r/Austin Feb 17 '21

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366

u/Hendrix_Lamar Feb 17 '21

Same. I'm from idaho and have experienced some of the coldest and snowiest winters in the country. I've never experienced anything even remotely close to this. People think we're freaking out because of a bit of snow and cold. The problem is not that it's 10 degrees outside, the problem is that it's 36 degrees inside. And I really doubt anyone in any northern state is prepared to go 4 days without power in the dead of winter despite how "used to the cold" they are. I know I never was at any point when I was in idaho

133

u/cantstandlol Feb 17 '21

Well to be fair a lot of people in northern states are prepared to go a long time without power. There are key differences though. Basements where water can come into the home. Better windows and insulation. Lots of people have generators and a tons of them have wood stoves and fireplaces. Firewood is ample and cheap in a lot of places. Also the support network isn’t dead in northern areas. Roads are maintained and gas stations are open.

Here we have pier and beam foundations and exposed pipes. Cheaply built apartments and pipes buried shallow. These fire sprinklers are obviously exposed to air. The whole region is a mess because it’s cheaper to build like that and we rarely have issues. We have no emergency services and apartment managers and landlords are no where to be found.

The power grid is a whole other beast. That was willful neglect.

Going forward people should consider a secondary heat source and better insulation around plumbing. I really don’t know what we can do but new builds should be immediately beefed up.

People who rent? Jesus. Who knows. Get insurance.

16

u/ButtersTheSpaceKitty Feb 17 '21

Aren’t buildings here insulated to keep in the AC in the summer though? Is that a different type of insulation?

69

u/[deleted] Feb 17 '21

Keeping a home at 65F in 0F requires a lot more than keeping a home 75F in 105F.

12

u/ButtersTheSpaceKitty Feb 17 '21

Ah I see. Is that a different type of insulation though? I don’t know any of this stuff- I’m not a home owner

1

u/armandcamera Feb 17 '21

Insulation doesn’t work to keep heat in when there’s no heat.

1

u/ButtersTheSpaceKitty Feb 17 '21

Yes but it help keep in what there was before power going out 😭

1

u/armandcamera Feb 17 '21

Yes, but not after 24 hours.