Yay! More By-laws! - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

ken0042 · 07-22-2009, 07:37 AM

Air conditioner noise complaints in Calgary heat up

I think this goes back to what I said in one of the fire pit threads, it's the people who feel it is their right to have their windows open, but expect it to be as quiet inside their house as if their windows were closed.

Sure, most nights I do turn it off by 10:00 and open up my windows. I do enjoy the fresh air. But last night it was still warm by 10:00, and so it stayed on until 11.

Boblobla · 07-22-2009, 07:46 AM

UGH, people like this need a nice warm glass of STFU.

Rhettzky · 07-22-2009, 08:18 AM

So 200 people complain in a city of over a million and we need a new bylaw? They are probably only used two months of the year anyways. Bill Bruce needs to stop thinking this city is still the size of a large town. If 200 people is all it takes to initiate a bylaw change then we should start some CP jihads and get some cool bylaws put in place.

And why can't these people just talk to their neighbours?

Jedi Ninja · 07-22-2009, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

So 200 people complain in a city of over a million and we need a new bylaw? They are probably only used two months of the year anyways. Bill Bruce needs to stop thinking this city is still the size of a large town. If 200 people is all it takes to initiate a bylaw change then we should start some CP jihads and get some cool bylaws put in place.

And why can't these people just talk to their neighbours?

Speaking of which, we need a bylaw against magpies. The buggers woke me up at 5:30AM this morning with their squaking as they were feasting on the strawberry plants that my kids planted this year. I was out there chasing them away with my meat cleaver in my undies. (And I think the latter explains why my neighbours don't want to talk to me.)

The Ditch · 07-22-2009, 08:41 AM

Oh great something else for my old cranky neighbours to phone me in for. After the first 15 tickets and the by law guy coming out multiple times they realized what idiots my neighbours were but that still doesn't stop them.

valo403 · 07-22-2009, 08:46 AM

What a joke, I run my window air conditioner all night every night, just like everyone else in my neighborhood. Like someone else said, Calgary needs to stop thinking it's still a small town. If you live in a city with over a million people you shouldn't expect the same peace and quiet you'd get living on a few acres in the country.

BTW, it says they get over 200 calls, but I wouldn't be surprised if a good portion of them come from one or two people engaged in a blood feud with their neighbor.

Esoteric · 07-22-2009, 08:51 AM

Horrible idea. If a bylaw gets past, I am willing to bet most people won't adhere to it.

You DO need an air conditioner in Calgary for about 4 months of the year. Fans, and open windows just don't cut it. People in newer communities also can't open their windows to the excess amounts of dust that would come in to their homes.

We have an extremely quiet air conditioner (to the point where you can barely hear it if you're outside), and I hope that a few grumpy people don't get any bylaws thrown their way.

Thor · 07-22-2009, 08:51 AM

In a small town people actually talk to their neighbours and the odds of them calling police or the municipality over noise is negligable.

I think its the vast suburbs of big cities that people isolate themselves in their homes, rarely meet or talk to their neighbours and get this us vs the world attitude where any noise, improperly parked cars, weeds on lawns, etc... is enough to set people off and turn neighbours into enemies.

Its just sad, people need to chill out and stop being such whiney people and learn some patience.

habernac · 07-22-2009, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Esoteric

Horrible idea. If a bylaw gets past, I am willing to bet most people won't adhere to it.

You DO need an air conditioner in Calgary for about 4 months of the year. Fans, and open windows just don't cut it. People in newer communities also can't open their windows to the excess amounts of dust that would come in to their homes.

We have an extremely quiet air conditioner (to the point where you can barely hear it if you're outside), and I hope that a few grumpy people don't get any bylaws thrown their way.

While I don't agree with a bylaw, anyone not living in an apartment does not need an air conditioner. It's a luxury item at best.

Thor · 07-22-2009, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by habernac

While I don't agree with a bylaw, anyone not living in an apartment does not need an air conditioner. It's a luxury item at best.

Elderly people would disagree, and people like me from nordic countries, 20c at night is enough to wake me up every few hours.

mykalberta · 07-22-2009, 09:14 AM

In my condo, I have a portable AC unit (best purchase ever after the Weber BBQ and my Cosmos computer case). I have it turn on at 2pm and when I get home at 6ish I turn it off. I open my windows around 9ish and close them when I leave at 530ish

It only ever gets turned on when its 27C+ which is very rare in Calgary but those days to happen and that thing saves me.

Esoteric · 07-22-2009, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by habernac

While I don't agree with a bylaw, anyone not living in an apartment does not need an air conditioner. It's a luxury item at best.

If you have a home with 3 bedrooms upstairs, you need an air conditioner. I wouldn't call it a luxury item - I'd say it's almost needed in the summers.

Shazam · 07-22-2009, 09:23 AM

Weird. I did get central air a few years back, the neighbour on the side where it was didn't even know I had it until I pointed it out to him.

I suppose part of the problem is that the change in refrigerants resulted in larger and therefore louder AC units.

Ironhorse · 07-22-2009, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boblobla

UGH, Bill Bruce needs a nice warm glass of STFU.

Fixed.

That guy has been on a massive powertrip for years...

Dion · 07-22-2009, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Esoteric

If you have a home with 3 bedrooms upstairs, you need an air conditioner. I wouldn't call it a luxury item - I'd say it's almost needed in the summers.

No it isn't. I open my windows at night to cool my house down and close them in the morning. Plus any windows that face the sun during the day, the blinds are closed also. No problems with heat in my house.

The Goon · 07-22-2009, 09:32 AM

We just sleep in the basement for the two weeks it's necessary to do so.

Boblobla · 07-22-2009, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dion

No it isn't. I open my windows at night to cool my house down and close them in the morning. Plus any windows that face the sun during the day, the blinds are closed also. No problems with heat in my house.

Not everyone can do that. I can only open my windows if it isn't very windy because of dust from nearby construction. I have a large south facing window in my bedroom. I leave the curtains closed all day and it was a solid 25/26 in there at like 9pm last night.

mikey_the_redneck · 07-22-2009, 09:39 AM

Bylaws are what politicians put into place when they don't know how to solve a problem. Pretty typical.........

Dion · 07-22-2009, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey_the_redneck

Bylaws are what politicians put into place when they don't know how to solve a problem. Pretty typical.........

Sounds like the city is looking for a way to solve the problem.

Quote:

Bruce says one of the other options the city is considering is changing rules to ban fan units from side yards as it creates reverberation between homes often causing the largest problems with noise.

Dion · 07-22-2009, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boblobla

Not everyone can do that. I can only open my windows if it isn't very windy because of dust from nearby construction. I have a large south facing window in my bedroom. I leave the curtains closed all day and it was a solid 25/26 in there at like 9pm last night.

Fair enough.

Ceiling fans can help with that as well as turning on the furnace motor to recirculate the cool air from downstairs. It's a cheaper alternative to the nights you can't open your windows.