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I'm pretty sure there's electricity and good roads all over Fern Acres. I'm at the back of Hawaiian Acres. We have electricity and phone service, but no cable or DSL. Satellite TV and internet are available.
Roads? well, get a truck or SUV, something with high clearance. You'll get used to them soon enough.
The only maintenance we've done on our catchment is vacuuming (twice in 5 years, I guess we're due). And someday we're going to take care of that saggy cover...
quote:
Originally posted by sputnut
(snip) So, the southern end of Orchidland, Hawaiian acres, Fern acres, etc. would be drier than nearer the highway, on average? Aren't those areas also predominantly without things I like like electricity and internet? (my wife likes paved roads nearby, too)
comin' your way soon!
><(((*> ~~~~ ><(("> ~~~~ ><'> ~~~~ ><> ~~~~ >(>
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OK...most people here do not reference cardinal directions, like saying "the southern end" so I doubt anyone noticed... the southern end of these 3 subdivisions is the Puna/Pahoa/mauka (up hill) area, towards Wao Kele o Puna Natural Area Reserve & Kahauale`a Natural Area Reserve... with much of these subdivisions, this southern area is much less developed (much rougher roads, sparser electric pole installation & farther from ...everything...) but it is also not an area I would call "drier"
& have no idea which highway is being referenced: HWY 11 is on the north of these & follows the elevation gradient so is very effected by the orographic rains (& is not easily accessed by Orchidland) and Hwy 130 is on the east and has a very gentle undulation to s slightly increasing elevation to the south (and accessible by both Orchidland & HA)... not sure how to answer the drier question...
It is really hard to explain... the fact that less than a mile (even a few blocks) can be the difference in inches of rain a month, even overcast vs. sunny....and the elevation difference may not be much of anything, you have to look at a bunch of things, rain shadow areas, surrounding vegetation, prevailing winds, elevation changes upwind of the area, elevation changes downwind of the area...
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YEs, I was thinking about this also and I wonder if the amount of clearing in a neighborhood affects the ambient humidity and somehow impacts how much rain actually falls. At the least, it makes the air "feel different" and there is more breeze etc. YEs, it's drier towards the coast, but waa waa is a jungle, and I tried to take my kids down that shipman trail to the sandybeach at the end of HPP and we were slogging through 6 inches of water for much of it and actually, finally, turned around.
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I know when I lived on 11 road for 2 years in Hawaiian Acres (2005-2007), which butts up against mauka Orchidland, it rained an average of 300 inches per year. Much of it at night and early morning when the weather is "normal". Many times, like recently, it's not normal and will rain for a week straight. Rainfall amts. vary.
For example, when I moved down to Seaview Estates it avg. about 180 inches per year.
http://rainfall.geography.hawaii.edu/
All of the mauka subdivisions going up toward volcano generally get a good amount of rain. The further makai (toward ocean) the less rain. And, in the rainy areas you have to consider mold.
Nothing leather survives the mold in these areas.
I had electric AND internet by the way - but we were the last house on the road to have it. If you want paved streets, electricity, Internet AND cell phone service - you may want to look carefully and don't take the real estate person's answer - research the specific lot yourself and call utilities with lot #.
My experience and .02 cents worth.
Anna
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Seems realtors are the same the world over. Don't know their properties well, and take worse pictures than a 3 year old. Anyway, Thanks for that info. Those maps were more detailed than what I had seen before. As for dehumidifiers / air conditioners, what about supplementing with solar? Anyone tried that?
comin' your way soon!
comin' your way soon!
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We have a solar attic gable end vent... really nice for keeping the part of the house with an attic cooler (& less green growing fuzzies...I think...but no good data...do know factually that it is cooler...)
Although we do not really have a need for AC or Dehumidifiers, we are trying to get our "dream" PV array - a grid-tie lanai cover & bifacial panel system....but like everything...no one on island has ever done it (although, the system we want IS at UH-HIlo, was installed during the time we have been researching & asking - the mfg even has it on their web photo gallery...but no one - even the UH guys - seems to have a clue who installed it!)
We have worked at really getting the air flow working in & around the house & properly storing those things that we must store in more stagnant areas...really helps to study the air flow patterns of your lot & use that to increase in-house air flow - we added more windows & changed the type & size of the windows that were in the house (this was not something we really planned or wanted to do...but things happen here...& best to make lemonade!)
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You have to have large overhangs or at least some way to leave windows open, or have screening in the closet floors or similar techniques. Even with doing this, I have constant blackish type stuff that accumulates on the walls that I have to wipe down. My rental house has some kind of oilbased (or maybe even old lead for all Iknow) paint and it is really glossy and easy to wipe down. I just make sure I dont have anything that anyone would really want to steal!
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We changed most all of our windows to awning type as they give the highest screen ratio with the lowest rain potential...while still being able to fully close in case you need to fully close them
Wild fires during the drought the first winter we were here made us aware how important being able to close off the outside air can be on very rare times...have only closed off the house once...but it was good to be able to do it that once!
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Today,I went outside and worked in the yard for the first time in a week. I had 11 inches of rain in that week. And instead of the sweet smells of Hawaii, I am smelling mold and mildew!
This is the upper part of Nanawale, by the way. About 540 ft. elevation.
Not complaining, by the way. I still love it here...LOL![8D]
He who hoots with owls at night cannot soar with the eagles in the morning.
He who hoots with owls at night cannot soar with the eagles in the morning.
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Bottom line, with all the micro-climates in Puna alone... It's like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.  Not until you move there. Then you'll see. And you'll have to acclimate. Or move ten miles up or down and hope for better. I moved ten miles up from Hawaiian Acres several years ago (whose roads, btw, I don't think I can EVER get used to, they are HIDEOUSLY BAD) and was astonished at the difference in rainfall. But way less coquis and mosquitoes and other pests! Then we moved another ten miles up to Volcano and I'm astonished yet again, not by more rainfall, but way more mists and downright cold some nights. Hawaii just has no easy answers on that front. Once you get used to a pattern, she'll change it up. You can try Kona if you want dry, but then you're battling the wretched vog over there.
Melissa Fletcher
___________________________
"Make yurts, not war" Bill Coperthwaite, 1973
Melissa Fletcher
___________________________
"Make yurts, not war" Bill Coperthwaite, 1973
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