DrWho

Me neither... Never been so cold as here this winter... even where we are...!

Wol

Don't know about tourists - some of the locals here in the Highlands can be seen wandering the streets in shorts and Tshirts in August when it's only just above zero and the rain's coming horizontally.

They breed 'em harder than wot I am!

Vanessa

I can only speak for myself and where I live in Melbourne but the weather here does not feel anywhere near as cold as the UK. I have yet to go out and get so cold that my face and hands are blue and I can't move my fingers. Most days in the winter I get out and run and in a singlet. I think people forget how cold northern europe can get in the winter, particulary when the north wind blows. Yes the houses here can get cold, particularly as they have little insulation and are built for the heat. I would say to anyone coming over, if you had to choose between heating and cooling, go for heating!

Nu-Shooz

I live in Perth and i find the winters ok. But it's the wind and rain that gets to me and my cold house.
Although it does get bloody cold on a night and first thing in the morning. I cringe when i see kids walking to school in only a T-shirt.
But winter afternoons are very pleasant. Sometimes

kez81

i think this has been the coldest winter in perth since ive been here freezing although the forcast for the next week is looking better.

chrispy

low of 2 or so degrees from June to August, with 15-22 during the day. Feels cold at night bbecause the houses are insulated in much the same way a sieve is and designed to keep cool. Bring an electric blanket, never used one in the UK but wouldn't be without it here!

September to December and march to May are the best months, Jan an feb are very hot and you burn very quickly

moneypenny20

The last few days here have been brilliant once the chill has gone, about 24/5 degrees and clear blue skies. Nights and early mornings are brass monkeys though.

NKSK version 2

Dorothy - I hear this quoted about the place but cannot see the logic of it - can you explain why a house built to keep out the heat does not keep out the cold also??

Blossom

Spoke to my 10 yo grandson this morning, and asked him if he liked living in Aus.

He replied, "yes it's really good here, but the winters are colder that in England". This was later confirmed by his mother - Global warming, climate change, whatever - there's definitely something going on.

Our UK winters are nothing like winters anymore, then again neither are out summers!

Dorothy

Because the exterior walls of the houses are a wall of brick with another wall of brick. No insulation inbetween whatsoever. If you're lucky you'll get a house that has been insulated, which means R2 for walls and if you're extremely lucky R2.5 for attic space. Our roof space has almost no insulation which means that all the warm air rises up and is lost through the bare tin roof. In summer the hot air tends to stay in the attic space, where the cooler air stays lower down in the living area. The windows in most houses are single pane and ill fitting. As an example, I'm sitting in my TV room with all the windows closed and the blinds drawn but can still feel the breeze coming in through the windo 1.5 metres from where I am. We're renting, but certainly if we owned this house we would have caulked around the gaps by now. Funny, in summer I don't feel the heat blowing in through the same crap windows.

In North America, especially northern US and Canada our building codes require at a minimum R30 for insulation and at least double glazed windows. Our last house we installed triple pane with argon gas between the panes. That means that exterior walls are put up then a stud wall with 12" bats of fiberglass pink or a 3" polystyrene sheet, then a vapour barrier then drywall, which also adds to the insulation. Roof spaces are insulated with the same 12" pink bats, vapour barrier and no bare roofing materials. Our homes are warm in winter and cool in summer because the heat doesn't have a chance to escape in the cool months and the cool air doesn't escape during the hot months.

I sound like I'm doing the "it's so much better where I come from" routine, but really I'm not. Just an explanation of why the houses here are cold.

NKSK version 2

Yes but all of the deficiencies you mention above will surely also allow heat in through the roofspace on a 40 degree day, will allow heat throught the windows and warm air blowing under the doors. If you insulate really well, sure you are going to keep a house cooler in summer....?

Wandathecat

.........in summary Perth Winters are a bit like Yorshire summers. Take a few fleeces with you and you will be fine!!!!

wengerboy

fekking won`t!:curse:

Dorothy

Well, sorry if you don't like the explanation. Maybe you can explain why my house is freezing in the winter and not too bad in summer.

BadgeIsBack

That what she said!