Back in the day, we never imagined that one day we would be craving for air conditioners and even saving up to have them installed in our homes. It was something made for rich people, possibly considered being out of this world that most of us didn’t know existed. But with the heat wave that we are currently experiencing, more and more people are finding air conditioners as the solution to their problems. The fan was usually a welcome solution despite it causing flu. On the other hand, the rainfall lasts for a few minutes which results in high and extreme temperatures the following day.
Although meteorologists are saying that these are normal weather conditions, some Batswana, using a layman’s eye are vehemently arguing that the statement is false. Slowly but surely it is getting more and more difficult to sleep under the severe heat during the night. By midmorning, the sun would already be boiling hot. A friend’s family recently had to bury their loved one in a hurry because they feared he would rot. According to my friend, the man did not even stay the night in the house as it is customary of our culture but was taken straight from the morgue to his final resting place.
Speaking to Cyrus Longwe, a specialist and manager at Air Technology Services, these weather conditions can reduce the lifespan of a person.
“22 to 23 degrees Celsius is the normal body temperature of a human being and that room temperature should be maintained. You cannot or should not subject the body to temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius. It’s important to maintain the body temperature of 22 or 23 for our bodies to operate normally.”
Longwe said that when one subjects their body to such high temperatures, the body goes through what is called a heat wave.
“When you sleep in those conditions you face the problem of getting a heat wave and it leads to a degradation of the body cells. If you were supposed to live for 20 years and 2 days you can end up living just 10 years and a day.”
He says that most people don’t know that they are reducing their lifespan.
“You are also exposing yourself to illnesses and diseases.” He gave an example of his daughter who was getting constant nose bleeds but which later subsided after he decided to install an air conditioner. He also pointed out that it is not only his daughter who was getting nose bleeds but most people in Botswana.
“It’s conclusive that nose bleeds are eminent in such weather conditions.”
Speaking about the air conditioners they provide which he described as top of the range, he said that it amounted to anything between P5800 to P9500 inclusive of installation. He also said the prices differ because of the power and size that one prefers.
