Los Angeles Heat Wave
They say “It’s only getting hotter”.
Prepare yourself. If you live in Los Angeles you know how hot it can get. According to Elijah Chiland from Curbed Los Angeles, this Los Angeles Heat Wave is going to stay a while and keep coming back.
The study Elijah is referencing is from UCLA’s Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences entitled A Hybrid Dynamical–Statistical Downscaling Technique. Part II: End-of-Century Warming Projections Predict a New Climate State in the Los Angeles Region.
In a nutshell the report specifically states that “except for the highest elevations and a narrow swath very near the coast, land locations will likely see 60–90 additional extremely hot days per year, effectively adding a new season of extreme heat.”
How to beat the heat at home.
Once you’ve made peace with the fact that it’s only going to get hotter you may ask yourself: “What can I do?” It’s actually quite simple. Follow our 3 step approach.
Step #1 Stop the heat from coming in. Really the best way to do this is with window shades. According to the Department of Energy cellular shades can reduce unwanted solar heat through windows by up to 80%. If you’re not a fan of window shades then check out a number of other window treatments that will block the heat:
https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/energy-efficient-window-attachments
Step #2 Cool the heat that does make it into your home. Do this with an efficient air-conditioning unit. For smaller homes you can let Consumer Reports be your guide. Click here for recommendations. Many units can be connected to your smart home for voice control or remote controlled operation.
For larger homes, over 5000 square feet, consult an energy expert. We at Haas Entertainment can point you in the right direction with automated environmental controls and thermostats from Crestron.
Step #3 Upgrade your insulation. Insulation keeps the cool air inside your home and the hot air out by limiting the heat transfer through the ceiling (and walls). There is a very likely chance that you don’t have enough. The standard measurement among varieties of insulation is the R-value. This R-value is written on the side of every roll of insulation. R-value is a measurement of thermal resistance and measures the ability of heat to transfer from one side of an object to another. There is no government standard to insulation but there are guidelines. We’ll make it simple for you. If you live in Los Angeles, you need 14″ of R-38.
To learn more about insulation, check out Great Day Improvements Insulation R- Value Chart:
https://www.greatdayimprovements.com/insulation-r-value-chart.aspx
Los Angeles Heat Wave
Watch out Los Angeles, the heat wave is here and it’s going to keep coming back every year. You no longer have any excuse not to be prepared. Please join the conversation by leaving your comments in the space below.
Leave a Comment