8. Winter in America Part 2.

Normally when you look up at a fan towards the ceiling, the fan blades rotate in an anticlockwise  dirction. It pushes the air downwards and cools us down. How? When the air blows on our skin, it takes away the heat on evaporation of the perspiration.

But the fans in US have switch on the sides of the head. If it is switched on, the blades rotate in a clocwise (reverse) direction. It’s used during winter. Why?

Cold air is denser. Therefore it stays near the floor. Hot air rises up. It stays up near the ceiling. Heaters are normally placed at the bottom. Since hot air takes a long time to come down, it takes a long time for the thermostat to stop the heater from working. The electricity bill will also go up.

When the fan blades rotate in reverse, the air does not touch our skin and therefore does not cool us down. But mixes the hot air and the cold air uniformly. The air touches the sides of the wall and comes down. Then comes  to the centre of the room and rises up. Convection currents are caused.

Works well for rooms with a height of 9 feet. If the ceiling is higher than this, or when the space between ceiling and the fan is more than 1.5 feet or when the room is large (> 11*11*11)  or there are openings such as the staircase, use the fan as you normally would.

A blanket called ‘comfort’ (with a thin layer of foam inside) or woollen blankets  are used to cover oneself while sleeping.

 If one’s nose starts to bleed, use saline spray (< $2) and increase humidity inside the house. Make sure nose and throat are never dry. Said, not to scare you off, but just to make sure you are healthy‼  And this does not happen to everyone. You can place tubs with water in the corners of the room. Hygrometer ( $7) should show a humidity of 30%-50% 

During the fall season, pollen grains may increase in the air and chance  of getting viral flu fever is very high. You can take preventive flu shots for $20 in pharmacy.

Practising yoga in the morning and in the evening, especially ‘kapalapathy’ will keep the body warm.

You can check at www.wunderground.com  when the 'cold front' will reach your town. Stay indoors for days during that time.

It is pleasant to go out between 12 noon and 4pm. Do not be lazy to follow the dress code, inners, hoodies, gloves etc.

If there’s snow in front of the house, better clean it. For if the post man skids and falls in front of your steps, medical expenses are to be borne by the resident.

7. Winter in America

7. Winter in America I

Almost like in North India.

Summer - June21-Sept20 

Fall    - Sep21-Dec20  

Winter  - Dec21-Mar20 

Spring  - Mar21-June20

Fall itself is like winter. Temperatures in the first week of November itself is about 74º F during the day and 40º F at night, 23.3º C,  4.4º C.

Chillness starts in northern regions like Niagara, New York, Seattle, New Jersey during October end. By November end it’s almost frozen. Then cold weather comes to southern regions like Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta in December. In Florida it’s normal coldness.

You can view the weather conditions in the following websites

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0762183.html

http://www.mapsofworld.com/usa/thematic-maps/usa-temprature-january.html

It’s better to use woollen sweaters rather than increasing the temperature of the room heaters. Increasing the temperature will dry up the skin. Skin will turn a sort of greyish white in colour. It will start itching. Of course scratching is a pleasure at the start. Dryness in the throat may lead to bleeding easily in the nostrils. Lips may crack. Nose may become dry and itch. A drop of blood may ooze into the mouth or through nose. A drop of saline water into the nose may keep it wet. Chances of this occurring for people above 55 are high. Prevention is better than cure. You went there to take care of the baby, therefore, make sure it’s not the reverse! Dotor’s office ….. very expensive yaar‼

During winter the air is less humid. It is healthier to maintain the temperatures 25-75 degree Fahrenheit and the humidity costant. You may install a humidifier. It’s about $40-$140. A simple humidifier is made by pouring water in a tray and spreading a tissue paper at the side (partly inside), to make evaporation faster. Dry your clothes inside the house. Use vaseline on your hands and legs. Lip Balm must be used. Suppose humidity is higher, then you get the smell of stale air. Leave the windows open for a while or leave the ventilator fan on for some time.

Houses are made of wood. Since wood is bad conductor of heat, it keeps the warmth of the house.

You better take some good gloves, socks and monkey cap (the woollen one with openings for the eyes only!) from India. You can buy fleece hoodies and fleece pants there to wear inside the house. That’s enough to keep you warm inside the house.

But before you go out in winter wear all these. The above plus Inner thermal-wear shirts and pant, shirts and pants, jerkins ($50) etc.,  At last you would have gained about 7 kilos. Do not under estimate any of the advice I have given above. “I am a cricketer from those days yaar!” wouldn’t save you! Thermal wears and fleece items cost about $10 each at Walmart, one of the companies that determines the economics of of USA.

To be continued:-