Temperature Regulation: Springtime Heatwaves

[sheena lee]

Living in Montreal around this time of year means some really warm days, and some really chilly days. This week has been around 20-25 degrees (68-77 f - thanks Google!), and so far, keeping the window open in our bedroom has kept the room cool enough for Chia (a little chilly at night but we've got blankets.)

On Thursday it's supposed to go up to 31 degrees (about 88 f), and obviously I can't put in the air conditioner yet, cause next week we're going back down to 5-10 degrees (41-50 f.)

What do you guys do when the weather starts to get like this? Chia's cage is tiled, so the whole thing is like a chinchiller... Is there anything else I can do?

 

[Pooky125]

You can try opening the window at night with a fan blowing the warm air out, which will suck cool air in. Then, just before sunrise, shut the window and pull the curtains to prevent sunlight from shining in. That should keep the cool air from the night still in the room, without letting the sun heat it up to much. Throw a towel over the crack in the door and keep your door shut, and it should stay fairly insulated and cool in there.

 

[smhluvsmh]

I have already had to run the air, on and off, which is not normal for Virginia! I also just bought a dehumidifier on Saturday because it has been so darn wet.

 

[Lillybabe]

Yep, we're running the AC already here too. Even at night it's getting into the 70s in the house. We've had it on for the last week I believe. Luckily we have central air so it's not that difficult.

 

[tunes]

Why can't you put the a/c in? You don't have to run it and you can cover it if it gets too cool. We've hit 88, been down to 30 at night, and all my a/c's are in and being used during the day, turned off at night.

 

[mercynursie]

We live in a single wide trailer out in the middle of what once was a soybean field(no shade whatsoever).Down here in South I have left my window unit(chin room) in and running all winter long.I've even been running the central ac for the last few months esp during daytime hours.

 

[Pikaia]

I have already had my window a/c unit up and running. It's been hitting almost 80 these last few days and it's just too hot for them. Next week we will be in the 60's, so I probably won't be needing it then..

 

[GorillaJTA]

You can try opening the window at night with a fan blowing the warm air out, which will suck cool air in. Then, just before sunrise, shut the window and pull the curtains to prevent sunlight from shining in. That should keep the cool air from the night still in the room, without letting the sun heat it up to much. Throw a towel over the crack in the door and keep your door shut, and it should stay fairly insulated and cool in there.

Unless their house is a marble palace insulated with vacuum sealed air pockets, this is not going to maintain the temperature more than a couple of hours. My chinchilla alone raises the temperature of the room he is in by 4-5 degrees F.

OP- I don't know what kind of A/C system that can't be turned off once it is turned on, but if the temperature is 31C, then A/C is indispensable. I have been running a/c since late january. It is not fun, but it is necessary.

 

[sheena lee]

It's not that the A/C can't be turned off, the real problem arises when there's still a possibility of snow. At this time of year in Montreal, we normally still have a few feet of snow - weather like this is really really uncommon. Any below 0C weather will damage the unit...

As of right now, someone is keeping an eye on the temperate in the bedroom at all times and we've put a fan in there. As soon as the sun goes down we won't have a problem. My MIL has a portable A/C that I might install for the day tomorrow. After that we won't need the A/C for a good while. Once we do, I'll be putting it in ASAP.

Also: keep in mind that the weather out of the sun will be 24, not 31, and that the sun never shines into the bedroom. It's not actually 31 degrees outside, it just feels like that in the sun.

 

[sheena lee]

In the end I installed the portable A/C just now. When I got home from work I was really not happy with the temperature in the bedroom. Chia seemed okay though, just a little tired. Now I feel much less worried!

 

[sheena lee]

We live in a single wide trailer out in the middle of what once was a soybean field(no shade whatsoever).Down here in South I have left my window unit(chin room) in and running all winter long.I've even been running the central ac for the last few months esp during daytime hours.

I wish we could! I have to put the heat on in the winter here in Montreal, when it gets to be -20 to -30, even Chia would freeze!

 

[mainer51423]

Same problem here in Maine, we usually have snow pack right now and its typically in the 40's. The last week we broke records with days in the 70's and even 2 days in the 80's, absolutely unheard of to have this type of weather in Maine in March. I ended up having to put my window a/c unit in for 2 or 2 days to keep the temps down in the room with Dexter. I took it back out now because its staying in the mid 60's and will be for a few days.

 

[kerri101]

Same problem here in Maine, we usually have snow pack right now and its typically in the 40's. The last week we broke records with days in the 70's and even 2 days in the 80's, absolutely unheard of to have this type of weather in Maine in March. I ended up having to put my window a/c unit in for 2 or 2 days to keep the temps down in the room with Dexter. I took it back out now because its staying in the mid 60's and will be for a few days.

Same temps here in New Hampshire. When I found out how it was going to be 80-90 degrees last week I lugged all the window units in by myself husband was away and put them in the windows even though it was just for a few days .... couldn't take the chance with chin getting hot it was either that or me move into my travel trailer with chin LOL that I just have to plug in...

 

[sheena lee]

I really love to have the window open when it gets to be around this temperature, so it's heartbreaking when I need to put the A/C in early. I actually hate the feel/smell of air conditioned air, even though I can't sleep without it in the summer. Luckily with the portable unit, I can still have the window open at night when it's cooler. But since the weather's gone down dramatically, I'll be taking the unit out altogether for the time being, til I put the window unit in.

 

[mercynursie]

It's so funny how we all adjust to temps! I laugh because in the winter our power bill savings(yeah heat pump) are terrific,but in the summer they get it all back. Not just a Southern thing,I am extremely hot natured and my philosophy has always been "if your cold you can put more on,but if you are hot there is only so much you can take off!".LOL,Everyone who comes to our place is warned about the "meat locker and there are throws all around please feel free to grab one if you need it".What is even worse though is my sister(non-chinnie owner) keeps her house so cold that even I grab a blankie when visiting with her!


illowfight:

 

[Kara315]

I'm in upstate new york, and the three hotter days we had, around 80, I ended up putting the AC in just incase. Never thought i'd be putting an AC in, in march lol. But I did and I'm glad. This is my first time owning Chinchilla's, it's been 6 years though, but I always get nervous about temperature, So I put the AC in early and just took it out after the weird heat wave we had.