In the unprecedented record-breaking heatwave days in September, our AC was unbelievably down. It happened last Friday afternoon when we both worked from home. What timing!
The first thing I did was turn the air-conditioner off and on, the way we handle computer crashes, in the hope that a restart will auto-correct the problem.
No expected luck.
Sitting downstairs at a desk in front of a closed window with tightly drawn curtains, I still felt the strong blistering heat permeating the glass.
After a few futile hectic calls for technicians, my anxiety grew with the temperature. “What’s next?” I asked myself. “Didn’t I go through much worse summers in China? Didn’t I survive my childhood dog days without even an electric fan? How could I no longer put up with the weather that I was so used to?”
He came downstairs for the dinner, half-naked with a wet tower hung from his neck.
“How is it upstairs?” I asked, knowingly aware that the temperature there was normally a few degrees higher, especially after the unsheltered roof and walls being exposed to a full day’s scorching sunbake.
“I am like a Wukong roasted in an alchemy furnace.” He teased himself, “But I am still earning bread inside.”
The next two days turned out to be more intolerable, as the heat wave reared its ugly head without any sign of retreat. In the early Saturday morning before the heat wave raged on, he squated down beside the machine and took off its cover, peering into a box that contained colored wires. An initial diagnosis of the broken capacitor was followed by a disappointment of its unavailability at Home Depot or any nearby store. An online order was placed in the end, and the quickest delivery was early next week.
Life goes on, whatsoever. With humidity hovering around 56% and temperature dropping to 80s, we were able to sleep with the help of non-stop whirring fans - - a bionaire window fan from the side and a hanging fan from the ceiling.
Saturday’s night dance was scheduled as usual, absent the teacher was on her vacation to Europe. Eight of us showed up. While they were cheered for being brave to step out of air-conditioned rooms, I embraced a night getaway from the heated dome. In the open air, I whiled away my otherwise sweltering night, in the company of friends, the music, the crescent moon, and later night winds.
The heat would last at least five consecutive days.
On my way home after work on Monday, I saw plumes of smokes heavily darkening half the sky. It was wildfire again, rampaging through the land we humans don’t cherish.
哈哈， 读完了， both Chinese and English version. 八月初去了趟NM， 我能想象100度以上的天气是啥样了。 我们在NM租的房子里， 我发现水龙头无论往哪边拧都是热水出来， 问我在那里生活的朋友，是否水龙头坏了。 她说，是因为室外太热，水管子里的凉水都是热的。 外面院子里的有些虫子竟然被太阳晒死了。
你们那里还好，晚上会凉下来。 你家那位能够pinpoint to 电容，真是厉害。 我们都不知道电容这个词：） 估计现在都修好了吧？（另，热天的时候，肯定楼下比楼上凉快。 他还在楼上办公，那温度至少比楼下高5-10度。）
回复 '暖冬cool夏' 的评论 : Thanks again. Much appreciated!
暖冬cool夏 发表评论于
回复 '7grizzly' 的评论 : Sure, my friend! If it is same issue, we would be glad to help.
Btw, your home is new, and you should be worry free for at least 10 years. Good luck!
Below is the link for the replaced part of a broken garage door we once ordered. But of course,each home may have different models. But the concept should be same. For my own future reference too.
回复 '暖冬cool夏' 的评论 : Thank you very much! I will remember who to turn to when my ac or garage door breaks!
暖冬cool夏 发表评论于
回复 '7grizzly' 的评论 : Sure, my friend! Below is the link for a capacitor. Our exact model is only around $12 on Amazon. I will add a picture of air-conditioner later after the post is taken off the frontpage of WXC. I cannot edit now.
FYI,he recently fixed the garage door, replaced a part for less than $10. The technician quoted $120. A neighbor a few months later had the same issue,and he helped fix it for free. Learning to be a handyman is fun and economical.:)
回复 '混迹花草中的灰蘑菇' 的评论 : 辉蘑菇好！是啊，前所未有的热，以前也有到过100F，但是不像这次时间这么长，湿度也相对大。以前我带女儿回国也尽量避开夏天，除了上海的世博会，那个夏天还去了北京，太受不了了：）所以就安心地享受这么凉爽的英国气候吧。
我们这边常常万里无云的，难得看见满天云朵，特别喜欢。想想这么好的云朵这么碰上这么恶劣的天气：）云多还是因为有湿度。谢谢辉蘑菇留言，enjoy your stay in London!
野性de思维 发表评论于
哈哈，俺被你写的“抗高温秘诀”逗乐啦，真够风趣的！你家的这个温度计很别致呀，漂亮！
另外，特佩服你用中英文写作。俺曾经尝试过用英文写作，但基本上都是虎头蛇尾，New Year Resolution。
In the unprecedented record-breaking heatwave days in September, our AC was unbelievably down. It happened last Friday afternoon when we both worked from home. What timing!
The first thing I did was turn the air-conditioner off and on, the way we handle computer crashes, in the hope that a restart will auto-correct the problem.
No expected luck.
Sitting downstairs at a desk in front of a closed window with tightly drawn curtains, I still felt the strong blistering heat permeating the glass.
After a few futile hectic calls for technicians, my anxiety grew with the temperature. “What’s next?” I asked myself. “Didn’t I go through much worse summers in China? Didn’t I survive my childhood dog days without even an electric fan? How could I no longer put up with the weather that I was so used to?”
He came downstairs for the dinner, half-naked with a wet tower hung from his neck.
“How is it upstairs?” I asked, knowingly aware that the temperature there was normally a few degrees higher, especially after the unsheltered roof and walls being exposed to a full day’s scorching sunbake.
“I am like a Wukong roasted in an alchemy furnace.” He teased himself, “But I am still earning bread inside.”
The next two days turned out to be more intolerable, as the heat wave reared its ugly head without any sign of retreat. In the early Saturday morning before the heat wave raged on, he squated down beside the machine and took off its cover, peering into a box that contained colored wires. An initial diagnosis of the broken capacitor was followed by a disappointment of its unavailability at Home Depot or any nearby store. An online order was placed in the end, and the quickest delivery was early next week.
Life goes on, whatsoever. With humidity hovering around 56% and temperature dropping to 80s, we were able to sleep with the help of non-stop whirring fans - - a bionaire window fan from the side and a hanging fan from the ceiling.
Saturday’s night dance was scheduled as usual, absent the teacher was on her vacation to Europe. Eight of us showed up. While they were cheered for being brave to step out of air-conditioned rooms, I embraced a night getaway from the heated dome. In the open air, I whiled away my otherwise sweltering night, in the company of friends, the music, the crescent moon, and later night winds.
The heat would last at least five consecutive days.
On my way home after work on Monday, I saw plumes of smokes heavily darkening half the sky. It was wildfire again, rampaging through the land we humans don’t cherish.
