Coexistence between neighbours in a building

As it can be difficult to live with other people in the same house, it is also difficult to share a whole building with other people.

Even though it isn’t always the case that neighbours have trouble, or don’t get along, during the last years, there have been some situations of conflict between neighbours within a building.

The most common problems are: party wall issues, noises and filtration. The party wall issues are frequent both in buildings and between houses in a neighbourhood. When a neighbour builds (or destroys) part on the party wall and breaks something from our house, or its creeper invades our house, etc. this usually means trouble.

In relation to the noises, the new buildings these days usually have thin walls, so you can generally listen to everything your neighbour does or says, and so, if that neighbour likes hearing loud music and you don’t like it, there is going to be trouble.

And there are plenty of examples that we can mention that affect the coexistence of neighbours within a building, and there are some cases where people like seeing problems where there isn’t any.

The solution or the best way to prevent conflict between neighbours is to keep a good communication (always a respectful one). Likewise, it is important to have a code of conduct for the building inhabitants and to stick to them in order to avoid having problems.

Nowadays, there is a way of solving problems between neighbours in Buenos Aires (if the communication is not good) where mediation takes place, without the need of going to a court office. This service is provided by the Government and it is useful for those cases where the neighbours or its administration have some problem that they cannot solve alone.

Even though coexistence can be complicated, if each neighbour tries to be understanding and respect the rules, there shouldn’t be any trouble between the people living in the same building.

Cheap heating alternatives for winter season

Autumn season has already begun with cold weather, so probably the winter season will also be like this. Besides the low temperatures, winter will receive us with a rise raise on the prices, so we will all want to save as much as possible; still, we don't want to freeze in the process.

Nowadays, heaters that work with gas are not the cheapest heating alternative, and that is why many people are trying to look for other options to heat their homes without spending a fortune.

For starters, a cheaper alternative of heating are the heating panels that are of low consumption. The problem of these panels is that they aren't very efficient in big rooms, so I would suggest you ask a specialist before buying these types of panels for your house, and make sure they will heat properly (besides saving you a few bucks).

Another option that is being considered on those houses that are being built at the moment is the heating through the radiant floor panels. Currently, there are new technologies over this type of heating that allow you to save money and heat your house greatly. Moreover, this type of heating generally comes with a thermostat which allows you to control which rooms you want to heat and at what temperature. This helps you save money as well.

A downside of this type of heating is that its installation can be a bit expensive and complicated if the house is already prepared for some other type of heating system. Still, if you are constructing or making changes around the house, this is a good option to heat your house and save some money.

A good way of saving money a bit ago was to heat your house through the fireplace (if you had one) and use wood. Nowadays, wood is expensive so, this method is no longer an option. Moreover, it was only useful for small rooms, and not big ones.

Lastly, it is important to mention that besides looking for cheaper alternatives to heat your house, it is also important to isolate it so that the cold doesn't get in and the heat stays inside. A good isolation of the doors and windows will make you heating system more efficient, and you may not have to have your heating on all day long, so it will also make you save money.

Each house is different, so each house needs a different heating system, and it will depend on the size of the rooms and the type of heating you like. So, you should ask a specialist, do the math and see which type of heating system will work and make you save money this winter (and the ones to come).

Population per square meter in the City of Buenos Aires

During the last Census done in Argentina in 2010, results showed that the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires is the most populated city of Argentina. This means that the number of people per square meter in this City is much bigger than in other city of the country.

According to the results shown during the last census, the total population in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires is of 2,891,082 persons. This number has increased by 114,944 people in ten years. This means that the number of people per square kilometer in the City of Buenos Aires today is of 14,185 people; more specifically, this means that there are 14.5 citizens (approximately) per square meter within the City of Buenos Aires.

This number seems a bit high if you imagine what a square meter is and how much space a person can occupy. Although this number may seem illogical, the explanation of the big amount of people living in the City of Buenos Aires and the space that there is for that people is that there are many high buildings and houses with more than one floor, which allows more people to live inside the City of Buenos Aires. Still, the number of people that lives per square meter in the City of Buenos Aires is high.

Since the beginning of Argentina as an independent country (or at least with its own government), migration started from the countryside to the big cities. Even when Buenos Aires wasn't the capital city of Argentina, it was important, because of its harbor. So, many people came to Buenos Aires searching for a job and a better life. Plus, many immigrants from other countries arrive to Buenos Aires on boats and stayed in the city. For these reasons, the population in the City of Buenos Aires has increased and has never stopped increasing. Moreover, even though some people are moving from Buenos Aires and going to smaller cities in other provinces of Argentina, the number of people that keeps coming and staying in the City of Buenos Aires still surpasses this percentage.

Recyclable dust bins in buildings

Recycling is a hot issue that has been on the agenda for some time now. Nevertheless, Buenos Aires hasn't still made any rule or law when it comes recycling or reducing the amount of garbage its citizens make. Still, some buildings and houses are beginning to move the “recycling mind wheel” and they have started to separate their garbage.

There are many ways of separating (and classifying) the residues. For example, you can put different bins and separate the wet and the dry waste; or you can have more bins and separate papers and boxes, plastic waste, glass, etc.

A good way of classifying garbage for recycling in buildings is to put bins of different colors so people go and through each type of waste in the different bins (color tend to caught people’s attention and it’s a good reminder). This method can be complicated to introduce on a building and it could take time for people to adapt to it; still, it can be a really good option if the neighbors agree.

Moreover, a simpler method that is being used today is to put two bins: one for recyclable residues and one for non-recyclable waste. This way, many janitors of the buildings take out the non-recyclable waste out for the garbage trucks to take them, and give the recyclable waste to the people that gather boxes, paper and plastics. This way they are helping the people that gathers this type of residues (because they don’t have to be looking around the waste), and they help the environment too.

Even though the governments are beginning to raise awareness among people and they are trying to change the way the residues are treated in Buenos Aires, some buildings have already started making this residue classification. If everyone starts doing this division of the waste at home, within time we could start making a more detailed division and start helping the environment, so that the city, the country and the world can be cleaner.

Best pets to live in apartments

Many people know that pets are very lovable creatures that make us our lives happier. They are our travel buddies and our life companions as well… Nevertheless, if we live on small places, like a studio apartment or the like, having a pet might be complicated. For starters, every pet, and every human, need their space.

For this reason, we will now mention some of the pets that can easily adapt to living in an apartment, so that you and your pet can get along and have no trouble.

As we have seen in previous articles, cats are a good pet option for those who live in apartments. Nonetheless, as we have mentioned previously, there are some breeds that may adapt easier to living in an apartment. Same thing happens with some dog breeds who may adapt easier to living in an apartment. As the cat article, you may also find here an article on the dog breeds that adapt easier to living in an apartment.

Moreover, there are other pets that could be good if you live in apartments. For example, some people enjoy having hamsters as pets. These little animals live in cages, so it wouldn’t matter whether you live in an apartment or a house. Now, having a hamster as a pet means paying attention to it and taking care of it as any pet, although it could need more attention than a dog or a cat, since hamsters aren't able to look for us and ask for food (among other things).

Meanwhile, other people have adopted LIZZARDS or IGUANAS on their apartment. Many pet shops of Buenos Aires sell these animals as pets nowadays, and they have become really popular. These types of pets can be a good pet if you live in an apartment, but they may also need to be looked after more closely than other animals.

In general, the best pets to live in apartments are the smaller animals. Still, whether you choose a big or a small animal as a pet, you should always do some research on how to take good care of it. Once you've done that, it is only a matter of getting along, adapting to your pet and living happily in your apartment.  

Living on a house or an apartment?

Many people have tried to answer this question for some time now: Is it better to live in a house or an apartment? Of course, the answer is 100% subjective. Nevertheless, an analysis can be made in order to see the pros and cons of living in a house and in an apartment.

First point to consider when it comes to analyzing whether you prefer to live in a house or an apartment is maintenance. Generally, maintaining a house (whether big or small) tends to be more expensive than an apartment. One thing to have in mind is that in a building all the maintenance expenses tend to be shared among all the neighbors (although it can turn expensive too).

Secondly, another thing to consider when deciding to live in a house or in an apartment is the space/room. Even though the newest buildings now come with amenities like gardens and pools, these spaces are not the same as having them in your own house. In a house you have your own patio, or garden, or whatever it is that you own. Moreover, when talking about space in an apartment and a house, the new buildings now tend to have smaller rooms than the old buildings; meanwhile, the rooms of the houses tend to be bigger and wider.

Another controversial topic when discussing life on a house and on an apartment is the neighbors. Many people think that living on an apartment means having to put up with annoying and loud neighbors. Nonetheless, even though some walls are too thin and you can listen to everything your neighbor says, building have rules of conduct, so people have to respect them in order to avoid having trouble. Moreover, some people who live in houses may have annoying neighbors who love listening loud music, or shout all day long. So, annoying neighbors can be found whether you live on a house or an apartment really.

Lastly, another topic to discuss referring to houses or apartment life is security. Even though the security issue is a problem that strikes everyone (both people living in apartments and in houses), it is believed that living on an apartment is safer than in a house, since the house is more exposed. Likewise, nowadays many building have chosen to hire a private security service within the building, which makes it safer.

So, the conclusion should be made by you, since as we have mentioned at the beginning deciding whether living in a house is better/worse than living in an apartment is totally up to you and your likes and dislikes.