How did people get through the Texas heat before there was A/C?

[MobileDave]

At 7:50 am

Houston, TX

Temp - 93
Dew Point - 79 (this is humidity hell)
Heat Index - 110

Last night the temp only dropped down to 82 with a heat index of 89.

National Weather Service : Observed Weather for past 3 Days : Houston / Ellington

I wanted to let everyone know that I am doing an experiment to see if one could live in a climate like Houston's during the summer without AC like they did before there was one in every household and business.

I have a had some bad days so far but none that would make me want to quit just yet. I have actually gotten pretty acclimated - as much as you can be - with living this way but I still find myself perspiring at around 6pm. Last night was pretty uncomfortable and I woke feeling so hot I was ready to give it all up (there was actually a heat advisory issued). When I got out of bed I immediately went outside to have my coffee as usual to feel the temp and after a few minutes decided to come back in. It felt so hot outside that I actually got a cold chill when I went back into the house that only five minutes ago felt like an oven to me. I guess the point of this was to show you how freaking hot it really was this morning.

This type of thing can be done but given the way houses are built today they don't really lend themselves to this type of lifestyle. In order to be cool enough you need to have your windows open to the elements (and crime) and the humidity itself can probably ruin tons of gadgets and other things in your homes that they didn't have 50+ years ago. The heat alone has the chance of pulling your computers to the brink and if you live in a place like Houston an overnight breeze is a rare occurrence during the summer. Oh yeah, and did I mention the Urban Heat Island Effect?

http://www.epa.gov/heatisland/about/index.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_heat_island

[lonestar2007]

Originally Posted by MobileDave

At 7:50 am

Houston, TX

Temp - 93
Dew Point - 79 (this is humidity hell)
Heat Index - 110

Last night the temp only dropped down to 82 with a heat index of 89.

National Weather Service : Observed Weather for past 3 Days : Houston / Ellington

I wanted to let everyone know that I am doing an experiment to see if one could live in a climate like Houston's during the summer without AC like they did before there was one in every household and business.

I have a had some bad days so far but none that would make me want to quit just yet. I have actually gotten pretty acclimated - as much as you can be - with living this way but I still find myself perspiring at around 6pm. Last night was pretty uncomfortable and I woke feeling so hot I was ready to give it all up (there was actually a heat advisory issued). When I got out of bed I immediately went outside to have my coffee as usual to feel the temp and after a few minutes decided to come back in. It felt so hot outside that I actually got a cold chill when I went back into the house that only five minutes ago felt like an oven to me. I guess the point of this was to show you how freaking hot it really was this morning.

This type of thing can be done but given the way houses are built today they don't really lend themselves to this type of lifestyle. In order to be cool enough you need to have your windows open to the elements (and crime) and the humidity itself can probably ruin tons of gadgets and other things in your homes that they didn't have 50+ years ago. The heat alone has the chance of pulling your computers to the brink and if you live in a place like Houston an overnight breeze is a rare occurrence during the summer. Oh yeah, and did I mention the Urban Heat Island Effect?

Basic Information | Heat Island Effect | U.S. EPA

Urban heat island - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Word if caution, I don't know how old your refrigerator is, but since they changed the freon in them the later models will not hold up in extreme heat. It could end up being a costly experiment as well as a miserable one as the heat is really going to bad now for quite a while to come.

[Dr.Mcninja]

I don't use the A/C in my Jeep, and it registered 109 while driving yesterday.
I do sweat a lot though.

[TX75007]

Don't forget attic fans. Open the windows and put your bed in front of it and turn on the attic fan. The breeze across your body was NIIICE.

My grandparents said they would soak sheets and hang them up in the house for breezes to cool on them.

They also had sleeping porches on the roof where they would sleep at night.

[Lee W.]

I remember when my sister bought a swamp cooler for our bedroom...in the 60's. Felt nice! I first experienced real a/c at home when I moved into an apartment with my ex and daughter. Before...fans, shade, windows up, sweaty, but we were used to it.

[Brian.Pearson]

Originally Posted by PullMyFinger

Geo Thermal! If you could bury a few hundred feet of copper pipe 7+ feet deep before you build your house, and then run glycol through those lines to augment your AC compressor, you would have a very efficient system. AC removes heat, it does not cool anything. Remove the heat and physics says you will cool the room. The best way I can think of getting rid of the heat is to transfer it to the cool ground.

It may still be possible to set it up. I'll have to look into it a bit. There might've been some changes or advances since then.

BTW, I read about a guy who said he was going to have solar in five years that would be close to 95% effective. I'm keeping a watch on that...

If you want a link, I'll do a search for it.