Working in hot weather

Set a high temp record here in southern Maine yesterday, 94. It about did me in. Today is not much better as its about 92 so far. I've called the customers for today to tell them I won't be mowing due to high temps and high ground level ozone levels, combined with the inevitable dust clouds from mowing, that raises #### with my breathing. I might work after 7 pm or so as I'm rigged with lighting for night work. My attitude is that my health is more important than their lawn. Not my lawn, not my problem. Does anybody else call it a day after the temps get to a certain range?

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

I totally agree with you doing this and I think your customers will be understanding especially since you live in an area where these temperatures aren't the norm. A few years back, this construction company was doing some roofing on a very hot day. The owner had a heart attack and fell from the roof. He died due to this. You have to put your health first otherwise no one else will.

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The last two weeks I have been calling it early. *Monday and Tuesday I got done at 2pm, and 1pm. *Temps were in the mid 90's. *It's just not worth it in my opinion. *I was comparing temps from this same time to last year, and temps are a good 10 to 15 degrees warmer. *Just wait until the really warm temps of July come, what fun that will be

[myrlin]

Yesterday 97 today 95 I have work in 105 heat index it not fun. Put it got to be done. If you want to stay in bness. That Y they dont do it.

Barry

[rudeboy]

just drink alot water and when your too hot take a rest working after sun goes down sounds good too

[bogilvie]

I think that weather should be looked at with caution and respect. Just as extreme cold is to be respected, so is heat.

I grew up in Michigan, but live in the HOT and HUMID South Carolina coast. I 28 and in good health. I routinely work in the temps of the mid-ninetys. My plan of action is to get started as early as practical in the morning. I knock off between 12-2 and resume my work into dusk.

I carry a coller filled with iced down Gator-ade and I take time to take a break every 30 min or so.

Lately I have been working on a sod ob, a yard clean-up and keeping up with a handful of weekly and bi-monthly customers for mowing.

If your health is not up to par, dont push it.......but, Its easy for me to say that if your hungary to build your business and work, it comes with the territory!

I can definitly see how High temps in Maine can be extreme for those used to milder temps. I am from Michigan and used to vacation on the coast of Maine with my family!

So there you have it...thats my 2 cents!

good breakfast makes a difference.i watch my crew drop off like flies towards the end of the day,and i can tell the the ones that didn't eat and hydrate them selves properly.
always eat healthy and hydrate yourself before you even start working .

since were talking about the weather who works in the rain ?
i always see lcos working in the rain around here.
i tied, i just can't do it.

I now refuse to work in the rain. *Wet grass clogs up the mower and deck and makes the lawns way too slick for my taste. *Safety for me and my gear as well as not damaging my customers property takes precedence. *And I don't like getting soaked...

3 weeks ago I slid about 6 feet on damp grass going real slow on a slight hill into a tree. *It had started to rain and I only had a couple of winrows left to do. *The customer's tree lost some bark with no damage to my mower.

I also learned that wet lawns don't hold up to a heavy z-turn. *The ground is more apt to have divots dug out while turning. *

I was speaking to my dealer last week about that incident and he told me about one of his customers in New Hampshire that slid on wet grass and went over a seawall! * Luckily he and the machine were OK, he was out a tow truck fee to hoist it back onto the lawn.

[Little's]

The temps where I live routinely hit 110 and several times through the summer hit 115 degrees. I grew up in the super hot summers here and it doesn't bother me too bad.
I drink lots of water and gatorade and work at a slower pace, but still get out there and do it. PLUS it gives me an excuse to check the sprinklers on all my customers yards. Getting a little wet makes a huge difference.