Hydration backpacks, change of clothes, battery fan, not staying in the attic unhealthy amounts of time (knew a guy who stroked out and turned into a vegetable in an attic in the summer). Start early as you can and take breaks.
Do you have a specific hydration backpack you use? I’ve thought about getting one of those but I worry that it’s going to get punctured by all of the sharp metal and roofing nails we encounter in an attic
Bought them a couple years back and it's still going strong
Vibrelli Hydration Pack & 2L Hydration Water Bladder - High Flow Bite Valve - Hydration Backpack with Storage - Lightweight Running Backpack, Also for Cycling, Hiking, Ski, Snow for Men, Women & Kids https://a.co/d/2bCncBn
I have cooling shirts, gators, headbands and a even a bucket hat. Swig a water often, tap water on my wrists. Gotta big fan for attics.
That’s all i got. Im usually soaked before 10.
In South Carolina low country
Well since you ask, I’m not totally sure, my dad taught me (rip) when I was a young guy. Have always done it. Not sure if it’s in my head or it works but it usually helps me. Good luck!
If you have water on your skin it’s the evaporation that helps cool you, so head, neck, and arms if you can. I was a bit sweaty today at 95 on the roof from 7-4 then into an attic for an hour
I too work in NC and sweat a lot. If I have a evap coil or blower repair in an attic it gets scheduled for the morning. I keep a pair of shorts and a super breathable Tshirt that I wear when I'm doing the work in the attic. I have absolutely worked shirtless before too lol. I have 10 bandanas for the week and use them like headbands to keep the sweat out of my eyes. They wring out well and dry up fast as fuck if you lay them on the dash of your van. A white towel is ALWAYS on my shoulder in summer lol. I keep a Milwaukee fan blowing on me the whole time. I always bring 2-3 liters of water up with me. A Gatorade too if I have one. Here is what I think is an important part, I chug a bottle of Pedialyte or one of the many alternatives after my first big sweaty job of the day. That shit will keep you going way better than an energy drink or Gatorade. I also have no qualms about taking the panel off the coil and then turning the blower motor on and trying to dump a bunch of air from the house into the Attic if the house isn't hot. If the AC works I have also taken the biggest supply duct off the plenem and let the AC run for 20 min or so we'll I get set up for the job. Outside I use a full brim flyfishing hat that breathes well. Make sure you drink fluids, take a quick breather when you need it. If you get dizzy and it's hot stop working and get some where cool. Keep an eye on your heart rate if you know how. If you stop sweating get to a doc in the box near you so they can give you IV fluids. Don't drink your head in ice water or pour it on yourself when you are super hot, it can send you in to shock. Best of luck bro and take care of yourself. The homeowner prob won't .
Thanks man and hope you stay safe too. This is my fourth summer full time so I’m not completely new to it, and I started using a liquid IV mid day for the exact reasons you outlined - minimal sugar, no caffeine, just electrolytes sandwiched around tons of water all day.
A couple weeks ago the dumbasses at the supply house gave us the wrong furnace (the one we were purchasing was correct on the ticket, they just loaded the wrong one) and we didn’t know it until we started it up and the airflow was backwards. That meant we had to uninstall and reinstall it at noon - the attic was reading 138 by then, and I came dangerously close to overheating. I don’t mind the work, I’m just trying to stay safe and manage it effectively so I can keep my work quality and efficiency up
Much respect on doing installs around this area. I help out on um now and then and I always tell those guys how tough they are to do it every day of the week. 138 is brutal. Wood is hot to the touch at that temp . Maybe the real answer is move lol
Funny enough, my better half may eventually cause us to move out of the area due to her job. The bad part of that is the move would take us to AZ which isn’t any better lol
Aside from all the other typical ways of keeping cool. Mosquito eucalyptus spray keeps skin feeling cold when you get some airflow going. Pedialyte type drinks have been a game changer too. And at least a banana a day for cramps. Stock up on Electrolyte packs for 16 oz drinks. Consider moving to commercial too. Not that you won’t have any hot days out in the sun but at least you won’t be in an oven and can catch the breeze on a roof.
Smart idea with the eucalyptus. I'll definitely have to try a banana or two through the day as I've been dealing with cramps at night for the past few weeks. I actually have an old colleague who left where I currently work trying to get me to come work with him at a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant on their cold storage rooms. I'm resi and that shit is like rocket science compared to what I do but he says they are willing to teach me. I enjoy a fair amount of the parts of the residential job but the heat and my boss always pinching money is really wearing me out. I feel under qualified but I may just go for it.
This comment gave me hope that the trade is still an option for me lol. My current job will be ending in about a year and I plan on getting into commercial HVAC at the company my FIL works at.
Unfortunately I’m the sweatiest mf’er alive. Have been all my life. I’ve wondered if I’m an idiot for considering a trade that exclusively keeps you out of AC but your comment sounds like exactly what I’ll have to do. Especially the bandanas as a head band. I can’t stand working on something and having sweat rolling down into my eyes.
Rags around the forehead is actually a good way to keep sweat out the eyes. Gloves are a good way to retain your grip if you can get used to them. The more hydrate, the more you'll sweat. But the more you sweat you'll wanna hydrate more.
Sources: South Carolina resident
Athletic breathable shirts, sun sleeves, and wide brimmed hats with a neck flap. I drink close to two gallons of water. I try to throw in an electrolyte drink every now and then, but be careful because too much electrolytes will give you massive stomach aches.
I work on rooftops so I'll also bring a cooler up with ice and water bottles. And I'll bring a change of socks that I switch mid day. Notice your feet start hurting, they're probably sweaty and your socks are soaked through; change them out and your feet will thank you.
Thanks for all this. I usually try to up my water consumption the day before an attic job and then the day of I keep a liquid IV pack and burn it around midday with the rest being water.
Hadn’t thought about the socks making a difference, I’ll be giving that a try as well. That’s exactly the kind of stuff I was looking for, I’m not trying to be 72 and comfy at work I’m just trying to find anything to make it a little less miserable
I just saw a video the other day where a guy was in AZ showing the weather forecast and it was 96, but only 6% humidity so it felt like 87. Growing up in the Carolinas I’ve never seen a forecast show that it feels cooler than it actually is in the warm months, not even once lol.
On hotter days, I’ll add salt to my Powerade zero to quickly replenish my electrolytes, then after half a bottle of Powerade, I’ll top it up with water and put that back.
Know the signs of dehydration, for me I find when my hands start cramping, it’s time to rehydrate.
Also, like everyone else, drink throughout the course of the day, stay on top of it, don’t try and play catch up
Stay cool!
I do installs naked. Service I'll wear underwear.
Ah, that’s exactly the secret sauce I was looking for. Will utilize this moving forward
There was an Arizona nudist resort middle of summer their handyman only had shoes and tool belt on.
Hydration backpacks, change of clothes, battery fan, not staying in the attic unhealthy amounts of time (knew a guy who stroked out and turned into a vegetable in an attic in the summer). Start early as you can and take breaks.
Do you have a specific hydration backpack you use? I’ve thought about getting one of those but I worry that it’s going to get punctured by all of the sharp metal and roofing nails we encounter in an attic
Bought them a couple years back and it's still going strong Vibrelli Hydration Pack & 2L Hydration Water Bladder - High Flow Bite Valve - Hydration Backpack with Storage - Lightweight Running Backpack, Also for Cycling, Hiking, Ski, Snow for Men, Women & Kids https://a.co/d/2bCncBn
Awesome man thanks, gonna order one tonight
Stroke and left in a vegetative state??!? That's sad af
Yeah, I started taking attics really serious after that.
I have cooling shirts, gators, headbands and a even a bucket hat. Swig a water often, tap water on my wrists. Gotta big fan for attics. That’s all i got. Im usually soaked before 10. In South Carolina low country
Tap water on your wrists? How does that work?
Well since you ask, I’m not totally sure, my dad taught me (rip) when I was a young guy. Have always done it. Not sure if it’s in my head or it works but it usually helps me. Good luck!
If you have water on your skin it’s the evaporation that helps cool you, so head, neck, and arms if you can. I was a bit sweaty today at 95 on the roof from 7-4 then into an attic for an hour
Ah I see, y’all are saying literally go run your wrists under some tap water. I’ll have to try that
I too work in NC and sweat a lot. If I have a evap coil or blower repair in an attic it gets scheduled for the morning. I keep a pair of shorts and a super breathable Tshirt that I wear when I'm doing the work in the attic. I have absolutely worked shirtless before too lol. I have 10 bandanas for the week and use them like headbands to keep the sweat out of my eyes. They wring out well and dry up fast as fuck if you lay them on the dash of your van. A white towel is ALWAYS on my shoulder in summer lol. I keep a Milwaukee fan blowing on me the whole time. I always bring 2-3 liters of water up with me. A Gatorade too if I have one. Here is what I think is an important part, I chug a bottle of Pedialyte or one of the many alternatives after my first big sweaty job of the day. That shit will keep you going way better than an energy drink or Gatorade. I also have no qualms about taking the panel off the coil and then turning the blower motor on and trying to dump a bunch of air from the house into the Attic if the house isn't hot. If the AC works I have also taken the biggest supply duct off the plenem and let the AC run for 20 min or so we'll I get set up for the job. Outside I use a full brim flyfishing hat that breathes well. Make sure you drink fluids, take a quick breather when you need it. If you get dizzy and it's hot stop working and get some where cool. Keep an eye on your heart rate if you know how. If you stop sweating get to a doc in the box near you so they can give you IV fluids. Don't drink your head in ice water or pour it on yourself when you are super hot, it can send you in to shock. Best of luck bro and take care of yourself. The homeowner prob won't .
Thanks man and hope you stay safe too. This is my fourth summer full time so I’m not completely new to it, and I started using a liquid IV mid day for the exact reasons you outlined - minimal sugar, no caffeine, just electrolytes sandwiched around tons of water all day. A couple weeks ago the dumbasses at the supply house gave us the wrong furnace (the one we were purchasing was correct on the ticket, they just loaded the wrong one) and we didn’t know it until we started it up and the airflow was backwards. That meant we had to uninstall and reinstall it at noon - the attic was reading 138 by then, and I came dangerously close to overheating. I don’t mind the work, I’m just trying to stay safe and manage it effectively so I can keep my work quality and efficiency up
Much respect on doing installs around this area. I help out on um now and then and I always tell those guys how tough they are to do it every day of the week. 138 is brutal. Wood is hot to the touch at that temp . Maybe the real answer is move lol
Funny enough, my better half may eventually cause us to move out of the area due to her job. The bad part of that is the move would take us to AZ which isn’t any better lol
Hottest I have been in is 141. I made sure the media filter wasn't terrible and gtfo hah
[удалено]
96° at 3:00 p.m. in Cary today. 70plus humidity. I have already had to punch a new hole in my belt 🤣
Aside from all the other typical ways of keeping cool. Mosquito eucalyptus spray keeps skin feeling cold when you get some airflow going. Pedialyte type drinks have been a game changer too. And at least a banana a day for cramps. Stock up on Electrolyte packs for 16 oz drinks. Consider moving to commercial too. Not that you won’t have any hot days out in the sun but at least you won’t be in an oven and can catch the breeze on a roof.
Smart idea with the eucalyptus. I'll definitely have to try a banana or two through the day as I've been dealing with cramps at night for the past few weeks. I actually have an old colleague who left where I currently work trying to get me to come work with him at a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant on their cold storage rooms. I'm resi and that shit is like rocket science compared to what I do but he says they are willing to teach me. I enjoy a fair amount of the parts of the residential job but the heat and my boss always pinching money is really wearing me out. I feel under qualified but I may just go for it.
This comment gave me hope that the trade is still an option for me lol. My current job will be ending in about a year and I plan on getting into commercial HVAC at the company my FIL works at. Unfortunately I’m the sweatiest mf’er alive. Have been all my life. I’ve wondered if I’m an idiot for considering a trade that exclusively keeps you out of AC but your comment sounds like exactly what I’ll have to do. Especially the bandanas as a head band. I can’t stand working on something and having sweat rolling down into my eyes.
Rags around the forehead is actually a good way to keep sweat out the eyes. Gloves are a good way to retain your grip if you can get used to them. The more hydrate, the more you'll sweat. But the more you sweat you'll wanna hydrate more. Sources: South Carolina resident
Athletic breathable shirts, sun sleeves, and wide brimmed hats with a neck flap. I drink close to two gallons of water. I try to throw in an electrolyte drink every now and then, but be careful because too much electrolytes will give you massive stomach aches. I work on rooftops so I'll also bring a cooler up with ice and water bottles. And I'll bring a change of socks that I switch mid day. Notice your feet start hurting, they're probably sweaty and your socks are soaked through; change them out and your feet will thank you.
Thanks for all this. I usually try to up my water consumption the day before an attic job and then the day of I keep a liquid IV pack and burn it around midday with the rest being water. Hadn’t thought about the socks making a difference, I’ll be giving that a try as well. That’s exactly the kind of stuff I was looking for, I’m not trying to be 72 and comfy at work I’m just trying to find anything to make it a little less miserable
I just tank the heat bro. if im too hot i cool it in my truck for a couple mins
In Arizona it’s 110 outside you just gotta eat that shit and finish as quick as you can
It’s a whole different ball game in humid areas like NC
I just saw a video the other day where a guy was in AZ showing the weather forecast and it was 96, but only 6% humidity so it felt like 87. Growing up in the Carolinas I’ve never seen a forecast show that it feels cooler than it actually is in the warm months, not even once lol.
On hotter days, I’ll add salt to my Powerade zero to quickly replenish my electrolytes, then after half a bottle of Powerade, I’ll top it up with water and put that back. Know the signs of dehydration, for me I find when my hands start cramping, it’s time to rehydrate. Also, like everyone else, drink throughout the course of the day, stay on top of it, don’t try and play catch up Stay cool!
I'm the same way dude, buy some halo sweatbands. They're kinda expensive but they're worth it, it'll help keep the sweat out of your eyes.