Residents in Dougan House complain of scarce heat, aggravated by mold issues.
Not exactly the post-break Athens weather you were hoping for? You’re not alone.
With recent temperatures plummeting well below freezing, and with Athens County having been placed under a level one snow emergency as of Tuesday afternoon, the cinderblock walls of dated Ohio University dorms may prove to provide minimal relief to those who dwell within.
As students returned to campus over the weekend, they were greeted with an email from the OU Department of Housing and Residence Life describing the standard procedures for dealing with temperature irregularities in residence halls.
One residence hall experiencing such problems is Dougan House on South Green, where residents have been experiencing particularly chilly conditions since returning to campus, with mold issues in the building prompting an order to keep air conditioning units running despite the frigid temperatures.
Eleanor Copp, a sophomore studying communication sciences and disorders, said the cold in her Dougan House dorm has been so unbearable that she temporarily moved in with her boyfriend.
“You can feel the winter air coming through the windows,” Copp said. “It's very cold all the time I try and stay out of my dorm most of the time.”
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South Green isn’t the only area of campus struggling with the cold, as residents in Biddle Hall have felt the chill as well.
"My roommate and I notice the lack of heat in the morning and afternoon the most,” Jenna Berger, a freshman studying forensic chemistry, said. “We sleep with at least two blankets at night just to keep warm. Our fish also isn't too fond of not having heat considering his water is freezing."
Even those who dwell in single dorms have experienced problems.
“When I put my hand up to the heater, I feel a slight amount of heat but not enough to actually heat the whole room.” Izzy Smith, a sophomore studying business and Dougan House resident, said. “I have a single, so the room is pretty small. Moral of the story: it’s just really cold here.”
In the event of issues with dorm heating systems, the university advised residents to clear furniture and personal items away from the heater in order to allow warm air to circulate. However, this is not exactly an immediate fix — students are asked to wait 12 hours for temperatures to become comfortable, according to the housing email.
If poorly-insulated windows or air-conditioning systems instead appear to be the culprit, residents can contact their green office and request plastic and tape to cover drafts.
According to the email, these two steps should “result in comfortable and warm temperatures” in rooms. If all else fails, students are invited to contact facilities management by submitting an online work order.
In the meantime, Bustle recommends an abundance of innovative cold weather hacks to survive the dead of winter. Have you considered investing in flannel sheets? Opening the curtains to invite a bit of sunshine in? Maybe getting cozy with a couple of warm (non-alcoholic) drinks?
Or, if you’re able to make the snowy trek down East State Street, Lowe’s offers a fairly extensive selection of weatherstrips and roll insulation — perfect for keeping out that bitter Athens chill.
@lauren__fisher
lf966614@ohio.edu
