Canicule, June 2025 and beyond

Ah… yes you did… I’ve had to go way back up the thread to find it … :wink:

We’ve had no internet (yet again) for a couple of days… keeps coming and going…
aaaargh

When we realised that our cottage/gite bedrooms were staying too warm for our guests to sleep comfortably we invested in stand alone air conditioners. I fitted plastic sheeting into the window frame with a hole in the middle for the ventilation pipe. It meant the shutters had to stay open to let the hot air escape but our guests were able to draw the curtains on the inside. It was not beautiful, nor silent, but when the ambient temperature of the bedroom is back down at 18 degrees, none of our guests were about to complain. As I learnt in Rio during carnival in the 70s a noisy air conditioner is not an issue when it’s the only way one is going to get to sleep - it’s that or the beach.
More recently we’ve fitted Qlima monobloc clim in each bedroom. 2,000€ each and 500€ to fit (through our thick stone walls - took all day) Worth every penny!

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The trick I’ve found with portable A/C is to set the target temp a little higher than you might think to start with and set fan speed to medium.

21°C is my go to target temperature for the bedroom at night as it gives a nice cool/fresh feel to the room without the A/C chiller running flat out as it would be if your set the target temperature to 18°C.

I find medium makes the noise of the chiller system cutting in and out less noticeable and gives better air circulation. If possible, leave an outside window just opened slightly to let a little fresh air into the room.

As others have mentioned, getting a decent seal around the exhaust hose is vital as you don’t want the hot exhaust air getting back into the room.

Just adding to this, keep the outlet hose as short as possible and insulation around it. One thing having a cooling unit another havin cooling unit with a radiator on full blast behind.

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Here’s another tip for keeping the house cooler especially for those without shutters or double glazing.
Build a frame using beading or some such to fit on / around the window reveals. Fix on a couple of layers of cardboard the thicker the better, on the inside glue or fix to the cardboard a couple of layers of aluminum kitchen foil. The foil will help to prevent IR heat radiation and the cardboard transfer. To work properly this should be installed on a frame that has a seal to prevent air circulation, between this and the window will give you the air gap required for less transfer.

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Just surveying the velux’s and they have solar reflected blinds but the whole window area is the hot spot like a similar sized radiator with 55c water running through it. Going to fit some multifoil externally to reflect back the suns heat.

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And the heat goes on … Canicule : la vigilance orange étendue à 84 départements ce lundi 30 juin

Norman and Breton friends, you can feel smug :smiley:

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Seconded on both parts, I find the multifoils quite easy to use.

30th June 2015

and 2025

We are firmly in the 40 zone I think and perhaps that is what prompted the phone call from my neighbour, Marie-Paule last evening as I was packing up to come down after cooling in the pond.

A bit mystified at first I then realised that she was checking up on her elderly lone neighbour. I almost never watch French TV these days because with Fransat I can’t plan ahead for the whole day and evening so I wondered afterwards if younger people have been advised to check the oldies nearby. :thinking:

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I blame the Spanish.

Did you notice that map is “sous abri”. So that’s temps in the shade I guess.

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Excessive paella cookery most likely.

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Vienne is in the red zone tomorrow, @ChrisMann

The one comfort is that everyone is saying how unprecedented it is

Although it’s only unprecedented the first time …

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The rain due Thursday is now not arriving.

Replacement hail service, perhaps? :slight_smile:

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Of course…!
when the shade figures are high you know “it’s hot” :sweat:

Yes, its been 55c in the sun. Terrace is so hot that feet can take a max of 5-6 seconds only :hot_face:
Currently 45c under the canopy :hot_face::hot_face:

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School cancelled, well asked to keep home if possible, for my son. The college I’m working at has moved afternoon classes to the morning or cancelled. I’ve had kids at school here for 20 years and never had thus happen!

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Woke up this morning, both bedroom windows wide open and a light grey overcast sky overhead, and I felt slightly cold. Pulled up a blanket!

However, bedroom temperature was 25.5°C, downstairs 24.6°C and outdoors 22°C.

I think I might try putting 2 mobile fans in the windows to bring all that cool air indoors.

Why I felt cold I don’t know but a bit of cramp in lower leg meant, I think, salt intake needed upping. Done that, feel OK.

According to the local weather forecast the worst is over down my way.

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takes me back to childhood days at Felixstowe. the stones on the beach were so boiling, we literally raced (hotfoot) across 'em (yelping loudly) as we headed for the sea :rofl: