Condo facing West/East? Direction of Wind? (Seattle, Bellevue: renting, home)

[scirocco22]

I don't know if it's all that important.

Like I said before, after the sun goes down, I would open the windows (or the doors if you have a screen) and just let the hot air that's inside to dissipate a bit and then if there is a breeze at all, it will let the cool air of the evening inside. With the aid of a fan, it will circulate that air around a bit to cool it further.

As the articles is saying, the extremely hot days will have a prevailing wind (upper level) coming in from the east but once the sun goes down, that doesn't necessarily hold true. Once the marine flow sets in, the surface wind usually shifts from the east to south or southwest or even west.

No matter, Seattle doesn't get that many hot day for you to worry about it that much.

[alermy]

Thanks scirocco22!!

[LordBalfor]

Originally Posted by scirocco22

I don't know if it's all that important.

Like I said before, after the sun goes down, I would open the windows (or the doors if you have a screen) and just let the hot air that's inside to dissipate a bit and then if there is a breeze at all, it will let the cool air of the evening inside. With the aid of a fan, it will circulate that air around a bit to cool it further.

As the articles is saying, the extremely hot days will have a prevailing wind (upper level) coming in from the east but once the sun goes down, that doesn't necessarily hold true. Once the marine flow sets in, the surface wind usually shifts from the east to south or southwest or even west.

No matter, Seattle doesn't get that many hot day for you to worry about it that much.

Agreed. The very fact that few places in the Seattle area offer air conditioning says a great deal about the weather. When it gets hot we make due with fans.

Ken

PS - another important consideration about warm weather here in Seattle is the fact that it is very rarely warm and humid at the same time. We have lots of humidity, but not when it's warm, but rather during the cooler time of the year. The number of hot&humid days I've seen here in Seattle I can count on 2 hands - and that's in 35 years.

[LordBalfor]

PS - Be aware the Central District can be one of the not-so-great areas regarding crime.

Ken

[alermy]

Ken, my realtor told me the same thing about crime. but he said it is changing because they are building million dollar homes in that area. Which area in Seattle would you say is considered as a decent area to live? Queen Anne and belltown? Once I heard on the radio show that the host said if you walk around at belltown, you might as well bring your dental records. I guess because there are many bars over there so more crime?

[AzDreamer]

Is it possible to talk to others living in the building to see what their experience is?

[LordBalfor]

Originally Posted by alermy

Ken, my realtor told me the same thing about crime. but he said it is changing because they are building million dollar homes in that area. Which area in Seattle would you say is considered as a decent area to live? Queen Anne and belltown? Once I heard on the radio show that the host said if you walk around at belltown, you might as well bring your dental records. I guess because there are many bars over there so more crime?

Well, your realtor is correct. When I first moved to Seattle back in the 1970's the Central District was a VERY bad place. While working my way through school I managed a car wash for Farwest Taxi in the area and was constantly having to chase hookers and junkies out of the bathrooms. I girl I once dated took up with one of the dudes down there and was later murdered by him. Two obviously angry young men who briefly worked at the wash were later convicted of ambushing a Seattle police officer and his wife as they left their home, wounding the officer and killing the wife. I remember visiting my future wife - who at the time was living in an apartment building across from Garfield High School and having to step over drunks collapsed in the stairwell - after we got together and she moved out, the place was eventually closed by the Drug Abatement program as it had become a crack house. All in all pretty darned ugly.

Nowadays, it has much improved. Some areas are still not that great, but others have become pretty darned nice. indeed and in fact there are a number of million dollar plus homes there. Where exactly is the apartment you are considering? Maybe I can drive past sometime this week and take a couple of photos of the area?

Ken

[LordBalfor]

PS - Belltown is one of the "hipper" neighborhoods in Seattle. My son and his wife lived there briefly and enjoyed it very much. It is very much an "in city" place to live - if that makes a difference to you.

Ken

[allforcats]

Originally Posted by alermy

... if my condo is NORTH/SOUTH facing, then I will have a decent amount of wind flow through my condo. Sciroccs22 said in the summer time, to open the windows to cool the place down. I guess it is important for me to figure out wind direction。

Alermy, here's some detailed info that I hope will help you.

When I lived in Capitol Hill in Seattle many years ago, I had an apartment that faced west and north. During the long, hot summer days, the west side was just unbearably hot as the hot sun traveled to the northwest to set. There was air, but very little breeze. The apartment was hot all night and it was very hard for me to sweat and sleep at the same time.

My condo now has north- and south-facing windows (no east- or west-facing windows). I cannot endure heat, so during hotter summer days by about noon I cover my south-facing windows with drapes and/or blinds, and on the north side I leave my windows open a bit for air, and uncovered for light. Because my home stays a lot cooler (10 to 15 degrees cooler) than outside all day, I can do whatever I want inside in comfort. After my first summer in this condo, I had ceiling fans installed in the kitchen, living/dining room, den and bedroom. Covering the south windows in the daytime takes care of most of the need for ceiling fans, but sometimes I use one or another during the evening.

As soon as the sun begins to set around 9:30, give or take, the breeze begins from the south and southwest. That delicious breeze happens probably 99% of summer days. That breeze (which is sometimes a real wind) continues well into the night, until at least 3:00 or 4:00 or so. It is usually a VERY cool breeze, and if you're not wearing much and you stand in it for a few minutes, you'll sneeze. As soon as the sun starts to set, I open ALL my windows and let the wind from the south/southwest blow through my home and out the north-facing windows. I never use floor, desk or ceiling fans to blow the wind; it does a fine job on its own. After a super-hot day, I'll turn on the ceiling exhaust vent in the laundry room or bathroom for maybe an hour, to draw out the hot air from the ceiling.

By the time I'm ready for bed at 11:30 or midnight, the temp inside has dropped at least 15 degrees from what it was at 7:00PM, and it's definitely comfortable enough to sleep undisturbed through the night. I leave all the south windows open all night to cool everything very well including inside the walls, and start off the next day with a chilly home. (I'm on the 4th floor; if I were on the ground floor or 2nd floor, I would never leave any window open.) With this method, it's been years since I felt the need to use the bedroom ceiling fan to keep cool while I sleep, which makes my cats happy because they're not crazy about that breeze.

I hope that helps!

[alermy]

wow, I am impressed by so many good replies. the place i am looking at is called Yesler houses. they are across from the library and fire department on the 23rd ave and Yesler. the place looks fine to me. I was there on Saturday. but all my co-workers told me don't move to central area but stay on the east side (office in Bellevue). I want to stay close to work but everything on the east side are so ordinary. Seattle surely has lots of charming condos.

allforcats, thanks for the detailed answer. That is very good knowledge even if I don't end up buying this condo. Thank you!!!