Calgary/bugs and housing thread
Apr 19th 2007 | 7:58 am
#18
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 207
From: Essex, England
Re: Calgary/bugs and housing thread
Before we moved to Red Deer we lived in Arbour Lake, backing onto a natural depression that just collected water. Yes bugs were a problem, especially last year it seems they were everywhere. Bugs love me, they chase me everywhere I go! And despite the whole theory that they are more active at particular times of the days I was attacked everytime I stuck my head out of the door.
Might be worth considering a storm/screen door for your front door. These are not standard but come in useful if your house does not have a/c and you choose to leave the front door open to allow a cross breeze (and honestly that was the only thing that saved me on the really hot days in Calgary - although we did not have the screen, so it was boil or be eaten alive????)
Just as a note though we found that the standard screen material used is not that strong - doesn't stand up to a dog scratching to come in. You can replace the screening with pet strength and this is pretty easy to do, if you have the tools and strength to stretch the stuff - I don't have the strength but then that's why I have my OH.
Local D.I.Y stores carry the stuff you need, plus replacement frames if originals get bent (which most of ours did.... dogs, kids and one occasion the wind!)
Check the area you choose to live aswell, proximity to natural lake, stream, marsh will definately increase your chances of bug attack. And as an aside being pregnant doesn't stop them biting!!!!!!!!!
Might be worth considering a storm/screen door for your front door. These are not standard but come in useful if your house does not have a/c and you choose to leave the front door open to allow a cross breeze (and honestly that was the only thing that saved me on the really hot days in Calgary - although we did not have the screen, so it was boil or be eaten alive????)
Just as a note though we found that the standard screen material used is not that strong - doesn't stand up to a dog scratching to come in. You can replace the screening with pet strength and this is pretty easy to do, if you have the tools and strength to stretch the stuff - I don't have the strength but then that's why I have my OH.
Local D.I.Y stores carry the stuff you need, plus replacement frames if originals get bent (which most of ours did.... dogs, kids and one occasion the wind!)Check the area you choose to live aswell, proximity to natural lake, stream, marsh will definately increase your chances of bug attack. And as an aside being pregnant doesn't stop them biting!!!!!!!!!
OK, so I read the previous bugs thread that there is the possbility of all sorts of biters in calgary. I wondered how much where you live impacts this? we looked at show houses in Tuscany and aspen woods, I think aspen woods ones had mossie screens , the tuscan ones (I think) didn't, is this suggestive of the spec level or the bug problem?
are the newer bald areas more bug free?
are hill tops more bug free?
are lake communities more likely to have problems?
does living near the reservoir/weaselhead or any of the rivers mean more problems?
would living near woods, like discovery ridge cause bug problems?
I knew bugs would be a problem in the mountains, I maybe niavely thought they wouldn't be too bad in Calgary!!! Hopefully you will reassure me!!? (steve P was quite reassuring on the previous thread, but that is balanced by the actual existance of particular bug forecasts, which implies a necessity for them)
Gryphea
are the newer bald areas more bug free?
are hill tops more bug free?
are lake communities more likely to have problems?
does living near the reservoir/weaselhead or any of the rivers mean more problems?
would living near woods, like discovery ridge cause bug problems?
I knew bugs would be a problem in the mountains, I maybe niavely thought they wouldn't be too bad in Calgary!!! Hopefully you will reassure me!!? (steve P was quite reassuring on the previous thread, but that is balanced by the actual existance of particular bug forecasts, which implies a necessity for them)
Gryphea
Apr 19th 2007 | 8:25 pm
#19
Thread Starter
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,710
Re: Calgary/bugs and housing thread
Before we moved to Red Deer we lived in Arbour Lake, backing onto a natural depression that just collected water. Yes bugs were a problem, especially last year it seems they were everywhere. Bugs love me, they chase me everywhere I go! And despite the whole theory that they are more active at particular times of the days I was attacked everytime I stuck my head out of the door.
Might be worth considering a storm/screen door for your front door. These are not standard but come in useful if your house does not have a/c and you choose to leave the front door open to allow a cross breeze (and honestly that was the only thing that saved me on the really hot days in Calgary - although we did not have the screen, so it was boil or be eaten alive????)
Just as a note though we found that the standard screen material used is not that strong - doesn't stand up to a dog scratching to come in. You can replace the screening with pet strength and this is pretty easy to do, if you have the tools and strength to stretch the stuff - I don't have the strength but then that's why I have my OH. Local D.I.Y stores carry the stuff you need, plus replacement frames if originals get bent (which most of ours did.... dogs, kids and one occasion the wind!)
Check the area you choose to live aswell, proximity to natural lake, stream, marsh will definately increase your chances of bug attack. And as an aside being pregnant doesn't stop them biting!!!!!!!!!
Might be worth considering a storm/screen door for your front door. These are not standard but come in useful if your house does not have a/c and you choose to leave the front door open to allow a cross breeze (and honestly that was the only thing that saved me on the really hot days in Calgary - although we did not have the screen, so it was boil or be eaten alive????)
Just as a note though we found that the standard screen material used is not that strong - doesn't stand up to a dog scratching to come in. You can replace the screening with pet strength and this is pretty easy to do, if you have the tools and strength to stretch the stuff - I don't have the strength but then that's why I have my OH.
Local D.I.Y stores carry the stuff you need, plus replacement frames if originals get bent (which most of ours did.... dogs, kids and one occasion the wind!)Check the area you choose to live aswell, proximity to natural lake, stream, marsh will definately increase your chances of bug attack. And as an aside being pregnant doesn't stop them biting!!!!!!!!!
Thnaks polarbearmum- useful info!
Apr 19th 2007 | 8:26 pm
#20
Thread Starter
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,710
Re: Calgary/bugs and housing thread
Gryp,
I imagine you are correct about no screeens on the Tuscany SHOW homes. This is a marketing ploy, No screens looks more 'appealing' as you drive up and MOST people dont notice the lack of screens:
a) because they are going to look at the inside of the house. Layout, room sizes, ceiling heights, finish quality etc
b) because. as Calgal kind of pointed out, once you've lived here for awhile you take it for granted that ALL houses in the city have window screens.
Butch
I imagine you are correct about no screeens on the Tuscany SHOW homes. This is a marketing ploy, No screens looks more 'appealing' as you drive up and MOST people dont notice the lack of screens:
a) because they are going to look at the inside of the house. Layout, room sizes, ceiling heights, finish quality etc
b) because. as Calgal kind of pointed out, once you've lived here for awhile you take it for granted that ALL houses in the city have window screens.
Butch
