I just watched some video about Yakutsk Siberia which is meant to be the coldest city in the world. Thought “Those poor bastards, wonder what they need to wear indoors when it is -40 outside.”

Turns out a pissing tank top and PJ bottoms. We really need to start demanding better things in this country don’t we?

I’m also reading a book about coal mining. All the unpaid labour, minimising wages and dodgy things the bosses did then still happens now. Now I’m not a tankie so don’t get the wrong idea here. But why are we all okay living like this I don’t get it? Why is the UK population so forgiving at living it shit conditions.

Also I’m going to jump in before anyone says no insulation keeps you cold in the summer. Insulation works both ways, it can keep heat out or it can keep heat in. It’s better in the summer and in the winter.

Siberia video in question:

https://youtu.be/K0z7Avc9ZtY?si=_KTob2YYMn2HLwkv

Also I hope I havent broken any rules. I can’t see any. This seems mostly news posts but I guess text posts are allowed? Sorry if not.

  • MudMan
    1•10 months ago

    Bricks used in houses have big air gaps in the middle (which you can also insulate if you want to, both inside and outside.

    That said you can do a lot with mass. I lived in a concrete building in a place with similar extremes and it did keep the heat very well, on account of those walls being half a meter thick. The glass windows were so bad at insulation by comparison that you could sometimes feel a breeze coming from the panels even when they were fully sealed just because the inside air was dozens of degrees warmer than the glass.

    • @[email protected]English
      1•10 months ago

      A lot of that also comes down to how far the tech for windows has improved over the years. I feel like more American homes are much newer and therefore more inclined to have newer windows than many British homes.

      I personally don’t much care for stick built homes and would prefer ICFs for most situations but mostly for water and fire resistance. Stick framed houses have so much thermal bridging so I can totally see why a layer of insulation between two brick walls would be quite good.