fan. you can buy the "beads" that are in those wet collars. in candle making they are called smelly jellys. they soak up something like 10 times there weight in water. there are also found in some diapers.


^ this

short of that you can dig roman ice rooms and store snow/ice for the summer and it might be a very profitable enterprise in the post apocalyptic world.

http://books.google.com/books?id=VmJLd3sSYecC&pg=PA321#v=onepage&q&f=false



> The period known as the "Dog Days" of summer occurs from early July into mid-August. The Romans gave this period the name "dies canincula" or dog days because the dog star Sirius rises and sets with the sun during this time. They conjectured that the combined effect of the star and the sun was what made it so oppressively warm and humid.


also Ammonium nitrate added to water in a steel dish can make ice as well


> How to Make Ice Using Fertilizer
> http://voices.yahoo.com/how-ice-usin...r-5422755.html
> Quote:
> In order to make ice with this method, the following items are needed:
> ...


or you can make an icey ball
http://crosleyautoclub.com/IcyBall/HomeBuilt/HallPlans/IB_Directions.html









another one









a solar type prototype coming through, study and basics....v
http://fc.uni.edu.pe/mhorn/ISES2003 (solar refrigeration).pdf
pic








article
http://www.treehugger.com/clean-technology/new-solar-refrigerator-prototype-from-chile.html

so there are lots of ways, and none of them are really any good, personally i'm just digging some deep holes in a shaded area, fill with snow and cover with straw and moss , we don't really have a heat problem here but ice is always pretty handy and worst case i end up with a couple of deep wells with water reserves.


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## BillS (May 30, 2011)

Where I live in Wisconsin our basement is still cooler than 70º. I wish I could have the summer weather from Marquette, Michigan which is on Lake Superior.

http://www.weather.com/weather/5-day/Marquette+MI+USMI0525:1:US


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

While I do have a small AC in the window now.. we didn't always have one. 
In the winter I have window quilts. Keeps the warm air in and the cold air out and made a huge difference in our heating bills. Our largest gas bill this last winter was only $112. it was a mild winter tho..
But I found if I took one of those silver survival blankets and pinned it to the outside of the window quilt on our windows that get full sun it reflects that hot hot sun back out in the summer. 
I have to buy more as our insurance made me cut my big yew bushes down as it was "making the paint peel" and looked "unsightly" bast***s
So now the afternoon sun just bakes that side of the house till the sun gets to that lower angle so that the two nice trees that are planted farther from the house can shade it again.
I have the Silver blanket on one of the windows and one of those windshield reflectors on another.. one room that we don't use much we just keep the door closed to. I am amazed at how well the silver things work.. I'm sure in a pinch cheap old tinfoil(you can buy at the dollar store)would probably work too.
I've been watering my chickens more than several times a day. and I have a little mist making thing on the end of the hose and it wraps around the fencing and spritzes just a bit of moisture in that area and they do lay under it. 
I know it has been hot and bad and dry here as when we went out to move the sprinkler in my garden not only were there little birds all playing in it there were two deer standing in it.. I'm glad we got out there when we did as I have a feeling those deer were checking out the bean plants. and this was at 1:30 today.


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## urbanprepping (Feb 21, 2012)

Tweto said:


> Did you consider buying a small RV that has a generator with AC/heat water storage and toilet. A good RV is completely self contained and for emergency's they would work great. I have been looking at them for just such an emergency and 10-20,000 will get you one that would work. Even some of the small trailer RVs are self contained with AC and can be purchased for less then $10k.
> 
> A rv will be a tin can when the gas is gone. It would be a better survive to get more solar (cells, batteries) and the like to store energy. More fans that run off 12 v.
> 
> If this was a emp attack. Your rv will dead in the water. Always think self sufficient get away from anything that is reliant on gas in a survive situtation.


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## bahramthered (Mar 10, 2012)

As for heat I took a lesson from my old dog. 

When my AC was out I just stayed in the basement. All that concrete under ground was nicely cool. I imagine some people will cringe but I use to law on the cold floor reading a book.


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## sillymoo (Oct 30, 2011)

Yep, basements are nice. I was raised in a house without air conditioning in the 70's and the basement was the place to be even with all the creepy spiders and what not. 

I am going to try putting up a silver survival blanket on our family room window. Not only will it block the sun, but it will really annoy the fancy-pants neighbors that look into our back yard. Solar panels are forbidden as they do not blend with the look of the neighborhood, but our by-laws say nothing about silver survival blankets.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

sillymoo said:


> Yep, basements are nice. I was raised in a house without air conditioning in the 70's and the basement was the place to be even with all the creepy spiders and what not.
> 
> I am going to try putting up a silver survival blanket on our family room window. Not only will it block the sun, but it will really annoy the fancy-pants neighbors that look into our back yard. Solar panels are forbidden as they do not blend with the look of the neighborhood, but our by-laws say nothing about silver survival blankets.


The closer to the window the better.. while I have them on some of the window quilts I've taped a couple to the window so that it is flush(I've read that some people have luck with spraying water on and then "smoothing" the silver blanket to the glass like a film or the car shade films. I haven't had luck with that. I'm sure that the HMO will Plutz.. but it is in your house not outside.. tell them to lump it.. you are going "Jetsons" with your decor. haha:lolsmash:

I was fond of my Aunts root cellar.. it was cold in there.. we put our sodas in there to keep them cold.


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## tc556guy (Apr 28, 2011)

I grew up without AC. We spent the hottest summer days in the basement.

I feel bad for you guys without power down south who have no basements to retreat to.


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## BillM (Dec 29, 2010)

When I grew up, nobody had AC in their homes.

Downtown, the only business that had AC was the State Theater.

On the marque, in hugh letters it said , "83 degrees inside" .

In smaller letters underneath it showed the name of the picture .

The place was full.

Now , people would get up and walk out is it was 83 degrees !

When it hit 100 degrees, there would always be a picture in the "Dailey News" of someone frying an egg on the sidewalk outside the barber shop .

I never wore shoes in the summer except to go to church.

The church was cooled by a hundred fat women , heavily coated with talcom powder , fanning away with funeral home hand fans.

The preacher never removed his coat and tie.

I was Baptised in the creek but that happened in January, (go figgure) !


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## Dixie (Sep 20, 2010)

pixieduster said:


> I do think getting acclamaited is key. Old houses in the south have very high ceilings and tall windows. Its not just pretty, its science. Heat rises. All those ladies back in the day had long dresses and layers. They were use to it. Hand held fans and lots of lemon aid. History tells us a lot. Think I need to do some reaserch myself now. Don't have high ceilings but sure I can make a few changes.


*Right, we had high ceilings, transom's over the doors and covered porches that kept the sun out. 
I agree, acclamation is the key, we see people in shorts during the winter and know "they ain't from around here".
I didn't put a/c in this house until 2001! Though we did have a couple of window units, fans were used mostly. 
We were at our place in the mountains when this heat wave hit. It was 104 INSIDE our cabin. We were working and I didn't want to fool with setting up a "Swamp cooler" so I used a water spritzer with the fans. Everyone check into the swamp coolers, you make them using 2 5gal. buckets, burlap, water. ice and fans.*


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## Momturtle (Nov 2, 2009)

Some great ideas coming in here. I love the idea of the space blankets on the windows and shading the side of the house from the sun. Good idea for keeping the living space habitable. I do have a camper with air conditioning but no generator -- DH has one that he got for free because it "just needed a little work" and never got around to the work. I am also more interested in ways to survive extreme heat in a permanent, grid down situation. With so many other things that run on gasoline, that can be used for more important (although it may not seem like it when I feel I am melting) things, running a generator for air conditioning with a limited resource seems a bit selfish, and I would still be hot when the gas ran out. I am very greatful I had my little "Solar 2 Go" system which enabled me to run fans - it saved the day. Having the "Chilli Pads" from Frog Togs is a variation on the wet rag on the head - they just hold more water and get really cold. Wonderful at keeping the core temp down. The air conditioner we could not use was a tiny little thing, only cooled off one room enough to sleep comfortably at night, we used the 12 volt fans instead. I am going to check out the swamp coolers -- without ice though, don't know how that will work.


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## PrepN4Good (Dec 23, 2011)

Momturtle said:


> Having the "Chilli Pads" from Frog Togs is a variation on the wet rag on the head - they just hold more water and get really cold. Wonderful at keeping the core temp down.


I wonder if that's what I saw at Bed Bath & Beyond the other day...they were selling them at the cash register for $14.95 or so. I guess you get them wet, wring them out, & they stay cold for hours. "What will they think of next??"


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## SimpleJoys (Apr 28, 2012)

I got two of the smaller Chilli Pads at Bed Bath and Beyond yesterday and then went back and got two more to give to the wonderful guys who take care of our yard. If I like the pads as much as I think I will, I'm going to look for them on sale at the end of the summer and buy a few more.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

PrepN4Good said:


> I wonder if that's what I saw at Bed Bath & Beyond the other day...they were selling them at the cash register for $14.95 or so. I guess you get them wet, wring them out, & they stay cold for hours. "What will they think of next??"


Don't buy them for that cost.. Dollar tree has them a buck a piece.
They are just tubes with the jellyballs that suck up and hold water that you tie around your neck. We made some where we worked with the little pellets that you buy for putting in flower vases(they come in colors but get the clear ones) you pour them in and pour water on them and they swell up like little balls.. they work great sewn into a cloth tube. cool ya right off. But I can't make them for what the dollar store sells them for now.


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## SimpleJoys (Apr 28, 2012)

Good to know, Emerald!


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## Jezcruzen (Oct 21, 2008)

We just came out of six days without outside electrical power. I can tell all of you that six days in temperatures hovering around 100 degrees is not a pleasant experience for a society accustomed to switching on electric lights, cooking on an electric stove, twisting a spigot and getting either hot or cold water in abundance - your choice - and walking indoors into a artificially cooled environment while leaving horrid temperatures outside. Read all you want about soaking cloth with water and wearing it or any of the other various topics of conversation on boards like this regarding keeping cool. All any of that really does is provide temporary various levels of chronic discomfort. The only real solution is to acclimate to the change, and that takes time... if you can stand it long enough.

Probably half of the families in my neighborhood abandoned ship, bugged out, so to speak, to family and friends who still had power. leaving their homes subject to the transgressions of those out there who seek to capitalize on the misery of others.

We stuck. We developed a routine with the help of a portable gas-powered generator that allowed us to have some semblance of a "normal" existence... except for the heat, which was sometimes almost overpowering. We cooked. We cleaned up. We continued to work our garden in the cool of early morning. We canned fresh vegetables, in fact, using a camp stove fueled by propane. I will, however, hear that generator running in the background in my memory for a bit longer. I grew to hate it! It was always there in the background making its demands to be tended to... with fuel... with changing around from 110 to 220VAC so we could run the well pump and flush the toilets. 

Had this occurred back in the spring or later in the fall or even winter, I think it would have been a lot easier for those directly affected. With temps at 100 degrees, or even higher, there is not a lot of relief to be had for most. The entitlement society buckled early, demanding relief... demanding, demanding. Those more self-sufficient soldiered on - taking care of themselves as well as less prepared neighbors in many cases.

Even those of us who consider themselves to be "prepared" are limited to exactly how long our preparedness will last. Lets face it... 99.9% of the populace depending on that flow of electrons that allow the various conveniences we have to function on demand. What if this had been an EMP?

Our society is very dependent. It is also very fragile. Its not a very comfortable place to be when so many want to be in control of everything.


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## dklewis (Feb 23, 2012)

The heat was the worst part of our recent power outage. We were without power from Friday evening until Wednesday evening and daytime temps were around 100. We got up early to do our outside work and experimented with ways to keep the house cooler but it was always cooler outside. Our basement was a bit cooler than the rest of the house but still not better than a shady spot outside...if a breeze was blowing a little. I tried wet cloth around my neck which helped some but I believe that one must just adapt. As the days multiplied it was easier to bear. Our main focus was to keep hydrated. Despite our usual ac life, we survived and are better for it. It was a very good "trial" run for us. I don't look forward to it happening again but I will be prepared, just as I was this time.


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## Well_Driller (Jun 3, 2012)

We were 7 days without power but not much more than a bit of an inconvenience to me. I grew up with intermittent power failures and with no air conditioning which I really don't like that well anyway so nothing new to me. Some people like to have it 50 degrees and I get cold. I've been drilling wells out in the hot sun in this heat. Just make sure to drink plenty of water and not over do it. The generator isn't big enough to run the A/C which I don't worry about that, but it runs everything else and I kept it running 24/7 but it was more of a convenience then anything else. We have other ways to cook food and have a separate well with a hand pump for water it's been pretty warm though. I went out and stuck my head under the pump and that 50 degree water is quite a shock in the heat! Cools you down real quick.... BTW When the storm came through last Friday I was on a job site with nowhere to go and right in the middle of it I saw it first hand, boy was it a display of nature's power. No words to describe it.


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## lotsoflead (Jul 25, 2010)

we'll survive the heat-cold the same way people have been doing it for centuries. when I was a kid, AC wasn't in any autos, houses ect and people just went ahead and done what it took to survive. cooling off meant a walk to the milk house or creek and dipping the bandanna in the cool water and wiping your forehead every few hrs.people stilll wore shirts over their under shirts til Marlin Brando came out wearing a Tee shirt in the 50s.


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## Momturtle (Nov 2, 2009)

Chilli Pads are not like the cooling bandanas that you put around your neck that are full of water retaining beads. They are more like a Shamwow (which might work as well, hmmmm, they turn up a lot at yard sales) in that it is about a 14X18 inch sheet of some abnormal spongy material that holds a ton of water. Has one side with sort of a waffle pattern that really evaporates the water if there is any kind of a breeze, or you can flap them a bit and they don't just get cool, they get cold. That's why I sewed two together to make kind of a small poncho. My wearable air conditioning. That way they don't keep sliding off on the ground. I wish they were cheaper but I have had mine for about 5 years now and they are still like brand new. 

I also grew up without air conditioning in the deep south but it never got up to 105 where we lived. And we always had fans when we slept or we could "camp out" on the terrazo floor in the basement - ahhh the coolness and joy.


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## Jimmy24 (Apr 20, 2011)

Tweto said:


> Did you consider buying a small RV that has a generator with AC/heat water storage and toilet. A good RV is completely self contained and for emergency's they would work great. I have been looking at them for just such an emergency and 10-20,000 will get you one that would work. Even some of the small trailer RVs are self contained with AC and can be purchased for less then $10k.
> 
> I have had this discussion with my wife and we will be looking within the next year. What ever we buy will rarely leave our property.
> 
> If those of you in the middle of these power outages could let us know what's going on there it could be a big help to the rest of us with our preps.


I did that in 2004. 37', fully self contained. Not really for that reason, but it worked out that way for Katrina. 28 gallions of gas allowed us to sleep cool at night for 9 nights. I bought it for a song, $1700, from a local RV dealer who had taken it in as a trade in. Had a 454 Chev and bad flywheel stater ring. Cost me a bunch of work and $100 in parts. Ran like a top, as it only had 43K miles on it.

It paid for itself during those 9 days....:beercheer:

Jimmy


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

Momturtle said:


> Chilli Pads are not like the cooling bandanas that you put around your neck that are full of water retaining beads. They are more like a Shamwow (which might work as well, hmmmm, they turn up a lot at yard sales) in that it is about a 14X18 inch sheet of some abnormal spongy material that holds a ton of water. Has one side with sort of a waffle pattern that really evaporates the water if there is any kind of a breeze, or you can flap them a bit and they don't just get cool, they get cold. That's why I sewed two together to make kind of a small poncho. My wearable air conditioning. That way they don't keep sliding off on the ground. I wish they were cheaper but I have had mine for about 5 years now and they are still like brand new.
> 
> I also grew up without air conditioning in the deep south but it never got up to 105 where we lived. And we always had fans when we slept or we could "camp out" on the terrazo floor in the basement - ahhh the coolness and joy.


Thanks for letting me know! The ones that we bought at the dollar store were called chillynecks.
I wonder if they have something else in them? Now I'll have to run and check next time I go to BB&B for a CO refill on my soda stream. 
maybe I'll get a dollar store shamwow for my ice pads for my back and knee. then they won't sweat so much on my chair!
I have to say it is almost 100 here today and it was 100+ in Grand Rapids where we just were. and I have my air on here.. but it is set to 78.. makes it plenty comfy but not so cold you pass out when you go outside to water the chickens. those poor babies.. I keep spraying their pens and have the pen in the sun blocked off so that they have to stay in the shaded pen. I get the ground all damp and when I go out next they are all laying in the cool damp spots. 
I don't know if it is the menopause or what but the last few years I just can not handle the super hot weather..(anything over 86 or so) We were out at the lake and no air on the 4th and after only an hour I was sick and just felt awful.. the only thing we could do was head down to the lake after we ate and we all sat on our lawn chairs up to our necks in the lake.. For over 4 hours.. the water was almost as warm as a bath. but still better in than out. Took my tummy ache and headache right away. I think between all of the adults and kids we must have drank almost 5 gallons of ice water.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

My electricity has flicked twice..but still on.
Problem is, in 102 heat, residents don't turn ac thermostat lower...just higher. Putting a strain on transformers...mine is on 83.
Neighbor keeps his on 72..

~~~I don't know if it is the menopause or what but the last few years I just can not handle the super hot weather~~~
I don't know either..mine happened when I was 38..and I have never had a problem with heat like this year and I'm 61 and don't take premarin tablets..I do all the yard work..landscaping, et al...this year it is not getting done till sunset..watering is even after sunset; what is getting watered.
I watered the shrubs and 3/4 year old trees twice..not again.
I'm waiting for God to show His mercy.


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## Indianaali (Jul 6, 2012)

Emerald said:


> While I do have a small AC in the window now.. we didn't always have one.
> In the winter I have window quilts. Keeps the warm air in and the cold air out and made a huge difference in our heating bills. Our largest gas bill this last winter was only $112. it was a mild winter tho..
> But I found if I took one of those silver survival blankets and pinned it to the outside of the window quilt on our windows that get full sun it reflects that hot hot sun back out in the summer.
> I have to buy more as our insurance made me cut my big yew bushes down as it was "making the paint peel" and looked "unsightly" bast***s
> ...


My Southfacing sliding glass doors off my wood deck are covered in tinfoil... yep I'm a *******. It is amazing the difference it makes in my room, along with the 2 west facing windows being covered. Working the curtains and blinds everyday too and turning off any lights that will put out quite a bit of heat too. Everything helps but still enjoy some AC, just can't afford it much!


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## BillM (Dec 29, 2010)

*Jay Jay*



JayJay said:


> My electricity has flicked twice..but still on.
> Problem is, in 102 heat, residents don't turn ac thermostat lower...just higher. Putting a strain on transformers...mine is on 83.
> Neighbor keeps his on 72..
> 
> ...


If you loose your A/C take a few cool showers during the day . Drink plenty of water, (enough so you pee clear ).

Sit outside under a shade tree with the garden hose and spray off with it occasionally to stay cool.

Wait until the sun goes down and the house cools out to go to bed.

This will be a good time to meet the neighbors.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

I saw this & HAD to share it!


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## TopTop (Nov 11, 2011)

Tweto said:


> Did you consider buying a small RV that has a generator with AC/heat water storage and toilet. A good RV is completely self contained and for emergency's they would work great. I have been looking at them for just such an emergency and 10-20,000 will get you one that would work. Even some of the small trailer RVs are self contained with AC and can be purchased for less then $10k.
> 
> I have had this discussion with my wife and we will be looking within the next year. What ever we buy will rarely leave our property.
> 
> If those of you in the middle of these power outages could let us know what's going on there it could be a big help to the rest of us with our preps.


Wouldn't it be simpler to just buy a generator? But if you really want an RV that will rarely move, check out the bigger 5th wheel trailers. Real big ones do not hold their value at all. I bought a 40 ft, three axle trailer that weighed around 16,000 lbs, 6 years old for $5,000. Not a light weight model, built very solid with good insulation & fully enclosed with sheet metal under the floor. Two electric slides, central heat/AC, washer dryer, dish washer, Full size bathtub, everything was beautiful. It cost under $1,000 to buy/install a used Onan. I intended to use it at the beach but it ended up being a guest house at the farm. It was fully self contained with fresh water, gray water & black water tanks with 12 volt demand pumps so you could use it without ac power. The furnace & fridge was propane/12 volt/120volt & it had two big deep cycle batteries & shore power system. Would be perfect to set up on your bare land while you work on getting a well & septic. To get that price I looked at it during a blizzard over Thanksgiving weekend & made an offer. They let me walk but called me on my cell before I got home. After thinking it over they decided they could use the cash more than another trailer on the lot during the lean months.


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## machinist (Jul 4, 2012)

Thankfully, we had power through this heat wave, but it worried us a lot. Wife and I are 66 years old and don't tolerate heat very well. I had a heatstroke 50 years ago and STILL have serious problems with heat, much worse than before the heatstroke. 

A lot of those folks back before AC were skating close to the edge dealing with heat. Yeah, at age 16 I made hay 3 days a week and topped tobacco in a creek bottom beside a woods (zero air circulation) the other 3 days. Slept in a hot upstairs bedroom, too. By Saturday afternoon, I did make it out of the hayloft, but had to lay on the elevator for a while because I was too shaky to climb down without falling 20 feet. Then I couldn't stand up. The other boys got me in the milkhouse and cooled me down with cold water, but it was close. Heart rate was going nuts, and all that. Too weak to ride my bike home, and no good at all the rest of that summer. 

NOTE: When you are getting overheated, you can't think very well and you have poor judgement. (Your brain is getting fried.) SO get cooled off BEFORE you think you need it, or it will end badly for you. 

So, we have been working on it. Have a cistern to supply water and it has a hand pump on the back porch. We put more insulation in the attic and then added IR barrier (perforated foil) on top of that. Put on a new white metal roof, so the attic stays cooler. Added a porch on the east side, had one on the west side, and added a sunroom on the south end. Ventilating at night keeps indoor temps manageable unless the nights stay hot. 

The basement is our retreat for the heat wave, but one end is exposed so it got up to 80*. I can handle that. 

Coping with the after effects of heatstroke is bad news. Besides staying cool and hydrated, I have to watch electrolytes closely. If I feel cramps coming on, get out the pedialyte and choke it down (YUCK!). If I WANT to drink that stuff, I know I must be in trouble. If I don't keep my heat problems under control, it's lights out for me. 

We have a generator and a lot of stored fuel for emergencies, but I'm really glad that wasn't needed.


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## mamak (Nov 28, 2012)

I know this is an older thread but I thought I would share. I get the point of this thread was if the grid was out but well, I'll share anyway. These days when you have a baby the nursing staff keeps thin maxi pads soaked with water in the freezer. All I'll say is they get more requests for frozen pads than pain meds. Anyway, great for all sorts of things, like heatstroke or a fever. One on the back of your neck, maybe armpit or groin region. Obviously, if the grid is out, well, cool water from a well would help but not like frozen ones. Something to think about doing now. I keep a few in the freezer for when the kids get scraped outside playing. 
P.s. they're sterile.


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## bluestocking (Jan 10, 2013)

hiwall said:


> "I have not tried this but somebody who was in the Peace Corps in Africa said that if you put sand in the bottom of a big clay pot, set a smaller pot inside the big pot and fill the gap between them with sand, soak the pots and keep them covered with a towel, the inner pot will be cold enough to keep food chilled. I keep meaning to pick up some clay flower pots and try this to see if it works. "
> 
> I've seen several designs like this but to work well the weather has to be very low humidity/dew point.


Not sure if someone addressed this already, but in the book/documentary No Impact Man, he tried this. It didn't work too well, but he was also in the NYC area; it may work better elsewhere.

Try to do most outdoor work before sun is fully up or after sun is down. I also don't fare well in the heat, and when we had an apartment without AC, I hated it, so I know that will be a big challenge for me. As others have mentioned, wetting a bandana and putting it on your head or neck help. If you don't have the luxury to walk around naked (hey, what you do in private is your own business), using all natural fabrics like cotton or especially linen will afford greater breathability. Using clothes like they have used in India or the Mid East as an example can show how clothing can be made to be modest and keep you cool - e.g. Anything flowy, things like the salwar kameez.


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