Korean Job Discussion Forums

[kinerry]

Why must every building have glass doors with metal handles???
(they also like to leave these open)

In the winter time it's just a pain in the ass.


I mean, I see and experience it everywhere...why not get a real door and save on heating?

[IlIlNine]

[optik404]

why does this bother you? is it cause its winter and the metal handles are cold to the touch?

dont really understand what you're whining about

[bassexpander]

I'd rather they quit locking the right side. Especially since we're now supposed to walk on the right. I'd rather they didn't lock either.

[jonpurdy]

When I got here I was puzzled by this as well. Why would they build doors with no insulation and with a huge gap (1cm or more) in between the doors? It wouldn't allow the heat or air conditioning to stay in the building very effectively.

I think it's due to the fact that Koreans love a draft. Those old burners used to put out carbon monoxide and people died as a result of poor ventilation. Perhaps they intentionally use this style of door in order to allow for a draft? Now that heating and air con are electrical or gas there is no need to worry about carbon monoxide. Builders might still build this way due to habit or lack of knowledge.

This is totally a guess and I have no proof of this so feel free to correct me.

[bassexpander]

They have no air vents in older buildings, and rely on the doors to provide some of that.

[Kikomom]

Kinerry, you remind me of my dad. His big gripe (one of them) was cathedral ceilings and all the wasted space. And heating it.

[8 years down]

They don't care about the temperature of hallways or bathrooms in Korea. Those places are considered public, and outside.

[oskinny1]

[orosee]

[pkang0202]

You know them 15,000w portable gas grills you use to cook?

Put one in the bathroom on the floor, turn the heat on high and leave it there for 3-5 minutes. Your bathroom is toasty.

Oh yeah, the replacement butane cans are cheap also.

Every morning I open my bathroom and put one of those grills on the floor. 5 minutes later my bathroom is warm and toasty. Obviously, before I take a shower, I turn the grill off and place it outside the bathroom door.

[orosee]

Nice idea. Who was the mother of invention, necessity? Also good catch with the last line disclaimer; you saved yourself a load of lawsuits

Drifting from the original topic but staying inside the bathroom, I find it really hard to get hot enough water for my shower. In Summer I switch the heater to Eco Mode and still get scalding hot water on the highest setting, but right now the best I can expect is that I don't turn blue during a shower.

Reminds me of pre-Millenium Laos where we could only manage to get a warm shower after ordering 10 liters of "hot tea water" because "the only hotel with electricty in town" forgot to mention that the entire city would be without electricity during daylight hours (6 to 6) Those were the Lao highlands where tap water came at a refreshing 12 C.

So we ended up mixing 80C tea water in a bucket of cold tap water and had to share the water (was with my wife, so no big deal).

We did have a great view though.

[Cerulean]

Same here, I can't seem to get the water hot.

Can anyone explain this please?

[Cerberus]

[djsmnc]