[MovedfromFL]

Originally Posted by ekrz44

I've lived in the midwest, and now live in Florida. Florida is paradise compared to the midwest. The sites, and sounds of all the various wildlife, the smell of orange groves and the dense tropical plants. Warm summer nights, mild winters.
The cost of living has probably caught up to the rest of the country. It's cheaper to cool a house than to warm a house and keep it warmed for 7 - 8 months a year.
People complain a lot, however other places have the same issues, but they have nasty winters to deal with.

I used to live across the street from an orange grove. In March, the smell of a field filled with orange blossoms was heavenly. That is my all time favorite smell!

I agree about the cost to cool vs. heat. We discovered that when we moved to North GA. Our power bills were cheaper in FL, even with vaulted ceilings and absolutely no shade trees at all. Turns out that concrete block/ stucco construction is a very good insulator!

May 28th ~ FL here we come!

[MovedfromFL]

Originally Posted by ChrisA70

Ya, when you come here you better pray for a garage too... Unless you like a car that can reach 176 degrees in the summer(mine did), or you like your paint fading off the car, dashboard melting, steering wheen causing 3rd degree burns. Don't have a car with leather, you burn your butt off.

I never parked my car in the garage in FL, ever. Parked outside at work also. Get tinted windows and put a reflective shade in the front windshield. There you go - no hot steering wheel or dashboard.
Leather does get hot, you are right. Also, I think the FL heat and humidity is tough on your car battery. Mine seemed to corrode and die, both in FL and recently in GA. Blue/ green gunk all over the terminals and a dead battery.

Still, I would much rather have a hot car than a freezing cold one. How fun is it to drive wearing a heavy coat, waiting on your car's heat to kick on? I can't even move my arms... Then when the heat comes on, you have to take your jacket off while driving and keeping your seatbelt on.

[personalensign79]

Originally Posted by MovedfromFL

I used to live across the street from an orange grove. In March, the smell of a field filled with orange blossoms was heavenly. That is my all time favorite smell!

I agree about the cost to cool vs. heat. We discovered that when we moved to North GA. Our power bills were cheaper in FL, even with vaulted ceilings and absolutely no shade trees at all. Turns out that concrete block/ stucco construction is a very good insulator!

May 28th ~ FL here we come!

THAT is what I am smelling. I currently live across from a small orange grove and the smell is wonderful right now.

[ekrz44]

To heat a house, and to cool a house, the costs depend on the amount of airspace. Windows in the midwests for the most part don't insulate the house. Windows allow cool air into the house, and almost create a draft like feeling. There are times when the thermostat says one thing, but the 'feel' is much colder.

The difference between hot and cold weather is how fast you recover from it. A dip in the pool, a cool shower, or stepping inside a air conditioned house is instant relieve.

Stepping inside from the cold is a horrible process itself. It can take a long time to warm up after being bone cold. Often times almost frozen skin has a burning sensation in the presence of warmer air.

Cars seats in the winter cold tend to crack. Nothing flexes when its cold, and the car can take a long time to heat up and disperse heat into the car when the temperatures are in the singe digits.
Air conditioning happens at a much quicker rate than heat.

[CTGirlNoMore]

[quote=MovedfromFL;13505838]

How fun is it to drive wearing a heavy coat, waiting on your car's heat to kick on? I can't even move my arms... QUOTE]


Ha! NONE. I complain about this to myself everyday when it's cold. I CAN'T move.

[CTGirlNoMore]

Originally Posted by ekrz44

Stepping inside from the cold is a horrible process itself. It can take a long time to warm up after being bone cold. Often times almost frozen skin has a burning sensation in the presence of warmer air.

Air conditioning happens at a much quicker rate than heat.

You said it! I can cool down a LOT quicker if need be, than to warm up. It's horrible trying to warm up after being freezing.

[ChrisA70]

Originally Posted by TriMT7

That's funny. I have a black car, with black leather. I also don't have a garage.

The car does get hot as all hell in the summer, but so far no melting dashboards or third degree burns.

My last car had cloth interior. This is when I lived in Tallahassee, where it actually does get cold and dry during the winter months. EVERY TIME I or friends got out of the car and touched the door --- ZAP --- static electricity. I vowed to never have a cloth car again if I could help it!

LOL. I hear you there... I learned how to ground myself before getting out. That hurts.

I saw a few cars where the dash boards melted from the sun, only a few of the cheaper domestics or the "korean" models... not melted like they were on fire, but they tend to shrivel up. I have lots of window tint to help that.

[It's Cin!]

Originally Posted by CTGirlNoMore

Let's see, we've left our rental in the summer heat for 2 weeks in FL, another week another time, etc. Here in CT I used to NOT have a garage. I never burned my bum, or had any dashboards melt either.

No burns on the bum down south, But you might have had frostbite on those buns in the winter up North!

[CTGirlNoMore]

Originally Posted by It's Cin!

No burns on the bum down south, But you might have had frostbite on those buns in the winter up North!

You said it! Not to mention the my feet too.

[ChrisA70]

Originally Posted by It's Cin!

No burns on the bum down south, But you might have had frostbite on those buns in the winter up North!

Not me, I had a SAAB 900 with heated seats....