How to stay cool in Phoenix!

[yukon]

We hit 101 today here in ABQ - really hot for us, but a veritable cool wave for y'all . But still - how DO you keep the house cool at those temps if all you have is a swamp cooler? I noticed a lot of houses had them during my last trip to PHX, and I've been wondering how those folks cope.

[Java Jolt]

How to stay cool in Phoenix?

Stay indoors and don't go outside unless you really really really really really have to.

Run errands after the sun goes down, it's usually less crowded in the stores at night anyway.

[imprezzion]

Yukon -

101 would certainly be a veritable cool wave for us as of late. Pretty sad that even at night we recently haven't gotten below 90 more than a time or two this month. Nothing like waking up to 94 degrees at 6:30am!

I find it laughable that he "average low" this time of year is about 84 since I have yet to experience this "coolness" in my time here in Phoenix. The heat-island effect is surely changing local climate for the worse.

Luckily, while many homes have swamp coolers (including mine), they also have central a/c. I have yet to be in a house out here without a/c, but I am sure there are a few, especially in the more poverty-stricken areas. I should preface that from 2005-09 I did home visits as a hospice nurse, so I have been in many many many homes!

The swamp cooler is only efficient in June ---when monsoonal moisture seeps in July - September, it doesn't work. Truthfully, the swamp cooler isn't enough for me or anyone I know (transplants not natives) --keeps house about 80 at full blast. So, we never use it and opt for pure a/c since we prefer 70-72.

I moved here from the Cleveland Ohio area for a respite from the cold and snow some five years ago, but am now beginning to plan to move to coastal Cali ---the heat is unbearable, even with a/c.... Truthfully, what utilities cost here in summer will more than pay the cost of living difference....

Ways to keep cool???
---STAY INSIDE
---Cool your car off in advance (like I used to warm it in advance in Ohio)
Important to note, crack windows in your car when it's parked out in the baking sun. Can easily top 170 degrees pretty quickly..... and things will melt and explode, so be wary!
---Use your pool in June and early July. Useless otherwise unless at night since my pool is now about 98 degrees and will hold there until late August.
---STAY INSIDE
---Pay your electric bill
---Get out of town on weekends to the high country (along with everyone else - expect crowds).
---Move!! <------best solution.

lol

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by imprezzion

Yukon -

101 would certainly be a veritable cool wave for us as of late. Pretty sad that even at night we recently haven't gotten below 90 more than a time or two this month. Nothing like waking up to 94 degrees at 6:30am!

I find it laughable that he "average low" this time of year is about 84 since I have yet to experience this "coolness" in my time here in Phoenix. The heat-island effect is surely changing local climate for the worse.

Luckily, while many homes have swamp coolers (including mine), they also have central a/c. I have yet to be in a house out here without a/c, but I am sure there are a few, especially in the more poverty-stricken areas. I should preface that from 2005-09 I did home visits as a hospice nurse, so I have been in many many many homes!

The swamp cooler is only efficient in June ---when monsoonal moisture seeps in July - September, it doesn't work. Truthfully, the swamp cooler isn't enough for me or anyone I know (transplants not natives) --keeps house about 80 at full blast. So, we never use it and opt for pure a/c since we prefer 70-72.

I moved here from the Cleveland Ohio area for a respite from the cold and snow some five years ago, but am now beginning to plan to move to coastal Cali ---the heat is unbearable, even with a/c.... Truthfully, what utilities cost here in summer will more than pay the cost of living difference....

Ways to keep cool???
---STAY INSIDE
---Cool your car off in advance (like I used to warm it in advance in Ohio)
Important to note, crack windows in your car when it's parked out in the baking sun. Can easily top 170 degrees pretty quickly..... and things will melt and explode, so be wary!
---Use your pool in June and early July. Useless otherwise unless at night since my pool is now about 98 degrees and will hold there until late August.
---STAY INSIDE
---Pay your electric bill
---Get out of town on weekends to the high country (along with everyone else - expect crowds).
---Move!! <------best solution.

lol

Very well-written, and wonderful advice.

The only time it's halfway pleasant this time of year is when there's heavy cloud cover or a thundershower that keeps the temperature down, but then there's the higher humidity that goes along with it so there's a tradeoff.

[Ritchie_az]

Yes, move to north Alaska, then you'll stay cool!

Seriously, it's hot in Arizona in the summer, then the rest of the year we have awesome weather. While the rest of the country is freezing their--well, you know--we're living comfortably. And while some parts of the country are living comfortably, we're burning our--well, you know--but most of the country is also burning their--well, again, you know--but just not as badly as we are ours....

[LocoAZnative]

Originally Posted by imprezzion

Yukon -

101 would certainly be a veritable cool wave for us as of late. Pretty sad that even at night we recently haven't gotten below 90 more than a time or two this month. Nothing like waking up to 94 degrees at 6:30am!

I find it laughable that he "average low" this time of year is about 84 since I have yet to experience this "coolness" in my time here in Phoenix. The heat-island effect is surely changing local climate for the worse.

Luckily, while many homes have swamp coolers (including mine), they also have central a/c. I have yet to be in a house out here without a/c, but I am sure there are a few, especially in the more poverty-stricken areas. I should preface that from 2005-09 I did home visits as a hospice nurse, so I have been in many many many homes!

The swamp cooler is only efficient in June ---when monsoonal moisture seeps in July - September, it doesn't work. Truthfully, the swamp cooler isn't enough for me or anyone I know (transplants not natives) --keeps house about 80 at full blast. So, we never use it and opt for pure a/c since we prefer 70-72.

I moved here from the Cleveland Ohio area for a respite from the cold and snow some five years ago, but am now beginning to plan to move to coastal Cali ---the heat is unbearable, even with a/c.... Truthfully, what utilities cost here in summer will more than pay the cost of living difference....

Ways to keep cool???
---STAY INSIDE
---Cool your car off in advance (like I used to warm it in advance in Ohio)
Important to note, crack windows in your car when it's parked out in the baking sun. Can easily top 170 degrees pretty quickly..... and things will melt and explode, so be wary!
---Use your pool in June and early July. Useless otherwise unless at night since my pool is now about 98 degrees and will hold there until late August.
---STAY INSIDE
---Pay your electric bill
---Get out of town on weekends to the high country (along with everyone else - expect crowds).
---Move!! <------best solution.

lol

I have both a swap cooler and a/c unit. We use the swamp coolor most of the year and use the a/c probably 2-3 months a year. Going up we would goto my Aunts house and they only had a swamp cooler and it did suck during monsoons. But it was fine and all of them survived. You can always see the the transplants hiding in their house running to their car. Up until this year my car didnt have a/c and we still went out and about all summer long doing normal things. As a kid we played outseide all summer long. I'm sure these transplants hide their kids in the house afraid of the horrible heat.

[OnYourSide]

Originally Posted by Java Jolt

How to stay cool in Phoenix?

Stay indoors and don't go outside unless you really really really really really have to.

Run errands after the sun goes down, it's usually less crowded in the stores at night anyway.

Going to stores at night is helpful, and you can concentrate more on what you are trying to do there.

Some people try to get summer jobs at indoor locations, just so they can avoid paying the A/C bill they would have to pay if they stayed home inside. Saving money, is making money as many say.

[F40]

And remember to stay thirsty my friends

[Xica_da_Silva]

You're all wrong...the key to staying cool is wearing a hoodie while walking down the street with an i-pod. At least that's what all the kids are doing nowadays!

[sheena]

Originally Posted by Arizona Mike

We bought a snow cone maker for about $15 at Walmart some years back - it grinds up ice cubes into fine shaved ice. Usually, after the kids have gotten out of the pool I make some snow cones using different flavored syrups (strawberry, bubble gum, etc.) to cool them off.

After reading a recent article in the New York Times food section about different cities' "shaved ice" specialties and cultures, I started experimenting, using fruit juice and those flavored syrups from Cost Plus, adding whipped cream and vanilla ice cream, chopped up fruits (cantaloupes, melons, kiwi, mango, etc), etc. Heavenly.

Here's what I gave my wife when she got out of the pool on this sweltering humid afternoon:

Fill a styrofoam cup with shaved ice.

Pour in a good dash of Bailey's Irish Cream, left over from Xmas.

Add a dash of Amaretto.

Pour a little chocolate syrup over it.

Make a little volcano cone in the ice with your spoon, and fill it with whipped cream.

Sprinkle some of those little chocolate sprinkles you normally put on cookies.

Man, these are cool and good. Even if you're hot, you won't care after a couple of these.

Nice!!!!!!!!!!!