washing lines??
 

Hi,
one thing we didn't see when looking for a house in West Lethbridge, Alberta, was a house with a washing line in view. Being English and always enjoying pegging out our washing, can we do it in Alberta, or is it a banned activity?? We found out that almost all new build houses have a laundry included, washer and dryer. Not very eco friendly when you consider that Lethbridge has a very high "windiness" count. I believe it blows in from the Rockies on about 325 days a year. Something else we found out, was that to buy trees to form a wind break you need a very healthy bank balance! :huh:

Re: washing lines??
 

My Mother-in-Law lives in Lethbridge and rarely uses her dryer. Her clothesline runs between the house and the rear garage.

I live in Calgary and have a clothesline that is retractable and runs between one of our deck posts to a tree across the yard. I only use mine when the weather is nice because I can't be bothered.:p

Re: washing lines??
 

Calgary claims to be the greenest city in Canada, but it's illegal to dry your washing outside. It's offensive to the eye, apparently. Must be the same in Lethbridge, which is even sunnier and much windier than Calgary.

Interesting, because in Newfoundland, clthes flapping on the line is a key feature of their tourist commercials - that and and a preponderance of freckly, ginger kids. Funny old world, eh?

Re: washing lines??
 

Dryers just make life easier in a country with weather that isn't really compatible with outdoor clothes drying for a good portion of the year.

For my area, just rains too much to not have a dryer, can go a week sometimes without nice weather that would allow outdoor drying.

Re: washing lines??
 

How can anyone enjoy pegging out washing?

Re: washing lines??
 

When you get your hydro bill you may enjoy outdoor drying:thumbsup:

Re: washing lines??
 

Nope. I don't enjoy carrying baskets of laundry through the house, bashing through the screen doors then clambering up the slope to the washing line. Plus with the stupid way Hydro is billed here, over $110 a month before you even use any electricity, a few loads in the dryer doesn't make much difference. Using a clothes horse indoors in the winter keeps the humidity levels up too.

Re: washing lines??
 

How do they bill hydro there?

Granted I live in a 2 bedroom apartment, so not large only 750sq feet, but I only pay 26 a month out here. No too many fees or taxes.

Re: washing lines??
 

Thanks guys and gals, just love some of the replies :D

Are some of you breaking the law then in AB? :sneaky:

We move next door to our son and his family in Lethbridge on April 12th and our daughter-in-law will be mortified the first time I put the line up and hang the washing out. She's Canadian and loves her dryer...............:p

Oh yeh, I do enjoy pegging out the washing, just ask my wife................:lol:

Re: washing lines??
 

Clothes lines illegal in a Calgary and Lethbridge?! Never heard of it.
Source, please.

Re: washing lines??
 

Is there really a City bylaw against washing lines? I've heard of covenants prohibiting washing lines in newer subdivisions. Clothes lines etc are sold at Rona, Canadian Tire etc

Re: washing lines??
 

This is completely untrue.

Re: washing lines??
 

I'd have thought it was too naffing cold or wet to bother most of the year.

Re: washing lines??
 

http://www.lethbridge.ca/City-Govern...s/default.aspx http://www.greencalgary.org/ask-ashl...ur-dirty-work/
Google is your friend, you can definately use a clothesline in Calgary

Re: washing lines??
 

Delivery charge is $90.49, regulatory charges $7.40, debt repayment charge $8.24.

The you pay metered units for what you use. We pay around $200 $220 in winter and we don't heat or cook with electricity.

Re: washing lines??
 

When I arrived here, I quickly thought there must be something stopping me pegging out the wash...as I was the only one who did...(I did it in the Gulf and it dried in two minutes, but I had to erect an ornamental, decorative fence, so as not to make the view of my apartment unpalatable). I am the only one for ages that does it here, but I 'hate' the drier, things smell horrid, and nasty....the other day I pegged the duvet cover out when it was freezing, aired it later inside, and then starched and ironed it...utter bliss:)

Re: washing lines??
 

For maximum effect on the neighbours black out one tooth with a magic marker and hang laundry with a baby on your hip.

Re: washing lines??
 

Absolutely! But. Had to erect the decorative fence to protect the public from the sight of my smalls...not me...but since I've arrived here...who bloody knows:thumbup:

Re: washing lines??
 

You ironed a duvet cover? :blink: I'm going to print this post out to read during my wife's annual performance review.

Re: washing lines??
 

The variation in this sort of thing constantly amazes me.

When we were first here our equalised electrickery payments were $260 a month and soon dropped back to $220, but now $250. That's everything, including the heat pump/air conditioning.

I thought $3k a year was quite expensive until some people posted what they spent on heating alone. Or in Bats case, not even including heating.

On the other hand, I remember someone in a condo in Ontario somewhere with something like the cost that was just mentioned by JSmith.

Re: washing lines??
 

Oh yes, and always will do...it's to do with the smell and feel...'my' annual performance sheet for my husband is equally taxing...'your' she and I could perhaps compare notes?:huh:?

Re: washing lines??
 

I wouldn't do that because she may end up doing what HID does and sending out the bedding to the laundry, for a price. :frown:

Re: washing lines??
 

There is no City of Calgary bylaw that says you cannot have a washing line:

See: http://www.greencalgary.org/ask-ashl...ur-dirty-work/

You'll be pleased to know that those washing-line-whirlygig-thingamemummys are alive and well in stores such as Canadian Tire.

There are some newer housing developments however that have a condition in the homeowners association or sales agreement that says you can't have a washing line. I'm not sure how they would legally enforce this if you did decide to air your smalls though.

Apparently, homeowners in Cochrane should be aware of this extract from the Town's website:
"Can I have a clothesline in my yard?
There is no Town Bylaw currently that restricts clotheslines. However, there may be a restrictive covenant in place for your neighbourhood. If there is, it will be on your Certificate of Title. Certificates of Title can be obtained from the town office for $15 or through Alberta Registries."

So - its a case of buyer beware at the moment - check with the municipality's bylaws and also check your land title certificate.

Its blooming ridiculous that in this day and age of supposedly sustainable development and environmentally friendly this and that, that something as simple as a washing line can cause so much controversy! :sneaky:

Re: washing lines??
 

Man, talk about excessive, how do they even justify that kind of charge for delivery?

We seem to have it pretty good out here then, not sure why people complain...

My bill shows:

Basic charge 4.43
Energy charge 20.22
Rate Rider 1.23
GST 1.29

Re: washing lines??
 

No apology for posting completely inaccurate information?

Re: washing lines??
 

and they don't let you collect either ;)

Re: washing lines??
 

Our first delivery charge was $226 dollars then there's some sort of debt repayment, then our electricity usage. Grand total for 6 weeks $540. :frown:

Re: washing lines??
 

The site quoted above is out of date on Ontario it seems:

http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/ontario-pr...e-ban-1.290136

I've been hanging out my washing to dry in the back yard for the last 4 years and no-one has complained so far either.

Re: washing lines??
 

We lived in a condo complex where it was against the rules to hang laundry outside.

Re: washing lines??
 

Our bill is $140 for delivery and bollocks (mostly the cost of the sails on the yacht of the former boss of Ontario Hydro) and $20 for electricity consumed. We have a gas clothes dryer and washing lines that are used whenever possible. OH is outrageous at wasting money but then I was part of that waste for a good number of years and can't really complain now.

Re: washing lines??
 

It appears BC Hydro doesn't have a delivery charge or debt repayment charges.

Appears they build all of that into the rates.

Re: washing lines??
 

You need darn good clothes pegs here because it's bloody windy.;)

Re: washing lines??
 

Yip - there is nothing worse than chasing my lucky Calvin Klein undies and a duvet cover up the hydro pole line :D

Re: washing lines??
 

Our equalised bill from Hydro Quebec comes to $136, all up. We're all-electric.

The true bill seems to be worked out once a year. We usually get a refund.

We use a rotary line in the summer. It makes bedding smell nice and is great for turning jeans into cardboard and towels into things you could strip furniture with.

I also hang Souvette's smalls on it, to piss off the neighbours.

Municipal bylaws are only of any importance if they are policed. Most are not because the municipalities don't have the staff.

A lot of the driveway snow shelters around here are non-compliant. Nothing seems to be done about it. The biggy is garden watering. I think those guys are on commission.

Re: washing lines??
 

That's true for a lot of new developments. Some don't let you park boats and/or RF's in your driveway. And yes they are enforceable.

For me, I prefer the clothesline. Nothing better than a towel or clothes that have been dried on a line rather than a dryer. Plus my Glaswegian Granny would be proud I use a clothesline :D

Re: washing lines??
 

Hoorah for the washing line! :cool:
I also love ironing things straight off the line...........:)

Re: washing lines??
 

Depends on your circumstances and usage. My last bill was about $100 in total. That's for 2 months though and with the colder weather recently. (Guelph Hydro bills every 2 months). In the Autumn it was closer to $70 for 2 months.

Re: washing lines??
 

Why the big difference in delivery charges?

Always hang my washing outside as soon as spring comes anyway. Doesn't look like my bill will get very low though.

Re: washing lines??
 

Big difference? It's been $100+ for delivery for as long as I can remember. It does vary with population density though, the more rural the location, the higher the bill.

Re: washing lines??
 

Between your delivery charge and my $226 delivery charge..