Weather Check!

[CameronBornAndBred]

I watched my whole garden get blown flat. I listened to Julie calling her mom, and her quote was "it's really bad here, we have tomato plants down". I busted out laughing; the sheer horror of it all!!

[lawgrad91]

I watched my whole garden get blown flat. I listened to Julie calling her mom, and her quote was "it's really bad here, we have tomato plants down". I busted out laughing; the sheer horror of it all!!

That's what Rev Lawgrad said Saturday morning about his tomato plants. Of course they are really top-heavy and he tried to prop them up as cheaply as possible, so they blow over if we whisper in their direction.

[DukieInKansas]

You know that it is hot during the day when you think it is really pleasant watching fireworks and then you find out the temp is 90.

On a brighter note, I now have working a/c! Freon has been added. Probably time to start thinking about replacing - I believe both a/c and furnace are 38 years old. They owe me nothing.

[devildeac]

Three more 100+ degrees days on the horizon for the Triangle. Bite me! C'mon, November.

[DevilAlumna]

We've officially reached Seattle Summer! (A day early - it usually starts July 5, but yesterday was perfect.)

http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/W ... 98072:4:US

Sunny and highs between 75 & 82 for the 10-day forecast.

It's this next 2 month period that makes all the grey tolerable.

[DevilWearsPrada2.0]

HOT!

[Very Duke Blue]

We've officially reached Seattle Summer! (A day early - it usually starts July 5, but yesterday was perfect.)

http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/W ... 98072:4:US

Sunny and highs between 75 & 82 for the 10-day forecast.

It's this next 2 month period that makes all the grey tolerable.

KIss my foot. ;)

[CameronBornAndBred]

We've officially reached Seattle Summer! (A day early - it usually starts July 5, but yesterday was perfect.)

http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/W ... 98072:4:US

Sunny and highs between 75 & 82 for the 10-day forecast.

It's this next 2 month period that makes all the grey tolerable.

KIss my foot. ;)

[Very Duke Blue]

We had another wind storm happen this evening. It's about 10 degrees cooler then the 100 degrees this afternoon. Thank goodness.Our evening boat ride was wonderful. Tomorrow sounds like another story. I'm hoping for rain tomorrow.

[YmoBeThere]

102F just north of Cincinnati

[devildeac]

101 now at RDU Airport.

Yawn.

Sweat.

October. (or November)

Even Ozzie couldn't remove enough garments to stay cool in this weather.

[Lavabe]

Weather Channel says 101 degrees.
Weather Bug says 104 (last hour it was 105).
Weather Freed says it's freakin' hot out there.
Georgia the wonder dog can only stay out a minute to pee.

Daughter is in Deauville, France, where the weather has gotten no higher than 71, and it's been showers every day.
Lucky girl!

[CathyCA]

94 degrees inside my house downstairs this afternoon at 3:30. The thermometer upstairs didn't register a precise temperature because it's an old thermostat, but it was over 90 degrees, that much I know. I'm running fans and both A/C systems to cool the house down.

On a positive note, I went off the grid last week, and I expect my July utility bill to be very low.

[devildeac]

94 degrees inside my house downstairs this afternoon at 3:30. The thermometer upstairs didn't register a precise temperature because it's an old thermostat, but it was over 90 degrees, that much I know. I'm running fans and both A/C systems to cool the house down.

On a positive note, I went off the grid last week, and I expect my July utility bill to be very low.

Sounds like you need a new HVAC system or two.

[CathyCA]

94 degrees inside my house downstairs this afternoon at 3:30. The thermometer upstairs didn't register a precise temperature because it's an old thermostat, but it was over 90 degrees, that much I know. I'm running fans and both A/C systems to cool the house down.

On a positive note, I went off the grid last week, and I expect my July utility bill to be very low.

Sounds like you need a new HVAC system or two.

Actually, it's cooling down a little bit. The upstairs is now 82 degrees, and the downstairs (so many windows down there!) is at 91. I simply turned both systems off for the week I was at the beach. I don't think I'll be trying this stunt the next time I go away for a week.

[devildeac]

94 degrees inside my house downstairs this afternoon at 3:30. The thermometer upstairs didn't register a precise temperature because it's an old thermostat, but it was over 90 degrees, that much I know. I'm running fans and both A/C systems to cool the house down.

On a positive note, I went off the grid last week, and I expect my July utility bill to be very low.

Sounds like you need a new HVAC system or two.

Actually, it's cooling down a little bit. The upstairs is now 82 degrees, and the downstairs (so many windows down there!) is at 91. I simply turned both systems off for the week I was at the beach. I don't think I'll be trying this stunt the next time I go away for a week.

Ahhh, that explains it. When we leave town like that, we'll typically turn the thermostats up about 3-5 degrees (or down the same amount in the winter). Then the systems don't have to run for hours (days?) upon our return. We have been able to keep the temps at 80 or less downstairs and 82 or less upstairs during heat waves like this and we are at least comfortable.

[DukieInKansas]

You know that it is hot during the day when you think it is really pleasant watching fireworks and then you find out the temp is 90.

On a brighter note, I now have working a/c! Freon has been added. Probably time to start thinking about replacing - I believe both a/c and furnace are 38 years old. They owe me nothing.

And it appears that by Saturday, all that wonderful new freon was gone. I will be calling tomorrow to get a quote on a new system. At least the temps are supposed to be lower this coming week and then I housesit for two weeks. I might make it to August before I run my ac on a regular basis.

[IowaDevil]

You know that it is hot during the day when you think it is really pleasant watching fireworks and then you find out the temp is 90.

On a brighter note, I now have working a/c! Freon has been added. Probably time to start thinking about replacing - I believe both a/c and furnace are 38 years old. They owe me nothing.

And it appears that by Saturday, all that wonderful new freon was gone. I will be calling tomorrow to get a quote on a new system. At least the temps are supposed to be lower this coming week and then I housesit for two weeks. I might make it to August before I run my ac on a regular basis.

We pampered an old A/C system for several years thinking we were doing a good thing. When we finally HAD to spring for a new one we were amazed at the savings in the electric bill and the efficiency of the new unit! Was false savings those several years. Soooo....from Iowa comes a shout out for a new one, you'll love it!

[OZZIE4DUKE]

We pampered an old A/C system for several years thinking we were doing a good thing. When we finally HAD to spring for a new one we were amazed at the savings in the electric bill and the efficiency of the new unit! Was false savings those several years. Soooo....from Iowa comes a shout out for a new one, you'll love it!

There are two reasons why new systems are cheaper to run. One is obvious, the second isn't. The first is electrical - they are electrically more efficient for a variety of reasons. The second is a physical reason. Has to do with heat transfer efficiency. There is oil in the compressor, on the freon side. As the system runs, it coats the inside of all the heat (or cold side) transfer surfaces, reducing the heat transfer efficiency - I'm talking about the condenser and evaporator. ASHRAE says you lose ~7% the first year, 5% the second year, and 2% each additional year you run your system. What this means is that each year, the cold air in your system doesn't blow as cold as a new system did, so it has to run longer to satisfy your thermostat. A new system will cool the air about 20F degrees from the return air temp, say 72 to 52 if your thermostat is set at 72. A ten year old system may only cool that same air to 57F (~15F), so it has to run longer to cool your house and satisfy the thermostat. So naturally a new system seems far more efficient, because it is.

Buying a new system costs many thousands of dollars, and if your system has failed, is necessary. But if your system works, I have a better solution. It's called Frigi-Tech. This is an oil lubricant additive that gets added to the existing oil in the compressor by an AC tech and both improves the electrical efficiency of the compressor ~10%, but more importantly, restores the ORIGINAL heat transfer efficiency of your system by displacing the built up oil on the heat transfer surfaces. On a new system, it keeps the original efficiency for the life of the system. And it doubles the life of the compressor, or remaining life of the compressor because it reduces wear on the metal parts.
Watch these three videos to get the whole story. First, click on the guy standing at the workbench to see the demo of the product in action - it's about 12 minutes. Then click on these next 2 videos to see an actual install on a 4 ton residential unit and then the follow up a week later to see the improvement in both amp draw and temperature drop on the supply air - and this was on a 100F day in Houston!
Web site, video one http://www.frigi-tech.com/
Install, video two http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP9a3m83 ... r_embedded
Results, video three http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-QGt0zt ... re=related

This product does need to be installed by a licensed AC tech, so you will need to hire one. In the Triangle area, I have a guy. As you can see, it'll take him just a few minutes, so he'll charge you for a basic service call, less than $100. You get the product from me. I'll need to know the make and model number of your AC units, and whether your system has R-22 or R410a refrigerant - they use different blends of Frigi-Tech. All that info is on the label of your outside unit. It will pay for itself in ~ 1 to 2 years in electrical savings, depending on the age of your system, and as I said, typically doubles the remaining life of your system.

[CathyCA]

I am pleased to report that my downstairs reached its resting temperature of 76 degrees overnight. It only took 30+ hours for the temperature inside to cool down 18 degrees.

I will NEVER cut off my HVAC again.
I will NEVER cut off my HVAC again.
I will NEVER cut off my HVAC again.
I will NEVER cut off my HVAC again.
I will NEVER cut off my HVAC again.
I will NEVER cut off my HVAC again.
I will NEVER cut off my HVAC again.
I will NEVER cut off my HVAC again.
I will NEVER cut off my HVAC again.
I will NEVER cut off my HVAC again.