Another productive 3 hour day

[PressurePros 248]

I cancelled our afternoon jobs. It is unbelievable trying to work in this heat. I was getting chills and one of my guys called me and told me they were both laying under a tree and that they were cold (ie one step away from heat exhaustion or stroke) Its not worth going to the hospital over a housewash. The customers were very sympathetic and agreed that we should reschedule.

It was 95 at ten am with no clouds, no breze and a dew point of 80. How do you guys in the south handle this? Anyone else wuss out like me and call it a day early?

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

You can only work as long as it is safe for you to do so. We will not be sealing until the temps drop some. We are only washing.

Our clients are sympathetic too, and if they aren't we educate them. Every now and then you get one who doesn't care how hot it is. But then, they are not out in it.

Beth

[RPetry 564]

I was working down the Jersey shore the past two days and even there the temps and humidity was brutal. Yesterday, people were coming off the beach in the early afternoon, it must have been too hot right on the ocean.

There is no way I would consider working outside today.

[Don Phelps 85]

This time of the year we have to schedule work to start earlier in the day for two reasons. The heat AND the rain. The heat is ridiculous and the thunder storms pop up out of nowhere in the afternoons. They might last ten minutes, or three hours.

[Kory 14]

You get used to it after a while. Some 6-8 hour days I drink 24+ 12oz bottles of water.

[Jarrod 22]

I gave my guys the week off on resi jobs. We are still washing the fleets and having a lot of "water fights"

[Keth 15]

Had a job last year where I put down 9 yards of mulch in one day and it was as hot as today is and it was brutal. I drank so much water and gatorade and never had to pee once. The owner was nice enough to set a big commercial fan in the driveway and I would take frequent breaks, hose down, drink gatorade while standing in front of the fan. I don't think I would have made it without that fan that day. Never understood why the owner had one but it was a godsend. Today I am just hunkered in the AC and ordering some stuff online.

Relief is on the way for you northerners soon. We will be like this for weeks on end.

[Dan Stapleton 14]

I cancelled our afternoon jobs. It is unbelievable trying to work in this heat. I was getting chills and one of my guys called me and told me they were both laying under a tree and that they were cold (ie one step away from heat exhaustion or stroke) Its not worth going to the hospital over a housewash. The customers were very sympathetic and agreed that we should reschedule.

It was 95 at ten am with no clouds, no breze and a dew point of 80. How do you guys in the south handle this? Anyone else wuss out like me and call it a day early?

How do we handle it? We Suffer! I made my mind up today to start earlier and not to worry about my machine disturbing neighbors. I started a big shingle roof at 9 this morning and OH MY GOD. I'm seriously considering offering roof cleaning only in the winter. I think that answers your last question. I consider myself pretty tough but at soon to be 43 it's getting harder to perform in the heat. Thanks for the post. Makes me feel better!

[Jeff 232]

We finished the 43 buildings this week and the temps have been hot for a couple weeks and worse this week. My guys have been working 8-10 hour days. We just get less work done but we have to keep working to keep on schedule for August. They take many cool down & drink breaks. My weekend work we are postponing so they can have a couple days off. We are starting at 6am and on the job by 7am. Yesterday I had a builder call and said he forgot to call and he needed a 4000 sq ft stucco home , driveway & garage done, they had a walkthru today. We were on a job then went to that job it was almost a 13 hour day. He's a cool guy and told me charge him for the mistake I added $200 to the bill and he was OK with it

It is brutally hot out there today, I think the worst yet. Tomorrow I have 2 roofs, only one may get done

Be safe everyone this is killer weather

JL

[HotShot 34]

yeah, you guys in the heat....Drink lots of water!!!!!!

[Dan Stapleton 14]

Speck chaser mentioned taking liquid minerals (health food store) to replace electrolytes. I'm going to look into that. Fresh fruit and gatorade are good but after today I know I need SOMETHING!

[Deck Guy 14]

My son and I tried to work Tue. afternoon, and I only lasted about an hour. Hot deck/direct sunlight, no shade at all. I usually do pretty well, and he is the one who fades fast. I truly think the big burger at lunch was to blame. I usually try to eat light when I know it's going to be that hot, just didn't think it was gonna be that bad.

[R L S 14]

Its pretty damn hot here as well. I can work all day long as long as I have water. Yesterday I drank 2 gallons yesterday and today its only 4:30 and I drank 2.5gals. When I was a HotShot my ruck was ussaully the heaviest because of all the water I carried.

Cut out the sodas and drink water lots of it you'll feel so much better and have lots more energy.

[daryl 14]

man i stay in the house or start around 6am to 1030 11am

[Scott Stone 604]

two weeks ago we worked a 15 hour day when the high that I sya on my incab thermometer was 122. It was well over 100 for most of the day, and 100 by 11 am. The dew point was a little elevated.

Secrets for dealing with the heat?

1. Wear a broad brimmed hat. I like Tilly hats, which are available ont eh web but cost $50 or more. Their are plenty of others out there.

2. Wear Long pants, and a long sleeve cotton shirt. It will absorb the sweat, and keep you cooler. It also keeps the sweat from evaporating off your body while the sun is cooking you.

3. Plenty of cool, not Ice, water. Your body assimilates the cool water better, and you can easily drink it more often.

4. Athletic drinks. Gatorade, Powerade, Propel, or Option. The last two are suger free for my naturally sweet friends out there (that means Diabetic)

5. If you have not peed in the last cople of hours, start drinking. Not just a little dixie cup of water, drink a quart.

6. Start early, if you can.

Welcome to my world.

[James 624]

I don't do much night work maybe two a year. Lucky it was this week.

[Thad 135]

I have been looking for a drink that replaces electrolytes without added sugar and found these:

http://www.crampnomore.com/default.html

http://www.lytengo.com/index.php

http://electroblast.com/index.html

Anybody tried these?

[Kory 14]

GNC has a fruit punch flavored powder mix its 25.99. You have to mix it your self Im thinking PITA. Gatorade i think is the ticket

[EnviroClean 15]

Sheesh mainlanders...LOL I guess I am a climatized. Roofs are really the only thing that gets the best of me. Desert Storm kicked the hell outa me though Kuwait City is nasty nasty hot and sticky.

[CCPC 26]

I was born and raised here, and I suppose I'm just used to it because I don't know any different. The heat has never been an issue for me. I'll work on roofs no matter what the temps, all day long as long as I have plenty of water. I can go through as much as 3 gallons of water in a work day and still be a little thirsty (which I know isn't good). I've also got a thin build which probably helps a bit. Everyone stay safe and well hydrated.

[Jeff 232]

Do what I do , tell the guys what to do and go do other things in the AC of the truck or office. I rather pay a little more in payroll than be dieing out there. They are a lot younger than me. I worked spraying about 30 out of the fifty hours my guys worked. I'm glad I got the work and the guys want the money. I have a couple good guys

JL