Summer heat won't keep you from doing those outdoor jobs; painting, trim, and landscaping. Work smart, seek shade, dress right, and drink water.
Aug. 13, 2007 Too Hot for Outdoor Projects?
These are the dog days of Summer. It's hot out there – and I mean scorching. By my estimation, at least here in South Texas, we've got about a month and a week before any relief arrives. I know that because I used to be diligent about keeping a running log, which included the temp, and better weather started arriving towards the end of September every year. Now that I'm older and wiser I do my summer running on a treadmill at the gym.
So what to do about those outdoor projects that can't be put off? Are you building a patio cover? Removing that unsightly tree stump? Adding gutters and downspouts? You can do all this and more; just work smart and avoid the sun.
A few years ago I contracted to replace a bunch of trim and paint a lady's house. It was in the middle of August also.
I had to do extensive chipping and priming since it had been a long time since the outside of that house had seen any fresh paint. This was not destined to be a three day job. What I ended up doing was avoiding the sun. I found that no matter what time of day it was at least one part of the house was shady. So I just did the job piecemeal. No doubt it looked odd to the casual observer but it worked for me.
And I drank about five gallons of ice water every day. Hydration is essential in this kind of heat. Save the cold beer for after the workday.
Wear long sleeves. This is something most folks overlook. Think about it though; once those sleeves are lathered up with sweat, even the slightest breeze will provide the radiator effect and some cooling relief. Not to mention your doctor won't slap you upside the head for leaving yourself open for skin cancer.
