Background: it was 50 degrees with additional uncounted wind chill a few days ago. It's almost 90 and humid right now.
Naturally, this drew my attention to the fact that modern houses are built by people who consider aesthetics and style more than the simple realities of things like...you know, convection currents. Seriously, this house has incredibly bad air flow--the upstairs is probably 5 degrees warmer than the downstairs, which has to be something like 10 degrees warmer than the basement. (Believe me, leaving the basement leads to a sense that one is in a badly ventilated subway station.) I've already seen a few examples of this in India when they try adding Western style rooms (carpeting + dust = nightmare).
Anyway, this was extra-drawn to my attention because when we went to the Laura plantation (a Creole plantation; worth visiting not only as the sole example of a Creole--and four generations of woman-run--plantation but also because the grounds also include things like the slave quarters, and the tour overall is quite interesting if you're into social history). See, Cajuns had the sense to build houses in a way that not only protected from flooding, but also allowed for maximum air ventilation. Instead of having a main door and stuff, they had a whole bunch of openable French windows (doors?) that could be opened and closed to direct air flow.
Also, I hear tell that in the '20s they would build vents out of the basement so the cool air could waft toward the windows at least a little.
So why the hell is my modern house miserably warm?!
Naturally, this drew my attention to the fact that modern houses are built by people who consider aesthetics and style more than the simple realities of things like...you know, convection currents. Seriously, this house has incredibly bad air flow--the upstairs is probably 5 degrees warmer than the downstairs, which has to be something like 10 degrees warmer than the basement. (Believe me, leaving the basement leads to a sense that one is in a badly ventilated subway station.) I've already seen a few examples of this in India when they try adding Western style rooms (carpeting + dust = nightmare).
Anyway, this was extra-drawn to my attention because when we went to the Laura plantation (a Creole plantation; worth visiting not only as the sole example of a Creole--and four generations of woman-run--plantation but also because the grounds also include things like the slave quarters, and the tour overall is quite interesting if you're into social history). See, Cajuns had the sense to build houses in a way that not only protected from flooding, but also allowed for maximum air ventilation. Instead of having a main door and stuff, they had a whole bunch of openable French windows (doors?) that could be opened and closed to direct air flow.
Also, I hear tell that in the '20s they would build vents out of the basement so the cool air could waft toward the windows at least a little.
So why the hell is my modern house miserably warm?!
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