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Air conditioning in the UK?
Been hearing of the unusually hot weather in britain, and mainland Europe lately (southern Germany 102 F!), and of course thought, Oh dear, and they don't have air conditioning! But, is this altogether true? Is it known what proportion of domestic and commercial buildings now have air conditioning in Britain, and/or Europe generally, I wonder? Here in north texas, it's been flickering around 98 - 102 F, fairly normal for July, and a distinct lack of rainfall. Air conditioning units and lawn sprinklers all going like crazy! -- Ian Ft Worth, TX, USA (e-mail Replies must include the word daemonics in Subject line) |
Air conditioning in the UK?
On Mon, 04 Aug 2003 08:58:22 +0100, rnet[dot]co[dot]uk
(Simon Gardner) wrote: Here in north texas, it's been flickering around 98 - 102 F Could you translate that, please? What's to translate? He means that the temperature is hovering around 98 to 102 degress Fahrenheit. Or would you prefer it in Celcius? |
Air conditioning in the UK?
Could you translate that, please? .......... I think the hot weather brings the pedants out! Usenet nanny syndrome I think..... offer him 100,000 guineas for his house, bet he wouldn't ask for that in £ before he accepted... To answer your question qualitivly....... No, air con is not the norm in the UK. Some of the larger shops use it. and a few of the corporate buildings. More prevalent in the commercial sector. But my partner works for the local council here in Folkestone, Kent and the original open plan building with good airflow has been divided up into little rooms and departments. The heat is stifling in there.... hot enough to lose staff. (One girl stayed 2 days and left 'cos of the heat) They have no air con whatsoever. Open a window, loosen your tie... use a desk fan......but air con? No chance...... As for private homes, it's very very scarce. Central heating not standard yet even.... Air con is considered a plaything of the rich, there is no advertising for it on TV, I've seen none in newspapers.... I've seen a few portable ones in the last insurance office I worked in but I had to explain about legionaries disease as they were just recycling the same old water condensed out of the room with no anti bacterial additives or cleaning regime at all.... 200 people on the phones in one room with two paltry little virus spreaders... scary stuff! it's still the 1950's in most of Britain..... Les "P" wrote in message ... On Mon, 04 Aug 2003 08:58:22 +0100, rnet[dot]co[dot]uk (Simon Gardner) wrote: Here in north texas, it's been flickering around 98 - 102 F What's to translate? He means that the temperature is hovering around 98 to 102 degress Fahrenheit. Or would you prefer it in Celcius? |
Air conditioning in the UK?
On Mon, 4 Aug 2003 09:51:19 +0100, "Les & Claire"
wrote: it's still the 1950's in most of Britain..... More like the 1850's. ;) |
Air conditioning in the UK?
"Ian" wrote in message ... Been hearing of the unusually hot weather in britain, and mainland Europe lately (southern Germany 102 F!), and of course thought, Oh dear, and they don't have air conditioning! But, is this altogether true? Is it known what proportion of domestic and commercial buildings now have air conditioning in Britain, and/or Europe generally, I wonder? Well the so called portable aircon systems seems the most popular for domestic use, the D-I-Y sheds are churing them out at resonable prices and they are probably a good buy for the 2 weeks of hot weather we get. I have one myself and it does a good job cooling and will no doubt be made use of today. Lots of commercial / office buildings have had aircon compressor units bolted to the outside walls recently so I would imagine its a growing industry, but the vast majority of workplaces in the UK are not air-conditioned and the term sweatshop will apply over the next few days if it didn't already. BTW I was amazed at the price of window aircon units while browsing online at www.homedepot.com something like $85 for a basic one. The cheapest equivelent price in the UK was about £400. Regards |
Air conditioning in the UK?
"Les & Claire" wrote in message ... Could you translate that, please? ......... I think the hot weather brings the pedants out! Usenet nanny syndrome I think..... offer him 100,000 guineas for his house, bet he wouldn't ask for that in £ before he accepted... To answer your question qualitivly....... No, air con is not the norm in the UK. Some of the larger shops use it. and a few of the corporate buildings. More prevalent in the commercial sector. But my partner works for the local council here in Folkestone, Kent and the original open plan building with good airflow has been divided up into little rooms and departments. The heat is stifling in there.... hot enough to lose staff. (One girl stayed 2 days and left 'cos of the heat) They have no air con whatsoever. Open a window, loosen your tie... use a desk fan......but air con? No chance...... As for private homes, it's very very scarce. Central heating not standard yet even.... Air con is considered a plaything of the rich, there is no advertising for it on TV, I've seen none in newspapers.... I've seen a few portable ones in the last insurance office I worked in but I had to explain about legionaries disease as they were just recycling the same old water condensed out of the room with no anti bacterial additives or cleaning regime at all.... 200 people on the phones in one room with two paltry little virus spreaders... scary stuff! it's still the 1950's in most of Britain..... Les "P" wrote in message ... On Mon, 04 Aug 2003 08:58:22 +0100, rnet[dot]co[dot]uk (Simon Gardner) wrote: Here in north texas, it's been flickering around 98 - 102 F What's to translate? He means that the temperature is hovering around 98 to 102 degress Fahrenheit. Or would you prefer it in Celcius? Les, I noticed advertising for it on the boards at the cricket yesterday - don't recall the name of the company. I doubt if they do much business though - apart from installations in offices. Cheers, Andy |
Air conditioning in the UK?
"Les & Claire" wrote in message ... Could you translate that, please? ......... I think the hot weather brings the pedants out! Usenet nanny syndrome I think..... offer him 100,000 guineas for his house, bet he wouldn't ask for that in £ before he accepted... To answer your question qualitivly....... No, air con is not the norm in the UK. Some of the larger shops use it. and a few of the corporate buildings. More prevalent in the commercial sector. But my partner works for the local council here in Folkestone, Kent and the original open plan building with good airflow has been divided up into little rooms and departments. The heat is stifling in there.... hot enough to lose staff. (One girl stayed 2 days and left 'cos of the heat) They have no air con whatsoever. Open a window, loosen your tie... use a desk fan......but air con? No chance...... As for private homes, it's very very scarce. Central heating not standard yet even.... Air con is considered a plaything of the rich, there is no advertising for it on TV, I've seen none in newspapers.... I've seen a few portable ones in the last insurance office I worked in but I had to explain about legionaries disease as they were just recycling the same old water condensed out of the room with no anti bacterial additives or cleaning regime at all.... 200 people on the phones in one room with two paltry little virus spreaders... scary stuff! it's still the 1950's in most of Britain..... Les "P" wrote in message ... On Mon, 04 Aug 2003 08:58:22 +0100, rnet[dot]co[dot]uk (Simon Gardner) wrote: Here in north texas, it's been flickering around 98 - 102 F What's to translate? He means that the temperature is hovering around 98 to 102 degress Fahrenheit. Or would you prefer it in Celcius? " it's still the 1950's in most of Britain....." 1850's more like! |
Air conditioning in the UK?
"Les & Claire" wrote .. I've seen a few
portable ones in the last insurance office I worked in but I had to explain about legionaries disease as they were just recycling the same old water condensed out of the room with no anti bacterial additives or cleaning regime at all.... 200 people on the phones in one room with two paltry little virus spreaders... scary stuff! Added to which these things try to defy the laws of physics in that, being a closed system, they can't possibly do what they're being advertised to do . I've had a few arguments with people who've used these that *unless* there is a vent to take the hot exhaust air outside, the machines just add to the overall temperature in the room that they're supposedly keeping cool. Most of the "portable" (freestanding) units don't have this: they blow cool air out of the front (giving the illusion of cooling the room) - and hot air (i.e. the heat taken from the air + the heat caused by the machine operating) out of the back, thus adding to the overall heat in the room. - Tom. |
Air conditioning in the UK?
clearly baffled, rnet[dot]co[dot]uk asked:
(Ian) wrote: Here in north texas, it's been flickering around 98 - 102 F Could you translate that, please? Only too delighted, young sir .... I can oblige you in German or French. What the hell , have two for the price of one. Ein. Allgemein am der Nordunger schw itz Kow der Tempelhof berunder 98 - 102 Flugenschwimmen h overbkrtband. deux. Vilette de la Nurd en Trembleau , Beronrmalon twiquotique unbariable 98 et 102 Boche merde ma is, aux bois du pent, birilonde toupee. HTH -- Ian "he speaks German like a native: a native of Tunisia." Oscar Milde. (do not Reply by email: sum1else wrote this) |
Air conditioning in the UK?
"Simon Gardner" [dot]co[dot]uk wrote in message ... In article , "Tom Bennett" wrote: I've had a few arguments with people who've used these that *unless* there is a vent to take the hot exhaust air outside, the machines just add to the overall temperature in the room that they're supposedly keeping cool. Most of the "portable" (freestanding) units don't have this: they blow cool air out of the front (giving the illusion of cooling the room) - and hot air (i.e. the heat taken from the air + the heat caused by the machine operating) out of the back, thus adding to the overall heat in the room. All these machines have the facility to vent to the outside. I have never seen one that doesn't. However the portable machines remain pretty crap - particularly (for obvious reasons) the evaporative ones). I long ago abandoned them for a proper installed split system which is operating very nicely, thankyou. These are also common in offices. despite innacurate previous posters ac in offices in major cities in the uk is the norm, no office block in central London would survive without it, take an aerial look at offices and you will see virtually every one with an ac plant on the roof. Re portable units they are vented to the outside, are very inneficient and noisy as the compressor has to be housed inside the unit. Evap coolers are a total waste of money. Proper fixed split packs are not expensive starting at about 800-00, far less than a central heating system. there is a huge ignorance in the uk whereas in the u.s. the public are far more informed. Pete |
Air conditioning in the UK?
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Air conditioning in the UK?
"Dave C" wrote in message ... One thing that has changed in the UK is that no new self respecting modern car comes without aircon. Even now in small hatchbacks and non top-end models. This is because someone has at last realised that if you park your car in the sun in March it reaches about 40C inside and unless you like having your head blown off and being deafened by the noise it takes ages to cool!! Dave thats true dave, 70% of all new cars sold in britain today now have ac fitted, proper climate control is fitted in higher spec models pete |
Air conditioning in the UK?
On Mon, 4 Aug 2003 11:34:01 +0100, "Tom Bennett"
wrote: "Les & Claire" wrote .. I've seen a few portable ones in the last insurance office I worked in but I had to explain about legionaries disease as they were just recycling the same old water condensed out of the room with no anti bacterial additives or cleaning regime at all.... 200 people on the phones in one room with two paltry little virus spreaders... scary stuff! Added to which these things try to defy the laws of physics in that, being a closed system, they can't possibly do what they're being advertised to do . I've had a few arguments with people who've used these that *unless* there is a vent to take the hot exhaust air outside, the machines just add to the overall temperature in the room that they're supposedly keeping cool. Most of the "portable" (freestanding) units don't have this: they blow cool air out of the front (giving the illusion of cooling the room) - and hot air (i.e. the heat taken from the air + the heat caused by the machine operating) out of the back, thus adding to the overall heat in the room. - Tom. Proper portable ac units using refrigerants need the hot air vented to the outside. We don't have the window mounted versions in this country so common in the US The sort of air cooler that blows across water and evaporates it does actually cool the air down, as the heat is used up as latent heat to cause the evaporation. However, I have experience of the water evaporator coolers and unsurprisingly, they also increase the humidity so the cooling effect probably remains about the same - IOW, they're useless. JPG |
Air conditioning in the UK?
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Air conditioning in the UK?
In message , Ian writes
[snip] Here in north texas, it's been flickering around 98 - 102 F, fairly normal for July, and a distinct lack of rainfall. Air conditioning units and lawn sprinklers all going like crazy! Ever though of solar-powered AC? Save the pollution etc. May even reduce global warming, you never know :-) -- Tim |
Air conditioning in the UK?
In article ,
Les & Claire writes: No, air con is not the norm in the UK. Some of the larger shops use it. and a few of the corporate buildings. More prevalent in the commercial sector. But my partner works for the local council here in Folkestone, Kent and the original open plan building with good airflow has been divided up into little rooms and departments. The heat is stifling in there.... hot enough to lose staff. (One girl stayed 2 days and left 'cos of the heat) They have no air con whatsoever. Open a window, loosen your tie... use a desk fan......but air con? No chance...... Probably best to become a computer engineer. Though PCs don't need air conditioning, most computer servers seem to. As for private homes, it's very very scarce. Central heating not standard yet even.... I would have thought that by now at least 80% of homes had central heating. -- John Hall "Take the tone of the company you are in." The Earl of Chesterfield (1694-1773) |
Air conditioning in the UK?
In uk.sci.weather on Mon, 4 Aug 2003 at 17:35:05, Dave Ludlow wrote :
It's well worth having it as I can direct the airflow towards me if I want, which feels (probably is) even cooler. Humidity is definitely lowered, too. I wouldn't have been working this afternoon without it as the inside temperature with computers on and windows open would have been over 30C, too hot for me to concentrate. Alternatively, you could try hanging around in each a/c'd shop until they throw you out... :) Yep. The office I worked in way back in July/Aug 1976 had two big freestanding a/c units and it was sheer luxury back then :) but much more common these days I feel. I was in junior school then, and all we got was a free ice-cream. :) -- Paul Hyett, Cheltenham, England |
Air conditioning in the UK?
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