There is a battle of wits in my bedroom at this time of the year.
My wife believes her noisy fan cools our bedroom, while I believe it just circulates the heat and keeps me awake all night.
As the textbooks say, the older one gets the more the temperature affects us.
Believe me, that is true.
Yes, it’s the warmest time of the year, with the constant easterly onshore flow causing high humidity levels.
Simply put, at high humidity levels the air is more saturated, meaning it reduces our ability to sweat. This then reduces one’s ability to cool down.
We all know what happens when you get out of the pool on a hot windy day. The wind chills your body quickly.
I was taught this in primary school with the teacher putting a few drops of ether on your hand and telling you to blow. The ether evaporated quickly, and one could feel the cold on your hand.
This is the basics of refrigeration.
Sweat on your body has the same effect as water during the cooling process.
One must then find alternative means to cool down when discomfort levels are high.
The question is does a fan assist in cooling your body?
In theory it will promote evaporation and enhance the effect of wind chill on the body.
However, if the humidity is high, the ability to sweat is reduced.
On its own, a fan will not cool your body or the air considerably, and in a closed room it will merely circulate the already warm air.
What then is the solution to a cool, peaceful night’s sleep?
A proper air conditioner is the only simple solution.
I have tried those gimmicks with the built-in sprayer on the fan and they don’t work for me.
I will probably be accused of punting the sale of air conditioners, but there is a big downside to them, thanks to Eskom.
Just as heating is energy hungry, so too is cooling.
I did a bit of homework on air conditioners and heat pumps and discovered a conservative estimate of power consumption at 1kW/h would not be a bad yardstick.
With Eskom rates at well above R3 per kW, that amounts to a minimum cost of R30 per a 10-hour night.
Over a month, the luxury of air conditioning will be about R1,000.
Note to myself: Get solar before you consider an air conditioner.
Tips on how to stay cool at night:
• Thick curtains kept closed all day keep direct sunlight and heat out of the house;
• Have a braai outside instead of using your stove and enjoy a cold frosty at the same time; and
• Keep doors of unused rooms closed and use LED bulbs as they emit the least heat.
Also try some internet hacks for making your fan more effective, such as placing it near an open window so that it sucks in cooler air from outside.
You can also place a bowl of ice in front of the fan. This must be done with caution as electricity and water are not good bed fellows.
More tech-savvy hacks work with cooler boxes filled with ice and gutter pipes attached to the back of the fan.
All work on a similar principle of sucking or blowing cold air to circulate through a room.
Of course once the ice has melted, the enhanced cooling effects are over.
Topping up with ice is then necessary for what could be called a poor man’s air conditioner.
My wife believes in a chilled facecloth on her neck on those killer days, while others use mist sprayers to cool down.
The use of a dehumidifier makes perfect sense if one considers the principle of reducing humidity, thus making the temperature feel more comfortable.
We have one in storage which we used for my daughter on advice from a pulmonologist. Time to dust it off and give it a test run, and I will report back on that one.
This week in history:
2020: The Eastern Cape experiences a heatwave with temperatures reaching 40ºC in many places.
Dam levels:
77.05% down from 78.02% the previous week. Impofu was down slightly at 56.95%
Weather safety tips:
Strenuous labour or sport at discomfort levels above 110 or temperatures above 40ºC can lead to health issues and even death. Heed warnings issued by the SA Weather Service.
Now on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter: WEATHER GURU
Email: info@wgawx.co.za with feedback or requests
The Herald
WEATHER GURU | A heated debate about fans
Image: SUPPLIED
There is a battle of wits in my bedroom at this time of the year.
My wife believes her noisy fan cools our bedroom, while I believe it just circulates the heat and keeps me awake all night.
As the textbooks say, the older one gets the more the temperature affects us.
Believe me, that is true.
Yes, it’s the warmest time of the year, with the constant easterly onshore flow causing high humidity levels.
Simply put, at high humidity levels the air is more saturated, meaning it reduces our ability to sweat. This then reduces one’s ability to cool down.
We all know what happens when you get out of the pool on a hot windy day. The wind chills your body quickly.
I was taught this in primary school with the teacher putting a few drops of ether on your hand and telling you to blow. The ether evaporated quickly, and one could feel the cold on your hand.
This is the basics of refrigeration.
Sweat on your body has the same effect as water during the cooling process.
One must then find alternative means to cool down when discomfort levels are high.
The question is does a fan assist in cooling your body?
In theory it will promote evaporation and enhance the effect of wind chill on the body.
However, if the humidity is high, the ability to sweat is reduced.
On its own, a fan will not cool your body or the air considerably, and in a closed room it will merely circulate the already warm air.
What then is the solution to a cool, peaceful night’s sleep?
A proper air conditioner is the only simple solution.
I have tried those gimmicks with the built-in sprayer on the fan and they don’t work for me.
I will probably be accused of punting the sale of air conditioners, but there is a big downside to them, thanks to Eskom.
Just as heating is energy hungry, so too is cooling.
I did a bit of homework on air conditioners and heat pumps and discovered a conservative estimate of power consumption at 1kW/h would not be a bad yardstick.
With Eskom rates at well above R3 per kW, that amounts to a minimum cost of R30 per a 10-hour night.
Over a month, the luxury of air conditioning will be about R1,000.
Note to myself: Get solar before you consider an air conditioner.
Tips on how to stay cool at night:
• Thick curtains kept closed all day keep direct sunlight and heat out of the house;
• Have a braai outside instead of using your stove and enjoy a cold frosty at the same time; and
• Keep doors of unused rooms closed and use LED bulbs as they emit the least heat.
Also try some internet hacks for making your fan more effective, such as placing it near an open window so that it sucks in cooler air from outside.
You can also place a bowl of ice in front of the fan. This must be done with caution as electricity and water are not good bed fellows.
More tech-savvy hacks work with cooler boxes filled with ice and gutter pipes attached to the back of the fan.
All work on a similar principle of sucking or blowing cold air to circulate through a room.
Of course once the ice has melted, the enhanced cooling effects are over.
Topping up with ice is then necessary for what could be called a poor man’s air conditioner.
My wife believes in a chilled facecloth on her neck on those killer days, while others use mist sprayers to cool down.
The use of a dehumidifier makes perfect sense if one considers the principle of reducing humidity, thus making the temperature feel more comfortable.
We have one in storage which we used for my daughter on advice from a pulmonologist. Time to dust it off and give it a test run, and I will report back on that one.
This week in history:
2020: The Eastern Cape experiences a heatwave with temperatures reaching 40ºC in many places.
Dam levels:
77.05% down from 78.02% the previous week. Impofu was down slightly at 56.95%
Weather safety tips:
Strenuous labour or sport at discomfort levels above 110 or temperatures above 40ºC can lead to health issues and even death. Heed warnings issued by the SA Weather Service.
Now on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter: WEATHER GURU
Email: info@wgawx.co.za with feedback or requests
The Herald
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