Student speaks out
Heated up about heat
Erin Mills
Issue date: 12/8/05 Section: Columns
- Page 1 of 1
Thanksgiving break is one of my favorite weeks of the year. Only two days of classes, my birthday, and lots of delicious food can make me pretty happy. The best part about those five glorious days, though, is coming home to a warm house.
As I walked in my front door from the cold November wind I was greeted by a wave of warmth. I couldn't believe my mom would keep the thermostat set so high with the rising costs of natural gas. On my way down the hall though, I saw it was only set at 62 degrees, which is the same temperature my house on West College is been set at. So why do I spend my evenings wearing two or three shirts with candles burning hoping to warm up my room?
The difference is insulation. I understand perfectly well that all Wittenberg owned houses are ancient, and that's fine; I love a house with character. What I am not OK with is how the houses are maintained.
My housemates and I spent $30 on plastic for all thirteen windows in our house. We keep the thermostat set low. And yet our latest gas bill was over $150, which includes at least a week in which the temperature never went below 50 degrees. I can't blame Wittenberg for high gas prices, but I can blame them for poor insulation and windows as old as I am.
What is even more infuriating than a bedroom colder than the air outside is watching Wittenberg put its money to use elsewhere. Instead of maintaining its houses, Witt replaces every single sidewalk square on campus that has anything that resembles a crack in it. How about a new window or two? Or better insulated attics? Oh I know why. Wittenberg doesn't pay my heat bills: I do.
This isn't meant to attack any specific Wittenberg staff member. All I'm asking is that the university considers its current students for a minute. We don't care about pristine sidewalks or neatly trimmed trees. I just want to be able to afford my books next semester.
As I walked in my front door from the cold November wind I was greeted by a wave of warmth. I couldn't believe my mom would keep the thermostat set so high with the rising costs of natural gas. On my way down the hall though, I saw it was only set at 62 degrees, which is the same temperature my house on West College is been set at. So why do I spend my evenings wearing two or three shirts with candles burning hoping to warm up my room?
The difference is insulation. I understand perfectly well that all Wittenberg owned houses are ancient, and that's fine; I love a house with character. What I am not OK with is how the houses are maintained.
My housemates and I spent $30 on plastic for all thirteen windows in our house. We keep the thermostat set low. And yet our latest gas bill was over $150, which includes at least a week in which the temperature never went below 50 degrees. I can't blame Wittenberg for high gas prices, but I can blame them for poor insulation and windows as old as I am.
What is even more infuriating than a bedroom colder than the air outside is watching Wittenberg put its money to use elsewhere. Instead of maintaining its houses, Witt replaces every single sidewalk square on campus that has anything that resembles a crack in it. How about a new window or two? Or better insulated attics? Oh I know why. Wittenberg doesn't pay my heat bills: I do.
This isn't meant to attack any specific Wittenberg staff member. All I'm asking is that the university considers its current students for a minute. We don't care about pristine sidewalks or neatly trimmed trees. I just want to be able to afford my books next semester.
Be the first to comment on this story