Yet More Huntsville/North Alabama Questions (Birmingham, Decatur: insurance, how much, house)

[zenjenn]

- smoking: one thing that we remembered, is that coming from California we life a virtually smoke-free existance! I have no problem with smoking sections in restaurants, etc, but I'm curious about the culture of smoking in general? Biggest question is: in the workplace, is there smoke everywhere or is it confined to break rooms? (We're pretty tolerant of it actually, but my husband does have asthma that can be aggrivated by a smoke-dense environment.)

- On that note, what's the general air quality in Huntsville? Do you get much smog?

- bugs! I've pursued past posts on the subject, but I'm still unclear on how bugs affect the day-to-day. How often do you find a tick on a kid after playing in a backyard? Do ants invade often? How many people are really bitten by these brown recluse spiders? (ick) Do most people use a pest control service around their home and how much does it help? Should I plan on putting a moquito net around my bed? Do you spray OFF on your kid every time they go outside? I find the whole tick thing very very creepy!

- Home insurance: how are the rates? Is tornado damage covered? (Here in California, earthquake damage is not covered. You can get separate earthquake insurance but it is so expensive its ridiculous.)

Thanks again!

By the way, we're moving along. Definitely planning a trip out there in August to scope out the place.

[Keeper]

Smoking in Huntsville restaurants and the workplace are not allowed. The bugs aren't as bad or as big as they are in FL. The biggest pest I have encountered are sugar ants. Easy enough to get rid of with spray or sugar and baking soda. There are mosquitos, especially if there is standing water. Ticks if you go into the woods. I have dogs who stay in my yard and they haven't had any ticks. My grandson got one from playing in a wooded area once. I'll let others answer you about someone being bitten by the brown recluse.. yes they are around but they like dark areas and you would probably find them under a house than in a house.
My homeowner's covers tornadoes.. and is not expensive.
Keep us posted on your move

[Copper1272]

Hey Keeper,

We are headed up next tuesday for a week....yeehaw. Are there any fire ants up there? I hate the little pests here.

[HSVmom]

Air quality is sometimes an issue in the summer, but it isn't nearly as bad as around Birmingham. For us, the biggest concern is always pollen in the spring - kind of hard to escape without moving to the coast or desert.

Neither pets nor kids have encountered ticks in Huntsville. That's not to say they don't exist, we just haven't had any problems. I am tick-phobic due to a family member contracting Rocky Mtn. Spotted Fever up north some years back.

We've only seen one brown recluse, compared to dozens in Shelby Co. Roaches have not been a big problem either. Of course, with the drought it seems as if all sorts of bugs are seeking out water which means you may find more inside than usual.

Fire ants are our worst problem. There are some good pesticides that can be broadcast over your entire yard once a year, but you might still need to treat a few mounds if your neighbors haven't also dealt with the ants in their yards. Back when small children and pets were a concern and I didn't want to use pesticides unless forced, I tried an old fashion remedy of sprinkling grits (uncooked, of course) around the mounds. Supposedly the ants would die when the grits swelled up after being eaten. I've used a lot of diatomaceous earth as pest control, too. It's cheap and won't hurt pets.

Home insurance costs about the same as we've paid elsewhere. We do not have a separate rider for tornadoes, but we do for earthquakes. Here that's just a few dollars extra per year.

[rnc76]

I hike a lot at local places like Monte Sano, Green Mountain and Hays Nature Preserve. This time of year, I always have to search my dog over after a hike and I usually find a tick. However, I've never found one after just walking around the neighborhood or letting her play in the backyard.

I would get termite protection for your home, they are pretty prevelant down here. Lots of local services are around that will come out every 3 months.

The air quality is generally good as far as smog and pollutants. However, allergens can be a real problem. The pollen is unbelievable in the spring. But that is a side effect of having trees that flower everywhere.

[harry chickpea]

Living within a city is different than living in the country. If I'm outside, in the country, I have to deal with an average of two or three ticks a day. I've come to learn that they like the back of the neck at the hairline, and a cursory check of other areas is generally all that is needed.

Smoking in restaurants outside of Huntsville can be bad. There have been a couple times we've walked into a restaurant, seen the blue haze, and walked back out. Other times, the ventilation is good enough that it isn't a bother.

The grits tip may work, but not for the stated reason. Ants and the oils in corn apparently don't mix. I've been a bit suspicious ever since I noticed that the main ingredient in Amdro was corn meal, and I've read some stuff recently that makes me believe the corn is more than just a bait.

Insurance is relatively inexpensive, and for now at least, tornados are covered.

[zenjenn]

Smoking in Huntsville restaurants and the workplace are not allowed.

WOW! So that's just a Huntsville thing, or all of Alabama? That's a pleasant surprise.

We have tons of termites here too, rarely fire ants. I've heard of them but I've never seen them near a home. Yikes. I've actually never used pesticides in my yard for the same reasons as you HSVmom, but I never had to worry about disease-carrying ticks. (Apparently there are some in California woods, but I've never, ever seen one, and I live a good 20 mins away from the nearest forest.) We have black widows.. a LOT, but they generally stay under the house. I just hear those horror stories about someone having a brown recluse hiding in their clothes or bedding *shudder*.

and ho boy, the pollen. It's a myth that you'll escape it in the desert, unless you're talking about the Sahara or something. Some of the worst allergy attacks I've ever had have been in the southwestern deserts. Desert pollen is different, but no less invasive, and in the dry, windy air it rarely settles down, and your eyes get itchy AND dry. All the same I'll keep myself well-stocked with Clairtin in the spring in the south.

[rnc76]

Originally Posted by zenjenn

WOW! So that's just a Huntsville thing, or all of Alabama? That's a pleasant surprise.

The smoking ordinace in Huntsville goes like this: if you allow smoking, no one under 19 is allowed in. So basically bars are the only place that allow smoking, and there are a few of those that have voluntarily banned it. I can't speak for the rest of Alabama.

[Keeper]

Smoking in restaurants is still allowed in some cities outside of H'ville. I believe mostly in the smaller cities it is more common.
I guess I have been lucky as I have not had any problems with fire ants. I am sure they are around but I haven't heard of anyone having a lot of problems with them in my neighborhood. I had them in my yard in FL but so far so good. I did have termites in the house I bought here even though it had been inspected before I bought it. The termites here are subterrain termites and my house has a small area where they couldn't check and of course that is where they were. They wouldn't cover them since they were hidden... go figure, so I had them treated for around $700.00 which is a lot cheaper than what it cost in FL. I would not recommend the bait for the termites since it is a lot more expensive than just having your place treated. Actually after doing some research I learned all they do is put out wood strips in those traps and they just come out and check to see if there are termites on the wood, if there are termites then they put a treated piece in the trap. I would compare the cost before I committed to doing any service.
You know we should have a welcome lunch for the newcomers to Huntsville area. Maybe a city-data welcome day..

[Southlander]

To my knowledge, Huntsville is the only city in the Tennessee Valley that bans smoking in restaurants and workplaces. The rest of us around allow in break rooms or smoking sections...it depends on the workplace.
My husband and both kids have asthma. This is a terrible area for asthma...since it's a valley, everything seems to settle here. Just be aware of that.
Brown recluse spiders...rarely found inside homes, be careful in garages. Just be careful. I've never seen one that I remember. But then I don't get into the corners of the garage.
Fire ants...yes, we have them, but I would hesitate to treat my entire yard with a preventative pesticide for them. It would be a waste of money, in my opinion, since many pesticides just don't work. Most people treat the mound when they see it. And make sure the kids can recognize one (it's a BIG mound, not a little one) and know to stay away. Other ants...where we live, the ground is mostly clay, and when it rains a lot, here come the ants. I put out the little black "ant house" bait thingies, and spray around doorways every so often. The pest control companies do a great business with monthly maintenance plans! I don't use one, though, just treat 'em when I find 'em. Termites...definitely require a termite bond from the seller. And keep yours up.
Skeeters...most municipalities spray for them, but make sure there is nothing around the house with standing or collected water (unless it's covered). If you like to open your windows, make sure there are screens on them. Most homes have central air conditioning...you sleep with the doors and windows closed and the air conditioning on...no nets required.
Ticks...usually found in wooded areas and sometimes uncut fields. Inspect the kids until you're comfortable knowing their play area is free of ticks. You never know. Chiggers are a problem in open fields. They bite ankles. Usually found in the country. No disease, but they leave tiny little red marks that itch.
Insurance...covers tornadoes, but doesn't cover flooding...have to get separate flood insurance for that. Flooding may or not be a possiblity. On general homeowners, we pay about $1,000 a year on a $240,000 house (brick).
Oh, and both Huntsville and Decatur have newcomers clubs for the ladies.