Hell on earth - AKA North Texas

[HowardH]

well, it was 107 on my truck thermometer today.  ???  Supposed to the same tomorrow.  Woodworking is impossible under these conditions - you risk heat stroke working in the garage.  Ok, I thought. I've had enough.  I'm going to get the biggest, baddest portable AC unit available to at least try to make it manageable.  I head over to my local Fry's (Ironic, isn't it considering the heat) and they have the Soleus 14,000 BTU unit on sale.  I figured a unit this big would have my garage doubling as a large walk in freezer by morning, right?  Not at this pace.  It's so hot in the garage, the compressor isn't staying cool long enough to blow enough cold air to make one lick of difference.  It keeps cycling off and then it simply blows hot air, kinda like me.  Maybe it will begin to work later tonight as it cools off around here to a bone chilling 83 by morning.  As a comparison,  my family and I took a few days last week to visit some of my wife's family in Duluth.  A very beautiful place in the summer.  High was 65, low was 55.  Perfect.  Then we step of the plane at DFW at 8:30 and the hammer descends to deliver a death blow - 98 deg.  It's a shame that what is supposed to be the best time of year to enjoy the outdoors is the worst, at least around here.  People are literally dying every day from effects of the heat.  8 months of the year Dallas is a fine place to live.  For the other 4 months, it's time to get the hell outta Dodge. 

 

[CharlesWilson]

It's too hot in Texas, and it's too humid in Connecticut. My shop hasn't been lower than 72% humidity for months now. Maybe the wood is stable, but glue doesn't seem to set up quite right, and finishing is dicey.

My dehumidifier is not making much headway. Well, maybe it is time for a new dehumidifier.

Howard, can you send up some of that dry air? (Cool it off first, please!)

Charles

 

[ForumMFG]

Howard,

I understand what you are saying about the Temp in Texas.  My dad lives in Houston and I go down to see every so often.  I remember about 10 years ago, it was a record high for 118 degree's for 4 days straight.  It's unreal hot down there.  Getting into a car that has been parked under the sun is no fun either.  Because of the heat down there, it's a different life style.  I read somewhere that either Texas itself or the city of Houston is the most air conditioned city or state in the world.  I'm glad I don't live there.  I live in Ohio.  I have to say that it is quite nice when you travel to Texas in the spring months.  Great weather.

 

[rnt80]

It's been pretty hot down here (PHX) the last couple of days.  I think they said we've reached 115.  I guess I've grown accustomed to it (this from a guy who grew up outside of Toronto) because it really doesn't bother me at all.  I'm a teacher so I have the summers off and most of that time is spent in the garage.  I just keep the door open, have a fan going and put some Otis Redding on and I'm in 7th heaven.

 

[bonesbr549]

While not that hot, I lived in Saint louis and the humidity and 90's would kill.  One thing that will help is make sure your doors are insulated.  It's worth it.  I used a portable before in another house and left the garage door open and it would keep it in the mid 80's when the outside was over 100.  The bigger thing for me was keeping the humidity down.  I could take a hotter temp if it was dryer.  Good luck!  My latest house i'm relegated to the basement thats underground so it stays pretty constant, but now that I'm back in the north east (PA), it seems much more tolerable that Saint Louis was.  They only had two temps colder than crap or hotter than he!!.  Or the wind is blowing 150 mph (kph for you metric folks).  Never did get use to makin like a rabbit and goin underground when a twisty was near by.   

 

[fidelfs]

Well, Let me extend "Hell on earth" to the Southeast Texas.

We are breaking heat records every single day in Houston.  No rain for several weeks, we have a good chance this coming weekend on 7/18 but will see.

 

[tbellemare]

The last weather map I saw, Houston was several degrees cooler than Austin... It is usually more humid though.

We broke the record for breaking records about a month ago, I think.

Typically, about 8 months of the year this is God's country. The other 4 months, Lucifer takes over.

Tom

 

[Brice Burrell]

Yeah, it's been pretty hot in Pittsburgh this summer, I bet we're averaging low 70s for the high and mid 50s for the low.  ;D It's been a pleasantly cool summer this year, in fact it was almost cold last night. You guys should think about moving to a more hospitable part of the world.   

 

[tbellemare]

The last time I was in Sharon PA, it snowed for several days.

I'll take the 68-degree water of Barton Springs Pool and 105-degree air over 3-feet of snow any day. ;D

Tom

 

[Brice Burrell]

The last time I was in Sharon PA it snowed for several days.

I'll take the 68-degree water of Barton Springs Pool and 105-degree air over 3-feet of snow any day. ;D

Tom

The nice thing about Pittsburgh is that it's protected by the jet stream from a harsh winter. The jet stream keeps the cold Canadian air from dropping down to Pittsburgh until January or so. Some winters the jet stream never moves south pass us and we have a fairly mild winter. Last year I don't remember shoveling snow at all just the occasional snowfall that you could sweep with a broom. As far as extreme weather is concerned Pittsburgh has it made. We have four seasons, no hurricanes or tornadoes, not too hot or cold and not too much snow or rain. We do have humidity, not like the southern states but it's generally pretty high. If you like to live in an area with all four seasons and don't like extremes Pittsburgh is ideal.

I've never been to Texas but if I ever do visit, I'm going in the winter.     

 

[erikfsn]

I worked for a year in Houston as a teenager installing rain gutters, fun up on the roof during those summers.

Now I live in the Bay Area where people complain when the temp drops below 60 or above 80 and they don't have to complain very often at all.

I've gotten pretty spoiled when it comes to weather.

 

[MartinW]

Well the great thing about Festool is that I can move my whole workshop outside in about 20 minutes.  This allows me to enjoy the pleasant Seattle summer weather while dodging the occasional rainy day.  However, in the winter I'm stuck in the basement while you Southerners are enjoying the sun.
Martin.

 

[ForumMFG]

Tom, are you from Sharon PA?  I grew up in Youngstown.  Basically right down the street.

Brice, Do you live on Mount Washington, what a great view?  I lived in Pittsburgh for 2 years while I went to college.  I live in crafton which is not to far from downtown.

 

[tbellemare]

'Not from Sharon - my ex is. Her Dad was the school board maintenance supervisor in Sharon. Her uncle owned a jewelry store in Youngstown.

Tom

 

[erikfsn]

Youngstown is probably my favorite Bruce Springsteen song. (I like his music, not a huge fan, but that song is amazing to me.)

 

[ForumMFG]

'Not from Sharon - my ex is. Her Dad was the school board maintenance supervisor in Sharon. Her uncle owned a jewelry store in Youngstown.

Tom

Do you know what it was called?

 

[Jesse Cloud]

I worked for a year in Houston as a teenager installing rain gutters, fun up on the roof during those summers.

Now I live in the Bay Area where people complain when the temp drops below 60 or above 80 and they don't have to complain very often at all.

I've gotten pretty spoiled when it comes to weather.

I hear you.  When I was in college, I worked summers in South Texas as a roofer.  It had a certain odd status, people figured that you just don't mess with someone crazy enough to work on a roof in a Tx summer.

I made it out to the bay area myself, loved it.  There is an amazing migration path from TX to the bay area.  Read Larry McMurtry's All My Friends Are Going to be Strangers for a laugh or two.

Now I'm in New Mexico, at least its a dry heat :.

 

[ForumMFG]

My dad who lives in texas was telling me in the summer, roofers start very early in the morning and stop working at noon or so???

 

[tbellemare]

Do you know what it was called?

I can't remember, that was a long time ago, pushing 20 years now. It seems to me that it was right in the heart of the city.

roofers start very early in the morning and stop working at noon or so

Most of the roofers I see here start early in the morning and don't stop until either it's dark or they're finished. It's a brutal job.

Tom

 

[fortrout]

Euless,Texas transplanted to Delaware
          TRANSLATION
USELESS,TEXAS moved to DELA WHERE.