That’s not how it works. AC pumps warm air outdoors yes. But it adds no heat to the overall system. It changes the balance of heat distribution within a closed system lowing in one location and raising in another. That mechanism contributes nothing to global warming at all. The net heat change as a whole is 0.
Now, they do of course consume energy and that is a concern. But you don’t have to have them on 24/7. Even for just two weeks, it can make the difference between being hot and unable to concentrate and wanting to tear your skin off, and being comfortable and able to sleep. And with well insulated UK homes, they should be quite efficient compared to their installations in poorer countries with terrible insulation. 72K excess deaths were recording from heatstroke in the 2003 European heatwave. Toughing it out with a stiff upper lip just seems silly.
@crispyduck If that’s true, 38C should be very manageable but that is quite unusual. It’s 72% in Oxfordshire right now. I check daily and that is about the norm for much of the year.
My late mum ,always became very poorly in this type of weather, in the end I got Air Con fitted into her house (where I now live).
I’ve had it on dehumidifier function for the last week and kept curtains at the front closed (it’s west facing) and I see it no more than the same as loft insulation - a necessity .
I think the way we have insulated our houses to retain heat makes it worse in this weather.
Personally I’m feeling sorry for myself a tad, as I was due to go to RIAT today , but the thought of sitting for hours in the sun - seemed rather foolish , especially as a mole has just changed texture and shows signs of blood …
You are correct. It isn’t 100% efficient. If we’re pedantic about it, the motors in the fans and the compressor for the heat exchange add to the NET system heat. But then again, so do the motors in a Dyson fan. That’s not really a big deal in terms of affect on climate change.
Localised heat is a major issue though. In major cities in Asia, the heat island effect caused by the twin factors or massive concrete mass heating all day and aircon blowing hot air within the city is a known problem. That requires some engineering thought I believe. But turn AC off in summer in Tokyo and people will drop like flies. Only last year I rushed my son to hospital in an ambulance for heatstroke he go indoors.
In the apartment building where we recently sold a flat, They had geothermal heating/cooling. The water pumped into the earth was a constant temp year round so it was a bit warm feeling in winter and a bit cool feeling in summer.
The red alert isn’t for healthy 40 year olds sitting in the garden with their feet plonked in a bucket of water. It’s for the elderly or people with compromised health in the UK who are not used to extreme heat, particularly if they’re confined to the inner city and literally have no way to avoid it. Also, sitting on a beach or strolling along Marbella in your shorts is not the same.
It was glorious here this morning. A slight breeze and wonderful skies.
Suspect it will be getting much hotter as the day progresses and that I will be pleased that I invested in a couple of good fans some years ago that work well together in creating a breeze through the bungalow if there is not a natural breeze to do this.
It’s incredibly variable. Their running wattage can swing from 200w to 5Kw depending on circumstances like your insulation. How much cooler you are setting them compared to the ambient temp, and whether you are constantly stop starting them versus getting the temp down and then running the AC 24/7 in a well sealed house.
You can totally run the AC in a silly way that is really wasteful. Or on days you don’t really need it. Alternatively, you can pitch it at something sensible like 25C, and combine it with solar glazing and good insulation and run it constantly for a few days really efficiently. We had excellent insulation in our Tokyo flat and good shade. Running 4 AC units 24/7 cost less than half as much as running 1 AC unit in our crappy constructed temporary accommodation we are in currently.
For example, we’re building a new house. I’ve put in 9 AC units. But we’ve clad the whole building in a reflective material, used 90% UV glazing throughout, a reflective roof, and designed an airflow system to passively suck in cool air from the north facing ground floor (where there is never direct sunlight) and expel excess heat at the highest point of the third floor. Fingers crossed, we’ll never need the AC, but I am sure happy knowing they are there. If I do need to fire them up, the house is well constructed to help them work on the low power side.
My kitchen at work usually runs a bit hotter than outside, what with the ovens and burners on.
After serving up tomorrows Sunday roasts I will be looking forward to soaking in a big cold bath with a big cold beer.
I really don’t like doctors - avoid them like the plague. I’m 66 and have had one prescription in ten years , but in 2004- 2007 had major surgery twice and routine surgery twice . One of the routine surgeries was two procedures under one general anaesthetic
It ended with a major infection , that hospitalised me for a fortnight
I am monitoring very closely - in case it is just some sun burn , but noticed it on Thursday - so will give it a couple of days - warning listened to and heeded
