With global temperatures on the rise, heat waves are becoming more and more common. Realistically, the narrative should probably be geared towards adaptation rather than prevention at this stage, because scientifically speaking, that ship has almost sailed. We should still do all we can to reduce and reverse climate change, but in reality, it will be a long time before the world we knew returns, if it ever does.
Evaporative Cooling
Why do we sweat? Well, it is the body’s way of keeping the body from overheating. This works via a phenomenon in physics called adiabatic cooling, or more commonly as evaporative cooling. As liquid water evaporates into water vapor the transition requires energy, and this is extracted from the surrounding air in the form of heat. The result is that the air around the evaporating liquid is cooled (or our skin). The rate of evaporation is further increased when the water is exposed to ultraviolet radiation (UV) – so when we are in the sun. The reaction coefficient is lowered further when it is exposed to a moving air current, such as wind or a fan. Misting fans, for instance, work on the principle of vaporizing water, and then directing the cool air from it to a specific part of the room. This creates an air-cooling effect without the use of air con.
Reducing Radiation
Solar radiation also directly increases the temperature of a room, by way of a greenhouse effect. Just as natural global warming is caused by sunlight hitting the surface of the earth, inducing heat via radiation, and then being trapped by Earth’s atmosphere, a similar process happens with glass windows where the greenhouse becomes hotter than the external air – hence the term greenhouse effect. Outside the home, heat is not the only a concern when it comes to solar radiation either, as over exposure to UV in particular adversely affects the skin, causing it to age quicker, which, if serious enough, could have you heading over to bioxcellerator.com to enquire about stem cell rejuvenation treatments. The most preventative solution to this type of heating is shade, i.e. closing the blinds or curtains. To be most successful you should open windows and curtains or blinds during the night to allow for the coolest air to come in the house (as long as the outside air temp is cooler than the indoor). During the day you should close windows and curtains or blinds on the side the sun rises and as the day progresses close any others as the outside air warms up. Remember to close doors quickly anytime you need to leave the house so that the cool air you have trapped does not escape.
Air Conditioning
When all else fails, the most effective solution, albeit the most costly and least ecofriendly, is proper air conditioning. Air conditioning works by fans moving air between the inside and outside of a building, whilst rapidly cooling the air heading inside as it passes over super cold refrigerant coils powered by electricity. These days, these can be controversial, as they often demand the very energy requirements that has led to global warming in the first place. However, you can find air conditioning units which are solar powered to counteract this. You should also look into the design of houses and types of cooling in hot countries as they have had millennia to consider this problem.
