One of my favorite aspects of living in Springfield, Missouri, is the four distinct seasons.
While fall can be somewhat wet, chilly and windy, the changing colors of the leaves creates stunning scenery. I also appreciate the fresh fruits and vegetables, such as apples, squash, and zucchini at that time of year. Our local winters are especially long and quite cold, with temperatures often dipping below freezing. We get approximately 18” of snow, which makes the landscape look clean and magical. I don’t mind bundling up to snowmobile, snowboard or cross-country ski. Spring tends to take a while to arrive, but the flowers are worth the wait. I’m always excited to catch sight of the first sprouts of daffodils, hyacinths and tulips. Summers tend to be especially hot and muggy, bringing temperatures in the high eighties or low nineties. The weather does create difficulties with indoor comfort and air quality. We deal with excessive humidity in the summer and insufficient moisture in the winter. The heating and cooling systems take turns operating, with very minimal break in-between. The cost of indoor temperature control is responsible for a significant portion of the budget. Because it’s necessary to keep the windows closed for the majority of the year and the house sealed tight against energy waste, the living space can become overly polluted. I have invested into a heat recovery ventilator or HRV that brings in a constant supply of fresh air. It helps to get rid of humidity in the summer, reducing the workload of the air conditioner and cost of monthly electric bills. In the winter, it uses the outgoing stale air to preheat the incoming air, lessening demands on the furnace and saving money on heating bills.