The next heat wave!

[Maz]

I saw a nurse from the community respiratory team today. He is referring me to a respiratory consultant for some lung function tests and a full review. I’m not holding my breath (pardon the pun) that they will be clued up enough on the HSD, but I’m holding on to hope

Fingers crossed. I hope they treat it. I googled it a bit and I think it mentioned specialised physio for the muscles in that area. Hope you're feeling ok.

I avoid London now! I have had asthma flare ups following days out in London. There are certain places in the world I just wouldn’t go to because of the pollution levels Asthma and Lung UK work a lot in campaigning for clean air.

Italy and Spain in August are to be avoided in my book! The humidity is very high. South of France in August is good though - there is a sea breeze and it's dry heat. It's strange as it's the same coastline but I think it's to do with Corsica being opposite the cote d'azur so it changes the climate and sea somehow (no waves either). I escaped Italy to go back to the south of France when I was there in August once, for that reason! The year I was in Spain in August (never again), people were dying of heat and pollution in Athens. Southern Spain round Seville way and Athens were the worst hit. It's the pollution in the cities getting trapped under the humidity I think - and heat exhaustion.

 

[Amy]

The main cause of a flat or house heating up are the windows. A friend of mine who lived in Japan for a long time told me how they deal with the extrem heat. The most important thing is to block the south and west facing windows from the sun from the outside! Normally in Germany most old houses have outside blinds for that reason. Unfortunately newer buildings don’t, in order to save money.
In Asia they hang bamboo blinds outside in front of any glass windows. These are cheap and very effective and she told me, saying they keep at least 80 percent of the heat out of the room.
I have ordered 4 blinds for my south facing huge patio windows and also some sticking hooks especially designed for outside.
All together this was affordable and they will arrive before the next heatwave
I will post the blinds in case anyone is interested.
Another idea is too wet the concrete (south facing) outside of the windows and doors. This must be done in the early mornings or late evenings.
My friend sent me a video explaining these precautions, I can share it if anyone would like to watch it.
Even if you have ac with these easy tricks you can save a lot of money

https://amzn.eu/d/03YYwE0i

 

[Amy]

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[Maz]

I think the old fashioned way was hang a damp towel or sheet over a door of window.

 

[Socks' Mum]

The main cause of a flat or house heating up are the windows. A friend of mine who lived in Japan for a long time told me how they deal with the extrem heat. The most important thing is to block the south and west facing windows from the sun from the outside! Normally in Germany most old houses have outside blinds for that reason. Unfortunately newer buildings don’t, in order to save money.
In Asia they hang bamboo blinds outside in front of any glass windows. These are cheap and very effective and she told me, saying they keep at least 80 percent of the heat out of the room.
I have ordered 4 blinds for my south facing huge patio windows and also some sticking hooks especially designed for outside.
All together this was affordable and they will arrive before the next heatwave
I will post the blinds in case anyone is interested.
Another idea is too wet the concrete (south facing) outside of the windows and doors. This must be done in the early mornings or late evenings.
My friend sent me a video explaining these precautions, I can share it if anyone would like to watch it.
Even if you have ac with these easy tricks you can save a lot of money

https://amzn.eu/d/03YYwE0i

These are such nice blinds, I do cover them. I experimented with tying a very lightweight nylon tarp to the outside of my windows as I'm in an upper storey. It sort of works in an untidy way, but I'm not sure if it will be approved of. Part of it billowed up into the upstairs windows and the lady upstairs might have caught a brief glimpse of a blue sail rising over the side of her window box before I hauled it down . Hopefully the fans and ice will be enough, but an outside blind would be magic. The video is great

 

[Socks' Mum]

Covet not cover

 

[Amy]

I think the old fashioned way was hang a damp towel or sheet over a door of window.

Yes that’s an option if you are at home all day and can wet the sheets every hour

 

[Amy]

These are such nice blinds, I do cover them. I experimented with tying a very lightweight nylon tarp to the outside of my windows as I'm in an upper storey. It sort of works in an untidy way, but I'm not sure if it will be approved of. Part of it billowed up into the upstairs windows and the lady upstairs might have caught a brief glimpse of a blue sail rising over the side of her window box before I hauled it down . Hopefully the fans and ice will be enough, but an outside blind would be magic. The video is great

I am
In the top too but no one above me. I can’t put the parasols up it’s too windy. I will give these blinds a try. Sue says they really help. I loved the video too, very informative. But probably a bit of topic…

 

[Maz]

The blinds are a great idea!

 

[Amy]

The blinds are a great idea!

Half way affordable I wish I had shutters like in bavaria

 

[Amy]

Covet not cover

Just imagining your neighbours face when a blue flag flies in front of her window

 

[Socks' Mum]

Just imagining your neighbours face when a blue flag flies in front of her window

I started giggling so much I couldn't tie the string for a while

 

[Amy]

I started giggling so much I couldn't tie the string for a while

I bet she wondered whatever football team that blue belongs to

 

[Lovelyness]

I bought reflective no drill blinds for inside the windows which have helped a bit. I will still pull them down when I have the air con so the air con doesn’t have to work so hard

 

[Lovelyness]

Great to hear. The heat waves must be awful if they increase your risk of asthma attacks

Yes, it’s been bad this year. It was bad 4 years ago too when we had 40 degree heat

 

[Socks' Mum]

I bought reflective no drill blinds for inside the windows which have helped a bit. I will still pull them down when I have the air con so the air con doesn’t have to work so hard

Where did you get your blinds? My double glazing is strange the outside facing pane is cool to touch even in the sun, but the inside facing pane heats up when it's sunny and gets very warm especially if there is a curtain near it. The warmth of the inner pane makes the room hot

 

[Amy]

Where did you get your blinds? My double glazing is strange the outside facing pane is cool to touch even in the sun, but the inside facing pane heats up when it's sunny and gets very warm especially if there is a curtain near it. The warmth of the inner pane makes the room hot

I bought my blinds on Amazon, the ones inside have silver at the back, this also helps to reflect the sun. But apparently it’s the outside which has to be protected from the sun so now I have ordered the bamboo blinds to hang outside. I will let you know if it helps.
I just spent an hour with Nibbles free roaming after his hour in the playpen. He’s extremely high energetic the past few days it’s cool here 22 degrees inside (it never gets much colder only if I open all the windows. But outside it’s 15 degrees and I don’t want it to get too cold.
It’s a wierd summer!
I will post a foto of the blinds inside, they are very cheap but so far quite effective.

 

[Amy]

Where did you get your blinds? My double glazing is strange the outside facing pane is cool to touch even in the sun, but the inside facing pane heats up when it's sunny and gets very warm especially if there is a curtain near it. The warmth of the inner pane makes the room hot

Ops sorry I thought you asked me it’s too late, I am off to bed now

 

[Maz]

They look great. Were they easy to hang? I'm hopeless at things like that which is why we don't have any blinds!

 

[Amy]

They look great. Were they easy to hang? I'm hopeless at things like that which is why we don't have any blinds!

They are very simple to hang up, they just get clicked on the frame I am hopeless at drilling