Living in Glenview, Illinois, the weather is a big factor.
It affects most everything we do.
I know better than to buy tickets to any type of event that is scheduled between December and April. We’re very likely to get hit with a blizzard that makes driving dangerous. We can accumulate several inches of snow in an hour. The temperature can suddenly drop down to negative twenty. The wind can pick up and create white-outs, making it impossible to navigate the roads safely. We rely on the furnace for at least half of the year. Because of the severe cold and blast of the heating system, the conditions inside the home become overly dry. The lack of moisture can cause damage to hardwood floors, moldings, antiques and instruments. It can cause chapped lips, bloody noses, dry skin, headaches, sore throats and all sorts of health problems. I’ve invested in a humidifier for my home in Glenview. It’s installed right in the furnace and introduces necessary moisture. It helps to make the air feel warmer, the home more comfortable and avoid health concerns. Unfortunately, we face the opposite problem in the summer. In Glenview, the summers are brief but extremely hot and humid. The excess moisture leads to issues with mold, mildew and bacterial growth. It makes the house feel sticky and uncomfortable and adds to the workload of the air conditioner. I’ve needed to purchase a whole-home dehumidifier to pull moisture out of the air. To combat the weather in Glenview, I run a furnace, humidifier, air conditioner and dehumidifier, and I spend a small fortune.