Hot Pigs - Air Conditioning Options

Post » Mon Jun 26, 2006 5:36 pm

I'm out to buy some thermometers/humidity gauges.

Post » Mon Jun 26, 2006 9:37 pm

I couldn't find anything to measure humidity, so I checked online for our local weather. Humidity levels 32%. I have no idea if that's high or low.

The forecast is for cooler days this week, thank goodness.

Mum · Post » Mon Jun 26, 2006 9:45 pm

It's low. That's exactly the same as it is where I live right now - but the temp is 105, and it's 6:15!

Post » Mon Jun 26, 2006 10:06 pm

Oops! And here I am complaining about 88!

Mum · Post » Mon Jun 26, 2006 10:11 pm

An hour later it's gone down to 95.

Ugh, I hate this climate!

tripecac · Post » Tue Jul 11, 2006 12:36 pm

Hi! I ended up getting central air conditioning ($3400 total). So now it's very easy to keep the pigs cool, even when it's in the lower 80s outside (which it did for a couple days here)!

In fact, the A/C is so effective that I need to be careful not to freeze the piggies (who are downstairs) while trying to cool the upstairs. I've closed the vents downstairs and opened them upstairs, but it still gets a little toasty upstairs. So, we use fans to blow cool air from downstairs up the steps towards the upstairs. It seems to be working okay.

So, even with central A/C, we still need fans to even out the cooling. I wonder how big our power bill will be! Well, at least it's been cool recently (low 60s the last few days).

Are you guys still having hot weather?

I saw that the pet store uses water bottles, at least in the bunnies' cages.

Post » Fri Jul 21, 2006 4:44 pm

I have a question about "evaporative cooling", I think that's what you called it, Lynx. Do I put wet towels over the cage? The whole cage, or part? Does this make the area in the cage cooler?

I thought I had this thing figured out--my husband insulated the loft, and we have four fans going, and I put frozen water bottles in the cages. But the thermometer up there says it's 99 degrees F, and I'm getting a bit worried.

Post » Fri Jul 21, 2006 5:17 pm

Now I'm confused. I have one of those indoor outdoor electronic thermometers with a sensor. I have it sitting on one of the tables the pig cages are on. When it's on the outdoor setting it says 91, when I switch it to the indoor setting it says 98.

How about if I put a bucket full of ice in front of the fans?

Post » Fri Jul 21, 2006 8:58 pm

The wet towels over the cages appear to help. Tomorrow is supposed to be our hottest day!

Post » Fri Jul 21, 2006 10:08 pm

Evaporative cooling works when the air is dry. If the air is humid, the water won't evaporate (somehow as the water evaporates, the atmostphere gets cooler).

So yes, you're on the right track.

Post » Fri Jul 21, 2006 10:22 pm

Oh good. Our humidity today is only 35%. It's starting to cloud over though, maybe we'll be in for some thundershowers and cooler temps!

KarasKavies · Post » Sat Jul 22, 2006 4:20 am

My pigs have a slave in me! We are in Sonora (about 3 hours away from our San Jose home) and, when we left, I left the AC on for them!!! We had been having a heat wave of 90 and 100+ days and I just couln't see leaving them in a hot, closed in house when they are used to AC. It's all they ahve ever known!

So, instead of having 6 days of not paying for AC, we are paying for the piggies to be kept cool. it was the humane thing to do! AND... my 3 Hollister girls have their BDs this weekend. It can be their BD gift.

Needless to say, my friends who are watching my house, and do NOT have AC, think I am NUTS to cool the house for the pigs!