FORT Koffee Klatch

[inthegarden]

When I moved from the deeper south, to where I live now I thought I was out of Tornado Alley... but no... We have had 4 Tornadoes hit close to us, and last year we had our Barn with apartment, on one of our farms blown away. I couldn't believe the destruction. There were 6x6 post that were twisted off and 2x4's not broken, stuck in the ground in rows ,like we had planted them. The garage doors looked like crumpled up pieces of paper. Now, we are trying to figure out where to put a storm shelter. Too many close calls.

[MRD]

I don't know how you folks tolerate living without a/c; the only way I would put up with that was if the power was out. I've been accused of having "Princess and the Pea" syndrome; inherited that from my mother, so that's just the way it is. I live in a crappy valley where the heat and humidity descend on you and is trapped in that valley. Plus I'm super-sensitive to heat, and always have been so, "this salmon ain't one to swim upstream"!!!

I couldn't put up with it the 4 days the power was out after Hurricane Charley. I have to have my AC

[buglover]

The problem in these apartments is there is literally no insulation at all. It's wood and plywood and sheet and that's it. I can talk through the wall without even raising my voice at times to my neighbor. Our windows are paper thin so even with A/C it never cools off very well.

[norealityhere]

The problem in these apartments is there is literally no insulation at all. It's wood and plywood and sheet and that's it. I can talk through the wall without even raising my voice at times to my neighbor. Our windows are paper thin so even with A/C it never cools off very well.

Unfortunately, that problem seems to exist all over CA. Construction is very different in CA from how it is in other parts of the country. Where else can you spend millions on homes where you can literally touch and hear your neighbors?!

[ArchieComic Fan]

My son is very sensitive to heat, even breaks out in a rash if it's too muggy. A couple of years ago I bought two battery operated fans so that when we do have an outage we can still keep a little cool. The trick is to make sure you always have the right size batteries on hand. I like that they also came with power adapters so that you can use them when the power is on without draining the battery.

[just1paul]

Until I was about 30, the heat never really bothered me too much. After that forget it, I need A/C through out. Of course since I moved to this apt in 1997 and the first heat wave about 2 weeks after I moved in, came home to Mona & Joey laying on the floor panting, (cats panting is not pretty nor normal)went out next day and bought a unit large enough to fit the wall sleeve and cool off the entire apt to at least 70 on a 95 degree day. But I usually run it about 75 degrees.

[MRD]

Unfortunately, that problem seems to exist all over CA. Construction is very different in CA from how it is in other parts of the country. Where else can you spend millions on homes where you can literally touch and hear your neighbors?!

South Carolina. Newer houses here are the flimsiest things I've ever seen and building inspections are a joke on new construction.

Doesn't California have building codes making structures more earthquake resistant? I know in Florida that they require a certain code for hurricanes and that it does mean that the construction of buildings, including apartment buildings are better and better insulated as a result of the better building practices.

[Ellen]

. . . Doesn't California have building codes making structures more earthquake resistant? . . .

Yup -- paper, cardboard, and thin balsa wood are very flexible and withstand earthquakes!

I don't know how you folks tolerate living without a/c . . .

It helps to come from tough Polish stock!

[MRD]

Well Ellen, I never thought of it that way. I guess that stuff does have some "give" in it.

[Ellen]

Well Ellen, I never thought of it that way. I guess that stuff does have some "give" in it.

I'm convinced that that's how they manage to be cheap, earthquake compliant, and can still charge an arm and a leg! (I hear more of my neighbors that I wish to -- and the building shakes every time someone slams a door! Must be the "earthquake test" . . .)