Temperatures Rising

[Woody04765]

I live here in Texas and the temperatures are getting pretty warm in the early to late afternoons. I can handle heat as well as anyone can but are you guys taking any precautions or different exercises to make sure the heat doesn't get to you? How are the temperatures up in the northern part of the country?
Is it affecting any business good or bad?

[Seascape]

We just had our first hot day saturday. Sunday broke 80 and today we have ozone alerts. This is the period i dread most. Mowing will decline and it will become unbearably hot and humid. In 3 weeks we will be begging for rain. As far as heat stress keep a 5 gal jug on your truck. Drink even if your not thirsty. If you stop sweating drink and find shade until you begin sweating again. Avoid air conditioners throughout the day and if you feel funny find another party and tell them. dont ignore that funny feeling because you dont get much warning. You pretty much just go down. Someone better be there or you could die.
mike

[mariner]

Same here. It is supposed to be 90 all week. this is the first heat spell we have had. I'm dreading it because, like Woody said, the mowing will cut back and that is my steady income. I still have 3 fert apps to do and a grub treatment so that'll help fill in but I still do miss the weekly mowings. I'd like to do shrub pruning to add business but I don't foresee it this year cuz I don't have the equipment and I don't intend to buy anymore stuff this year except tree and lawn chemicals. Maybe I'll take up rain dancing when I'm not busy.

[maple city lawn care]

We had our first really hot day yesterday. Tomorrow and Wendesday, humid and in the 90's.

A couple of years ago, we were working on a really hot and humid day. I wasn't drinking like I should. I started to get really cold and weak. We stopped and I got something to drink and rested for awhile, and I was OK. Taught me a lesson about the heat.

[mjlawncare]

That was a good lesson you learned Amanda!

[mowtrimblow]

I think my fellow Texan is talking about the extreme heat, 100's
coupled with the humidity making for heat index's around 108.
I feel your pain, I mow near Austin and it's hell in the afternoon, I try to finish 'round 2-3pm if I can. I do alot of large yards so I use an umbrella on my rider for some shade.
I drink as much cold water as I can, I bring 5 gal w ice....and sit down every once in a while in the shade.
Dave

[mmlawncare]

Dave,

You plan sounds pretty good. Although I have heard that drinking cold water may not be as good for you as drinking say room temperature water. To me, I'm not sure why it would make much difference the temperature of the water but they say that the warmer water stays in your system longer. This is just what I have been told and I believe I was told it on the forum.

P.S. We are getting close to the 100's with the heat index's here...I feel for you that are already there!

[Woody04765]

Try not to drink excessively cold water, ice water is not too good for you in the heat because it acts like the AC in your truck does if you are really hot and then all of a sudden jump into a 60 degree truck cab. it makes you sick. Try drinking water that the ice has recently melted into, it won't be quite so cold. And yes I was referring to the near 100 degree days we are having, It is fine with me though because I can start earlier and finish earlier and have more of my day for me.

[rkbrown]

5 gallon water/ice cooler and rest if I need to. I also use Advocare POS-3 sports drink powder and mix it in with my water to keep those electrolytes in me.

[the 8th Wonder]

An idea for those who mow in extreme heat:

They have vests and neck bands made out of some sort of material that cools you off for hours. I had to use these when I worked a job around industrial kilns (hot).

These are dangerous to use if not properly trained because they can trick your body into thinking it is cooler than it really is which stops you from sweating. I actually wouldn't recommend these devises, just though it would be neat to mention them.

[mowdenver]

It shot up to 56F at 2pm today. Sure was nice working in cool weather. Feels more like October.

[CCLS]

95 degrees today with a heat index of over 100 degrees. Hottest day this year.