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Coping with the weather in Lake Chapala


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MOST of the time, the weather here is divine. However, the month of May and the first two weeks in June are HOT... not humid but hot. The advantage of living lakeside is that there is an extreme between the daytime high and the nighttime low... the swing is about 25 degrees F. in scope. Make that work to your advantage. Close your windows during the day to keep the cool air in and open them at night to refresh the cool air. Keep in mind that the air won't come in unless it's got a way to get out... you're looking for flow. Well sealed windows are a must for this to work. Spaces (such as in jalousie windows) don't work even in the closed position... too many gaps that let in both hot and cold air. I replaced all of mine.

Windows that are hit by the sun cause an extra heat gain. Curtains on the inside do nothing. You have to stop the sun from hitting the windows in the first place. The Australians figured it out years ago when Coolaroo shade fabric was invented... they hang outside, in front of the window. There are awnings, pergolas or even a tilting umbrella will work... anything to keep the sun off the windows.

Ceiling fans keep the air moving when the windows are closed. MOST ceiling fans have a switch on the motor housing which changes the flow of the air from up to down. You want that flow of air to be DOWN when it's hot and UP when it's cold. A chain on the motor housing will change the speed of the fan. There is usually a high, medium and low. IF you have a remote control for your fan, you now have NINE speeds to choose from according to the season. Pull the chain until you get to the highest speed for air movement down and then use the remote thereafter. In the winter, I want the opposite... pull the chain until you get the lowest speed to kick the warm air off the ceiling and circulate.

The electricity was out at my house for a couple of hours last week... in the afternoon at the peak of the heat. I have a Geek Aire rechargeable 12 inch fan that has been invaluable. I put it on the floor and my dogs park themselves in front of it. I took my shoes off and it kept my legs and feet cool. I just ordered another one and they are available on both Amazon and Amazon Mexico.

Anybody else have tips and tricks for keeping cool?... a cool shower works as well...

 

 

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I don't know where you have lived in the past, but I have lived in some HOT, HUMID places and as far is I can tell this is just about the best weather you could hope for!!! Never lived in the frigid North but you can see by the numbers of Snowbirds that flock here every winter that we are certainly in the best place to live in ANY season!!!

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Thanks so much for helping with your tips and tricks gringohombre... NOT. I specifically started this thread to help those who are new here because you bitched so pathetically on the "start of the rainy season thread". I've lived in the frozen North which is also stinking hot and humid in the summer since there are so many lakes. I have lived in San Miguel de Allende and I have lived on the coast in San Pancho. Everybody has a different take on what's comfortable. imho, this IS the best year round climate anywhere. Now STFU unless you have something to contribute.

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It is warm but opening up in the morning and closing up around 12-1 helps with fans. We have mini split a/c in the bedrooms. 3 hours on timer keeps the room cool all night. We also have solar panels so don’t have to be concerned about electric bill. We usually only need the a/c during April and May. Could also be in June this year. 

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22 minutes ago, Ferret said:

Thanks so much for helping with your tips and tricks gringohombre... NOT. I specifically started this thread to help those who are new here because you bitched so pathetically on the "start of the rainy season thread". I've lived in the frozen North which is also stinking hot and humid in the summer since there are so many lakes. I have lived in San Miguel de Allende and I have lived on the coast in San Pancho. Everybody has a different take on what's comfortable. imho, this IS the best year round climate anywhere. Now STFU unless you have something to contribute.

My tips...I have a little electric space heater in the winter that I turn ON and place in front of me wherever I am in the house. Have a fireplace that I have never used. In the summer I have a stand up swivel fan that I turn ON and place somewhere in the room that cools me off. Last summer and so far this year, I have had not to use this at all.  

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All we have are floor a ceiling fans. In an hour I will be getting my massage on the patio where we have a t-fal floor fan from Soriana which I  have nik named the wind tunnel. I am going down shortly and pour myself a fine, nice and cold amber bock from Spain,light my first puro of the day all in front of the wind tunnel until Lupe gets here.

Yes it's hotter than haitch right now ain't it!

 

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I've got front and back screened doors with fans near both boosting the flow through. Excellent first thing in the morning.

I know what you mean about the humidity in Ontario - oppressive. Most people (well Americans) don't realize how hot it gets in the great white north. At my farm in BC I've measured 118 F in the shade on my porch and down  to minus 22 in the winter. (occasionally colder) 

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If you sweat a lot, make sure to drink a lot of water so you don't get dehydrated.

This may seem like something that people would do naturally, but I am almost never thirsty and have to remind myself, and actually find it hard to choke back a glass of water.

If this sounds odd, imagine that you have just eaten a big meal, and then someone forces you to eat another when you aren't at all hungry.

I know many other people who have told me they are also never thirsty and seldom drink water.

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when we lot a very large amount of people in France some years ago because of a heat wave the first ones to go were the old people . They died of dehydration because they did not realize they were not drinking enough liquid.. They were not that thirsty and that did them in really fast.. I think the number of death was like 15 000.. It was a night mare because the days in northern EUrope are very long in the summer  and there is no time for the nights to cool off. I remember looking at the temperature at 2 am and it was like 37.. I was sleeping on the tile on the floor  to be cooler and it did not semm to make any differnce..  We are lucky here in altitude the nights ae cool and it gives us some time to cool off. 

I think the heat is probably bad for people who do not have shde around the house of face south or west and do not have cross ventilation.  I am lucky our house is under large trees and facing north so only the late afternoons get a little warm but it is not bad..

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2 hours ago, sm1mex said:

Best to have a container of water sitting by you at home and sip on it every 15 minutes. Water is important for hydration and intestinal function 😊

My sole daily water intake consists of a large pot of coffee in the morning (8 cups or 4 mugs of ground fresh ground beans w/natural cream/no sugar). Then a large glass of real juice with my first and main meal between 1 - 2 PM. Maybe a few more mugs of coffee during the afternoon. Then as the sun sets over the yardarm I will start with my first vino tinto (mostly water, right?) and have my second and final smaller meal (cheese and crackers, fruit and maybe nuts) around 8 - 9PM. Some TV (documentaries and true crime) with another couple of vino tintos and then to bed with my kindle to continue reading my favorite downloaded books. I have a large 5 gallon water dispenser in my kitchen, only used by the maids. It seems to me that my water intake is OK since I have a couple of pee reliefs during the day, one large one in the middle of the night and another after awakening in the morning. My thought is that water intake is best gauged by thirst. I do not seem to have any thirst during the day and my health is good at the advanced age I have accomplished. Never have I understood the pure H2O thing...water is water and all that I drink during the day is mostly water as far as I am concerned. Works for me!!!

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11 hours ago, gringohombre said:

I don't know where you have lived in the past, but I have lived in some HOT, HUMID places and as far is I can tell this is just about the best weather you could hope for!!! Never lived in the frigid North but you can see by the numbers of Snowbirds that flock here every winter that we are certainly in the best place to live in ANY season!!!

SHOCKED!!! I got 2 SADS for this positive post about our wonderful weather!! PLEEEZE tell me what you are so sad about???

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4 hours ago, court0503 said:

Maybe they’re feeling sad for you because it appears you could use some  actual live friends in your life to talk with…. I doubt many here are really interested in what you eat/drink when and your bathroom habits 

I was responding to this post: "Best to have a container of water sitting by you at home and sip on it every 15 minutes. Water is important for hydration and intestinal function"

I think this is quite excessive and compulsive. I have heard of such activity before and in fact did some research and the results were all over the place. Some say that yes, there should be a lot of consumption of pure water during the day and others say that in most cases the consumption of the types if liquids that I consume in a normal day are sufficient (and yes, including a normal discharge of said liquids). I thought that this board is for discussions, and in particular among us of a "certain age" here regarding health issues among many more topics. I was not looking for medical advice, but maybe some other points of view on this subject. Sorry that I might have offended your sensibilities!!! 

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11 minutes ago, kam said:

yeah, you did. How about a little less vino tinto and a little more good sense?

So three glasses of vino tinto over a 6 hour period is excessive??? I would refer you to many studies the show a small amount of daily consumption of red wine has many health benefits...how is that for a little more good sense??? 

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12 minutes ago, gringohombre said:

So three glasses of vino tinto over a 6 hour period is excessive??? I would refer you to many studies the show a small amount of daily consumption of red wine has many health benefits...how is that for a little more good sense??? 

And by the way, many recent studies show very high health benefits in daily consumption of coffee...and the more the better!!!

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On 5/10/2022 at 7:43 AM, court0503 said:

Maybe they’re feeling sad for you because it appears you could use some  actual live friends in your life to talk with…. I doubt many here are really interested in what you eat/drink when and your bathroom habits 

The SADS were not for the post that you are referencing, which was part of a discussion on the benefits of drinking gallons of straight H20 vs. liquids in other forms. The SADS were for this post:

"I don't know where you have lived in the past, but I have lived in some HOT, HUMID places and as far is I can tell this is just about the best weather you could hope for!!! Never lived in the frigid North but you can see by the numbers of Snowbirds that flock here every winter that we are certainly in the best place to live in ANY season!!!"

Why don't you get your FACTS straight before you butt in here with insults!!!

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Boy, Ferret, you have life by the a-- if you complain about the weather here !   This is truly one of the best climates in the world.    Go other places and then you might find a real reason to gripe about the weather.

I lived in the DC area for 35 years and we had incredible humidity for 4- 5 months of the year and then get to shovel snow in the winter.   Or, live in Buffalo where you have snow off and on for 6 months of the year.

If you want to really complain move to the southern U.S. or go to Arizona and Texas in late Spring and summer and deal with hurricanes and tornados.

Where have you lived where you have had a better climate or better utility bills for heating or air conditioning ? 

WOW -- find something to really complain about !  GET A LIFE !  

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6 minutes ago, mexijims1 said:

Go other places and then you might find a real reason to gripe about the weather.

What an arrogant, rude post directed towards someone you obviously know nothing about. 

Climate preference is subjective. Some people love snowy, cold winters, some people like heat and humidity. Your idea of perfect is not some objective fact.

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