Acontecer aqui em Foz do Iguaçu, ocasionalmente no inverno, quando tem duas dias consecutivos com temperaturas máximas muito diferente,mas não é muito común aqui.
One thing gringos must understand: EVERYTHING here is 3, 4, 5 times what would cost for europeans or americans. Take the price os gasoline for example, in Sweden: 1.53 US dollars per liter. In Brazil it is 1,05 US dollars. So gas in 35% cheaper here. How much a swedish earns per month? Average of $2.900 per month. How much a brazilian earns per month? Around $600. So the average swedish gets paid almost 5 times more than a brazilian. And pays only 35% more in gas prices. This is a little example of how EVRYTHING here is stupidly expansive and why most people cant afford central heating and insulation and all the rest.
exactly! In addition to the cost to implement which is very high, the cost to maintain is higher. For example, I have a heating system in my apartment for the winter here in the South of Brazil, the monthly cost in Gas is around R$: 600 to 800. What Brazilian has R$: 800 to spend per month on heating? 99.99% do not.
But the point is that. even the rich, with their giant homes, so called "alto padrao", don't apply most of the things he mentioned in the video. So it's not really only a matter about money, but a matter about ignorance/knowledge, or lack thereof. Eg. this trend of new houses being built with flat roofs, even though we live in a rainy/humid country. No surprise lots of people end up having leakage related issues.
Yeah everything is relevative. However there is a large chunk of gringos who work remotely and keep their gringo salary while working in Brazil. Then there's another chunk that get paid in USD and they think immediately you must be rich but it's europeans and American companies taking advantage of the cheap labor.. Yeah you get paid in USD. But it's the equilivent to a brazilian salary.. Maybe SLIGHTLY more
sou de São Paulo e nunca tinha visto, até que fui para um hotel estilo chique em Blumenau em Santa Catarina, um prédio que parece empresarial com janelas espelhos, e toda manhã por trás das cortinas que iam do teto ao chão estava a parede completamente molhada chorando como mostrado neste vídeo. O quarto não tinha sinais de mofo, talvez o ar condicionado ajudasse, mas fiquei surpresa com a água na parede
Wooden homes need a lot of maintenance in hot and humid weather... Besides the scorching heat and risk of termites, there is also the destructive combination of heat and sunlight during Summers, which really make the wood decay faster. Also, wood is susceptible to rot and decay in consistently wet environments, requiring careful selection of wood types and treatments, which can be much more expensive than brick and concrete. Plus, brick and concrete tends to last much longer...
Very good points. I'm Brazilian and I don't get why we need internal fortress walls and shiny tiles everywhere. The living room thing is probably due to the social nature of Brazilian culture. People used to visit each other a lot in the past. To the point that they actually called it "visit room" instead of living room.
Tiles are great in kitchen, bathroom and most floors. Yeah, they don't look as good and cozy as wood, but is just very easy to clean, higienic and nice for hot enviroments (most of the country climate, actually). Thanks arabic influence for our love for tiles 😊
Indeed. And on the topic of it not feeling inviting, I will say that inversely I felt very cramped walking into european homes, like I was walking into someone's back closet.
We have those because of safety concerns. Up until the 70s, houses in Brazil had lower walls (if at all) and less of an fortress look on them. That changed during the later end of the military dictatorship when house break-ins started to get really common, so one of the safety measures the populace did was to surround itself with high walls (About 2 to 3 meters tall). Then it proceeded to have iron fences and even barbed wire and shattered glass fences on the top of the walls, but the later were turned ilegal in the early 2000s. And about the tiles: They're not only a cultural thing (thank you, arabs and muslims!) but they're also better for heat dissipation. Wood is very good for insulation, but if you live in the non-cold areas of Brazil (the vast majority of the country), living in a wood house is asking to be cooked alive even if your house has a lot of airways. Masonry is better for warm climates because it allows to disperse the heat, but if you go to places like Gramado you'll see a LOT of wooden, nordic european houses.
One major disadvantage of plaster walls or drywalls is installing shelfs or support for heavy stuff (such as a TV support, for instance). Cement walls allow for some really sturdy stuff to hang from it, such as hammock hooks, for instance...
@@tobiaslieblein2686 yeah, there's plenty of workarounds for each case, but the max load is invariably limited with plaster/drywalls regardless... I had a drywall failing me once due to a poorly installed hammock hook, that's why it's the first thing that came to mind.
@@jonpirovsky that's why u screw it on to centre of the timber, r put extra timbers around it ,havein a hammock in the house over proper insulated walls shouldn't be your main priority here
@@shanehopper100 hammocks are very common in Brazil, so it's a legit concern... And insulation isn't restricted to plaster/drywalls, it can be perfectly done with brick and cement walls as well. I'm just pointing out the tradeoff between each method. Plaster and drywalls are also less common in construction in Brazil, so they tend to be more expensive generally...
I used to say to my Swedish friends that "it is difficult to find beauty outside the mirror”, and your remarks endorse my point. For me it is also strange that Swedish houses have so few bathrooms and showers, bathrooms with carpet instead of tiles in the ground, open balcony in a very could environment, etc, etc. Nevertheless, I have learned that, in different countries, everything has a reason to be like it is…. Kram !
I am brazilian living in Helsinki, Finland. I work with renovations and have been working in a lot of centuries old wooden houses. One thing that is very common in old houses and apartments in here is the lack of a window in the bathrooms. But I've never seen a carpet in a bathroom here, I saw that in London. 😂
Well, brick houses are the superior choice to drywall, anytime. It's way more resistant to anything, more durable and makes all walls 100% airtight. The insulation isn't really a problem with those brick houses in the Southern Brazilian climate if they're built properly: they need to be built above ground, the floor can't really touch the ground, so the house needs to sit above the ground in a slab of concrete like half a meter over the dirt. Furthermore, there's no need to insulate the walls in this climate as a simple metal woodstove in a open kitchen/living/dining room (which are most all blended together nowadays) makes most of the house warm. I agree with the need for double pane and airtight windows. Those do really make the split ACs work hard as hell. Making a house without bricks here is completely nonsensical as those plaster boards and wood would totally be destroyed by mold if you don't have a central cooling system runing 24/7 all year around, which is expensive as hell and most of the year they're not really needed. Central cooling and heating 24/7 is one of the stupidest things the developed world does that fucks up the environment as it's not really necessary to achieve comfortable temperatures and most of them ain't efficient as split ACs and their heat pumps. And, lets remember, when the temperatures are in the range 10 ºC to 28 ºC nobody really needs climate control, just put or take off some clothes. Sweatpants and hoodie in the winter or boxer shorts without shirt in the summer. You're at your own home, dude. Maybe, just maybe, for sleeping, when above 25 ºC, AC may be necessary... For humidity inside the house, I just use those peltier dehumidifiers inside my wardrobes, cabinets and other storage places that get humid. Boom, humidity solved for what? 20 W of power each. In the kitchen, yes it can get very humid when it's winter and people cook with the windows closed. The solution is agains simple but most people don't realise it: stove exhaust fan! Simple, cheap and not energy intensive. Following those simple guidelines, you'll never have any problem with humidity in Brazil.
It probably has a lot to do with money. All that stuff adds a lot of money to a new build. It's my understanding that they're now using waterproof cement to finish the exterior of the walls protecting the house from water and moisture.
i'm Brazilian, and agree with everything you said.. haha i'm a more wood guy, next year i'm building a Scandinavian style cabin, with insulation, hot water and drywall..
Since I was a kid I've been watching movies and series (mostly from America and Europe) and all of them shows people not caring if its cold or hot outside, their homes could handle it and everything was adapted while here seems to be a very undeveloped where nothing evolves in this regard. People helps this to not evolve by saying the cold is short and we shouldn't care about wasting time adapting insulation, heating or anything else. Some more ignorant say "this is an American thing, avoid it!" or "this is for the rich only". The issue isn't just about the climate, but also about noise or sound and electricity. I'll explain why... You don't see soundproof glasses, walls and floor (especially on apartments) which can lead to problems with the neighbors. Electricity is a problem too, especially for houses, there is no surge protection, if there is much lightning during a storm and power outages, you might have huge issues with your devices that are plugged-in to a socket. So, take that into account as well.
One of the main reasons for not installing systems or using appropriate materials to solve these problems is the average annual income of the Brazilian people, which is between 8,000 and 10,000 dollars. In a ranking of per capita income, among a little over 160 countries, Brazil is practically in position 100. Another reason is that they believe that the house made of concrete, steel and solid brick is strong and solid and does not catch fire as easily as wood and other materials, is not blown away by the wind, and can even be bulletproof. It also does not make noise like a wooden house when you walk inside it. You don't build a castle with plaster or wood, it's supposed to be made of stone.
Insulation is a big issue in Brazilian houses. I used to live in Germany and, when I came back to Brazil, I lived some time in Teresópolis, which is high up in the mountains of Rio de Janeiro. I had a much harder time during Winter there than back in Germany precisely due to the lack of insulation.
I can't imagine that. I'm from the south and lived in São Paulo, which is somewhere in between the two in terms of climate. To me, Rio seems like an eternal summer and must be much better in terms of humidity and mold. Your comment comparing to Germany is shocking, insulation indeed must make a big difference.
@otavio.a.8.r Teresópolis averages at 1000m high and I lived out of the city center at an even higher altitude, so it would get quite cold during Winter. Since most houses have no insulation, I felt like freezing most of the time...
As a Brazilian, I thought we were just supposed to deal with mold. I currently live in Mexico City and it seems we have the same house issues, minus the humidity. But every winter I’m reminded tile floors are no bueno. Thank you for sharing
I used to live in an island and wow how everything in the house went bad sooner or later with the salty air, from shoes delaminating to electronics suddenly not working anymore, I had to leave windows open 24/7 for airflow.
Humidity levels are actually quite high up North as well. The whole coast of Brazil is quite humid, and humidity levels are quite high around rainforest areas. The difference to the southern part of the country is that it's usually humidity + heat, which can be quite difficult to withstand...
I must say your analysis is spot on. I should also mention that high humidity, mold and cold weather can also be problematic in Brazilians bathrooms. It's difficult to use the toilet when it's so cold, to have a shower is another problem especially when your bathroom uses electric shower. There is no heat inside the bathroom and what you've shown during 1:44 can also happen in the bathroom. Most bathrooms during winter, when you enter it you notice that it's like entering a very cold and humid cave. To use the bathroom, some use a portable electric heater but still problematic in the most part the fact there is missing adaptation. The portable electric heat is what I call "a band-aid solution" and not a proper solution for the problem.
01: there's no Air Handlers available in the brazilian market, so it's impossible to have domestic central AC systems. 02: brick walls already helps to insulate the house against the heat (the problem is cold weather), most of the heat comes though the roof and the windows. This being said, having triple glazed windows and insulated roofs would already improve significantly the thermal confort inside brazilian houses. 03: most brazilians wouldn't be able to afford the electricity bill if we had central AC systems. 04: having tiles applied over the walls helps cleasing the bathroom with water/desinfectant solutions. 04: gypsum is expensive in Brazil and there's not a lot of people with technical know-how in drywall. 05: having internal brick walls helps to improve the overall structural integrity. But, of couse, there's is no denial that it has a lot of disadvantages, poor Wi-Fi performance.g.
I agree with Insolation, it def should be a must, and as you said, it's good for warm and cold weather. However, wooden home maintenance is a pain with wooden houses. Wooden expands a lot with the sun, and humidity also rottens it down very easily. Even to use things like air conditioners, insulation would help a lot maintaining the cold weather, and reducing the cost.
I've lived in Brazil for 3 years now and am looking to buy a house/ big apartment soon, and I've been worried and trying to find solutions to some of the same problems you mention: - Humidity. I have a lot of books, old photographs, various other things that are very dear to me that would be ruined by humidity. I also just don't want to live in a mouldy place and have to clean all the time or risk my health. As you mentioned the central AC systems are the best solution, but are there any reliable companies to do this? In combination of maybe building double brick walls for better insulation. Are there any other alternatives? - Mosquitoes / insects if you live close to the forest / a park in the city. Has an easy solution for indoors, just put up screens on doors/windows. However, what to do outside? E.g. if you have a swimming pool or garden? - Delicate plumbing. Even after 3 years I can't get over throwing my toilet paper in the small bin. In an apartment you're stuck with whatever they built. If you have a house, my guess is this can be solved by using wider and thicker PVC pipes along with ensuring you flush with enough water. - Low Water pressure. Again, in apartment you're probably stuck with what you have, in house you can install your own pump to increase pressure. This might however mean you need to get heavier duty taps etc and double check joints/sealing of threads etc. Any tips/comments/corrections/alternative solutions welcome :)
Just don't put the furniture against the wall and everything should be fine. Or books in a box on the floor. Things generally don't get moist, just the wall get moist, not objects. With big temperature changes the walls and floor create water sometimes, which can wet the books and cause problems. I've never had a problem with anything stored or on a shelf getting wet, just the wall and things leaning against it.
The guy in the video is only dramatic because he lived in a dry and cold country and now he's in a tropical country and everything is new. Most of the things he says are pretty standard in tropical countries. He probably does a series of wrong things that anyone living in a tropical country would know not to do, like depending on the weather I don't even open the house because I know it will fill with water, but he has no idea hahaha
Central AC systems are very rare and I have not found a good company to install them yet but I am researching it. Double brick walls with insulation is a good option or a wood/steel frame house with insulation is another option. There are companies that do this type of build on Brazil. I did a video about mosquitos in brazil recently, please check it out. The plumbing is annoying, i know that some new planned neighbourhoods have better plumbing and allow you to throw toilet paper down the toilet.
@fietaboys7403 I am building a house in state of São Paulo. My solutions were: 1- humidity: Built my house with large windows, many of them facing North for better sunlight during winter season. Made sure to have windows on opposite side of the house for passive ventilation. 2-Critters: can't think of a better solution than calling pest control once a year or two. They are not very expensive if your condo agrees to have an overall pest extermination and ask them to provide extra services to your unit. Planting citrus trees like lemons can also avoid some bugs. Some people place bird feeders too as they are natural predators to bugs. 3- Delicate plumbing. Your solution is indeed the one I adopted. On top of that you might opt for a toilet without flush tank, but with water coming straight from the water reservoir (caixa de água). However this solution will make you use more water than necessary and if you have plumbing problems, it will require to break the walls. Avoid unreformed houses that are 50 years plus as their plumbing are usually made of cast iron. 4- low water pressure. In our case we just raised higher the water reservoir and appropriately sized the plumbing diameter. But sure you can use pumps depending on the situation. Best of luck
Another video which relates exactly to my experiences! Here in Foz do Iguaçu, where we experience extremely heavy rainfall on occasion a problem can be leaking roofs. Having had some electrical training while working in Europe the state of electrical installations here can be alarming. Even in new and very expensive residences. The problem is the 'A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing ' syndrome. Practically anyone can call themselves 'An Electrician' at least certainly in Paraná state, with no formal training or qualification. You can go to any electrical Retailer and buy all the materials you like, and freely work on anything electrical beyond the electricity companies meter, and your installation requires no formal, official inspection and sign off. This however can be positive as, I completely rewired my home, and saved R$1000s. Too thin cable and overrated circuit breakers are common, but will only manifest a problem if what is running on them is working to full or near to full power. Another gripe I have is in bathrooms and Kitchens electrical sockets far too close to water. Here in Paraná we have a dual voltage mains supply 127/220v both socket outlets are the same shape and size! It is common to have a double outlet with one of each! You may get '220v' in pencil or a little sticker on one, but the correct method now is to use a red surround to 220v outlets. No earthing or IDR protection even on shower circuits is also a common failing. The official National standard for domestic electrical installations ie NBR 5410 is a actually very good I think, but unfortunately to follow its requirements and recommendations fully will simply be too expensive (or troublesome) for many people
Great observations! The single pane windows don't block the noise very either, which is a huge deal in big cities. I ended up installing additional inside windows to block the street noice.
When I bring this up people get mad at me, but when you check Argentina and Uruguay you notice that is much better developed in this regard. Brazilian homes need more effort regarding adding insulation and heating (especially for the ones far south). People build houses from North to South as if the climate were the same everywhere, and basically 99% with the same stuff, rarely you see a house that isn't build on concrete and brick. Caring about humidity? People doesn't even care about this, even when there is mold.
building a house in Brazil has always been MUCH more expensive than in Argentina/Uruguay and especially Europe. And to make matters worse, Brazil has always been protectionist, preventing foreign products from arriving in Brazil, which is why innovation here costs even more. It's been about 10 years since the most modern construction technologies arrived even in small towns, but only extremely rich people can afford them. That's why brick and concrete houses will continue to be the standard here for an indefinite period of time.
Those countries have a climate much more consistent throughout the year than Brazil. Also, the cost for building houses with those characteristics are much lower there than in Brazil, as pointed out by someone.
Sorry but this is low education low iq society and people can not do smart planning on their houses that takes climmate in consideration that's too complicated for their minds and no sense of visual aesthetic and culture so everywhere looks the same top to bottom of the country.
The whole tiled walls help with the mold issue. In the city of São Paulo, in neighborhoods with houses, most of houses do not have gardens, all the property (backyard and front yards) are tiled.
Can confirm, one day my dad decided to tile the front and backyard, because "it's easier to clean", pissed me off. I'm not sure, but i think this tiling fetish came from the Portuguese, as tiles were a show of status.
Great video! I am brazilian and consider these kind of analysis really important - construction companies do need to adapt and improve to build better homes in Brazil. Cheers!
What I envy about your country is the quality of the sidewalk/pavement. There is no comparison to our country. Poles without a mess of tangled wires are also welcoming. Well this having nothing to do with the video, but I just wanted to mention it cause rarely someone notices how bad are our sidewalks and poles.
One of the reasons I avoid living in the south is that I'm afraid of the cold weather and the fact nothing there is made for avoid this. People think if its 0°C outside, inside must also be 0°C. No comfort at all.
@@nordicinvestor Our winters don't need to be like Sweden to be cold, as you've said, the high humidity plus no adaptation to the cold and hot weather is a huge con. As some say, even if the winter doesn't last long, it's not comfy to be feeling cold. The cold is a pain even if it doesn't last long.
In the North of Brazil, humidity can be 80% to 100%. I have a friend from Russia. He had serious problem to breathe in 100% humidity air. He said its like trying to breathe underwater and the air was like "thicker" than normal. For me that is used to that I did not understand anything he said.
@@nordicinvestor It is very humid but not cold when compared to the South of Brazil. I'm from Belém do Pará, here the minimum temperature is usually 24°C, it can get to 23°C or 22°C if it rains too much the whole day, so during night or morning you can get this temperature, the maximum temperature is usually 32°C, but can go high like 36°C. The feels-like temperature is usually higher due to high humidity. When it's 25°C, it tends to feels-like 30°C. This week we had 36°C but feeling-like 41°C. Even during dry season, the humidity tend to stay above 80%. The lowest humidity I've ever seen was 55% and it was during 14 pm which tends to be the hottest part of the day.
Most countries in the Southern Hemisphere have houses that do not have double glazing, central heating and insulation. In South Africa one way to avoid mold is when you shower or bath you open a window slightly after you have done. This dries the walls and you are fine. Winters are freezing with temperatures in Johannesburg dropping below zero. No insulation in the houses, brrrrrrrr
As a Paulista who dates someone from the Paraná, i always get angry at all the houses with real wood on their walls, when most of our state have houses made of stones or bricks.
Full masonry walls and ceilings not only are more robust and durable than the suggested walls in this video but also prevent noise propagation more efficiently than the suggested walls (especially when you live in an apartment); not to mention that in the event of a fire, you'll wish you had a full mansory home!!
Im Brazilian but have lived in the US for over 20 years. I can't make sense of walls in the houses in Brazil being brick/cement. I don't think they realize how maintenance and remodels can be easier with drywall. Ive hung 80 inch TV's in drywalls (studs) and have no problem. I recently had my kitchen redone and removed all walls for an open concept and they demolished all the walls in half a days work. It's insane to have brick walls inside the house.
@@P2EDUARDO I live in Miami. We get hurricanes every other year. Never had an issue. The outside walls are brick solid with layer of insulation before drywall.
Drywall is becoming a thing only in the last 10 years or so. Before that, it was pricey than build using brick/cement. It changed a little. Remember that building costs are pretty relevant over here.
I believe most of the problems regarding houses specific to southern Brazil might be related to the development of the country. Industry developed mainly in more central states (like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro), so the techniques that came to Brazil were taylored to the needs of those states. The rest of us had to deal with whatever was available to build. No other regions have the thermal amplitude that we have in southern Brazil.
I never had a house wall "cry" in Brazil, I've lived in the southeast for more than 30 years! We did have issues with mold though. On the other side we don't have all the issues with plumbing, leaks, termites, and fire hazards that I see in the US. Here in the US I hate how the central air system is always on in apartments, making noise and spreading dust, and the air gets so dry I need to get a humidifier to sleep well. The tiles on bathrooms and kitchens are to deal with the mold!
Tiles make a lot of sense in Brazil, actually, as they are cheaper and help to keep the cool in hot weather. Wooden floors and tops are quite expensive in the country and need more maintenance... I do prefer to use wood, however.
I'm a Brazilian that lives in Canada in the kind of wooden houses that you described. You can see even in your pictures, central HVAC doesn't bring in fresh air, it also just recirculates. To bring fresh air people might either just duct an hole from the outside to the supply and return sides of the HVAC, or install an HRV or ERV. The condensation probably is likely due to poor ventilation, and yeah also due to lack of breathability of the cement instead when compared to drywall
That's a nice video. Congratulations. In Brazil, Labor is cheap and materials are expensive. Blocks and cement are cheaper than drywall and wood or steel studs. So people buy the cheapest materials and use cheap labor to build the house, not caring to much about how much time it'll take to build the house. The labor usually represents 30% of the total price of building a house here. Also, blocks, cement, stone countertops and ceramic tiles are stronger, more durable and easier to clean. On the 1st world, time is money. The labor is so much more expensive that it worth paying more on the materials if the construction time is faster. On US for example, labor is more than 50% of the cost of building a house. And people usually don't clean up their houses too much...
If one day I build a house, probably gonna look for those issues, I'd love to have a hallway and a insulated house. I don't like the way we do houses actually in Brazil, but it's a problem to change these things because it's an cultural characteristic. I've already talked to a lot of people, all of them said that dry wall houses are too weak, and our houses are strong. I mean, strong for what exactly? In a war or a disaster this is not gonna change much.
Please show this video to all the architects and constructors in this country. I second all your points. There are so much wrong in the way people build their houses here, the cities, etc. Problem is that, I only realized it after 9 years in Germany. I generally find homes there much cosier than the ones around here. So the solution would be to send everyone to spend some time abroad to refresh their minds.
just buy a solar system, which is very cheap theses days, install an ac and keep it on, that humidity won't be a problem. also, to the north the dew point is much higher, but temps don't change that much, that's why it seems that there is a bit drier, but in fact it isn't, besonderes in summer.
Brasilian homes will survive for generations we have a house in the family that is over 120 years old, no AC made of stone and wood, the addition is brick great ventilation, and the addition is below ground level it never gets warm above 68 degrees.
I would love to have central AC at home... But the tariffs here are out of the ordinary, turning everything quite expensive. And since Brazil doesn't have a powerful industry we have to import every technology.
If I am not wrong, its just like Portugal ! There are some germans and italians homes in south, the old ones are just like the europeans, but its hard to see something modern. Its a very honest video mate !
I lived my whole life in Brazil, and now its been a year I'm living in Australia. Plaster walls here, everywhere. My room gets the afternoon sun, and it feels like a sauna inside. Also, sound isolation is not as good with plaster walls as it is with brick ones.
@@hendikaf3525 Not sure about other cities, but in Curitiba heating for water (kitchen, bathroom sink and shower) are pretty usual. Most of them are using gas instead of electricity that can't handle very low temperatures, so it doesn't heat the water properly. Gas is better for that. About heating the environment (air) is still something you find more on mansions or very expensive apartments.
anti-humidity / heat isolation => non-existent in building culture, but we didn't get asbestis cancer plaster / dry wall => fire hazard, lack of acoustic isolation, flimsiness no hallway => cheap homes, trying to fit living conditions in 50m^2
Interessantes os seus comentários, uma dúvida: você comentou a respeito de plasterboards e drywall nas paredes internas da casa, comparando com a sujeira que quebrar as paredes de cimento cria, a minha dúvida é, se vc tivesse essas paredes não teria precisado quebrar do mesmo jeito para colocar uma nova tomada? qual seria a diferença? existem placas especiais que abrem e fecham? - pergunto isso porque sou ignorante no asunto mesmo. Primeira vez que assisto seu canal, e eu moro no RJ e não sabia que inclusive o teto precisa ser isolado termicamente para manter o frio - valeu pela dica! Abraço.
I am not sure if there is a business opportunity as I think only foreigners living in Brazil would be a central AC. Its a cultural thing here in Brazil to have individual ac units
Humidity is one of the biggest problems I have here It is also no use opening the windows to let in fresh air, because outside it is also damp. 80 - 90 % humidity is quite a lot Maybe the walls are not properly insulated in the ground, ? so that moisture penetrating the earth is absorbed by the wall like a sponge. the problem is that mold forms, which can be very harmful to health. It might be where you can't see it like underneath the roof ... I suspect that I cannot tolerate the moisture in terms of health. I never have been sick so often in my live since the two years I'm here now. Heat is okay, but... That's why I'm thinking about moving north after all. But as somebody said, it's not even better. So I'm somehow helpless.. Yes, everything is covered with tiles. You feel like you're in a sterile hospital. I don't really like that. The sofa is 2 meters away from the parking space of the car. Here is a glass door and I can look at my car from the living room. Strange to me 😅 One consideration would be to build your house so you could create everything according to your wishes, but I have no experience in that. Probably aimed at trouble, cost, stress .. Maybe it takes 10 years to finish such a house... ?
I agree that humidity is the biggest problem. I was also very sick at the beginning when I arrived in Brazil. The solution like you said is probably to build your own house but it will be very stressful.
The "sterile" houses is a contemporary issue... It is now a trend here in Brazil to build these shiny shoeboxes, with flat roofs, lots of polished tiles, shining metals and lots of glass. It has become the norm, almost to the point that people think it is "weird" to build a new house with tiled roof, wood and more traditional materials. They spend millions on these houses, never questioning anything... But one thing I've noticed, is that a lot of these mac mansions are sold within a year or two after the owners move in. They feel uncomfortable in their shoebox houses, because these houses don't offer a sense of coziness every house should offer, what with all the "coldness". But after spending so much on these houses, after being convinced by the trendy architects that this is the way to go, they will never admit that they don't feel good inside their shiny house, and just quietly sell and move to a more traditional house. You can find an excess of these houses for sale here in Brazil, and there is a reason for that, one that most people can't quite put their finger on it, or just want to sweep under the rug: these houses can't offer comfort.
@@MedievalFantasyTVYes, on point.. I recognized the cold atmosphere right away. I assume it's just an imagination of upper class having to be sterile, and architecture is just drawing a few rectangles on a paper.... 😊
I lived in Ireland and different places in Brazil, and most issues are related to cultural aspects. In Ireland, we don´t have air conditioners to cool the house in summer, just heaters, if you want to cool your home, you need to open the windows, hehe. If you go to Portugal, you will see basically the same issues related here, I know that from experience. Not sure what is your line of work, but it could be an opportunity for you to explore, it could be a profitable business. The unique place that does not have the same issues you said here, is in the US. The houses look fragile because they are not built with stone or brick, in mostly of cases, however, they offer everything that you said in this video.
Agree 100% about everything. Brazilian homes are not as welcoming as American or European homes. Too much cement an tiles, make it really unwelcoming. I prefer wood and carpeting. Not to mention the lack of heating and a/c. It's slowly becoming common place. You freeze in the winter and suffocate in the summer ( in the south anyway...)
1. Humidity - Central air conditioning is expensive. That's why you don't see them much in cheap houses. 2. Insulation - Brick is already a good material for insulation. But as the climate gets hotter and hotter, we definitely need more insulation methods. 3. Cement walls - I guess they are cheaper than drywall. 4. Tiles everywhere - Brazilians like to WASH the floors frequently. You can't do that with wooden floors. 5. No hallway - land in Brazil is extremely expensive, so the houses are tiny and people don't have the space they want.
@@ArtexandreFuzaro yeah termites are a big thing in Brazil. Wood is always a worry. I guess there are some treatments to make the wood resistance to termites, but then again: cost.
Drywalls are cheaper as the material itself is cheaper, what is expensive is the fact there is basically no one with enough knowledge (know-how) to handle this material.
@@shyguy.654 There are natural woods that are termite-resistant or you can apply some resistance against that on general woods (ofc it won't last forever).
I do like the tiles I'll be honest. In the US, most homes have carpet or wood floors, though you do see more tile in warmer areas, and of course it's common in kitchens and bathrooms like in Sweden. Especially in hot climates, tiles seem cooler and they're definitely easier to clean and less allergenic than things like carpets. They also don't warp like wood can when it gets wet.
@@MrStv1163 The problem with carpet is that it accumulates a lot of dust, including on the underside, it is difficult to clean and a headache if you spill any liquid or your pet vomits or pee on it. Many people are also allergic to carpet fabric.
I only lived in a wood house for about 8 months but my experience was horrible. I have a hard stand for concrete/cement/ceramic tiles against drywall and wood any time.
Take a look at Chile, you'll find much more central heating, insulation, drywall and it's so close to Brazil and yet so different in many ways, much more developed in this regard. This is visible in Santiago, Pucon, Punta Arenas etc.
How about no screens on the windows??? When I went to visit my in laws for the first time the windows were open and the lights were on at night! The house was swarming with insects! I went out the next day and installed screens on every window I could!
Building a house out of steel frame is a good idea. The only thing is that, I am a bit unsure about how easy it will be to sell the house in the future though
You got to understand that half of the brazilian shits in a hole. Insulation is much lower in the brazilian priority list. But yeah, richer people could get some of that. Gramado in RS is a city in which insulation is much more common, mainly because of the colder climate than the rest of the country.
My biggest problems with Brazilian homes are: immovable brick/cement furniture (beds, couches); electric showers that don't heat properly; and inferior sewage systems that easily get clogged. What I love about Brazilian homes is that many come with hammock hooks; barbeques and swimming pools.
@@joaov.m.oliveira9903 Lol, I can guess. I am looking for a house in the Northeast, there is a lot of that stuff going on there. Mostly in houses of the previous century. I am guessing it was done at the time because it was cheap and durable.
The only place in Brazil I have seen some good adaptation for the cold was Gramado the rest just don't care and don't even know such thing exists. Imagine you living in Sweden without heating, insulation??
Gramado is like this because of high tourism, so this city is used as "example" and if they do it wrong, it will be very bad for the city. There is a lot of tourist coming from hot regions, so everything (especially hotel and commercial stores) MUST be adapted to them to feel comfortable and come back.
I learned how backwards we are by watching americans building their homes. That's why I fell in love with a new construction method that uses EPS (an industrial type of styrofoam) because it's biggest advantage is the insulation.
I think the lack of a hallway or foyer has to do with the habit by Brazilians of not taking off their coats or shoes when they enter a home. This is starting to change in São Paulo at least. Especially after COVID Humidity and temperature control is indeed neglected and a novel concept to many medium and small construction companies in Brazil. I am lucky to live in a warm and windy city so that I did not have to think too much about it either. I think most Brazilians like tile floors because it is easier to clean with a wet mop. Again, the lack of habit of taking off their shoes makes the floor in constant need of cleaning.
Meus pais constuiram sua casa e anos depois percebem os erros no planejamento, muito por causa de pobreza e vão construindo a casa aos poucos, e muito também porque deixam na mao do pedreiro planejar
I’m Brazilian, and all of this is tied to our culture, customs, and the way construction works in Brazil, my friend. I currently live and work in construction in Australia, and in many ways, I understand your perspective. However, I have my own observations about how houses are built here in Australia compared to Brazil. Out of everything you mentioned, I only agree with the point that houses in Brazil could benefit from better thermal insulation and ventilation systems. However, these are rarely considered priorities because they are expensive and not seen as essential. Generally, we don’t think it’s a big deal, and when a house is well-designed, these issues are often minimized. Perhaps your experience involved specific regions or houses that weren’t properly built, but that doesn’t represent the norm. We build in a way that makes sense to us. Another key point is that, in Brazil, construction labor is not as highly valued as it is in other countries. This allows us to have workers on-site for longer periods, using methods that are more robust to us, like building with concrete and bricks, rather than opting for "quick" solutions like plasterboard. Culturally, many Brazilians dislike hollow walls. We also prefer solid floors, such as porcelain tiles, over wood that might creak when you walk on it. This reflects our preference for durability and the idea of a clean, organized home. For example, we use glossy porcelain tiles because they’re easy to clean and give a sense of hygiene. On top of that, many families in Brazil have access to domestic workers to help with cleaning, something that’s not as common in many other countries. This fixation on cleanliness is deeply cultural. I’ve lived in Ireland, London, and now Australia, and at first, I was shocked by how people clean their homes: it’s often superficial, with carpets covering everything and just being vacuumed. I always wondered-what about the dirt beneath the surface? But again, this is a matter of culture. In Brazil, I find our construction methods very intelligent. Maybe what we lack is thermal insulation, but this doesn’t affect us much because we’ve grown up in a climate that doesn’t demand extreme solutions. We build in a way that’s adapted to our reality, and for us, it works. In summary, I don’t agree with most of your criticisms. For me and many Brazilians, what you said doesn’t make much sense because it comes from a culturally different perspective. Perhaps you could have used your time in Brazil to learn more about our culture and why we build the way we do, enriching your understanding with this diversity.
Do you go tô thailand, vietna, Uruguai, etc is the same👍and do you know the problem with the paper house? the problem with paper houses is that they fly or sink 👍
Yeah central heating and cooling would be crazy expensive to the average person here. And insulating material would increase costs too much, people can only afford the bare minimal essential items of living. This is rampant crime, rampant corruption, low trust, low education, low comfort society surviving on bare minimums not thriving and living.
The reason is simple: Although services are cheap in Brazil, things are expensive. Every physical product you buy is expensive. That's the reason the houses are crappy. (I'm from Brazil, I know how it is).
The problems with Brazilian homes: Ugly modern architecture... Esse é o centro de todos os problemas. Problemas com isolamento acústico e PRINCIPALMENTE térmico, esgoto é um projeto muito antigo, casas muito coladas umas as outras (se for pra fazer casa germinada, faça logo prédinhos), muros são feios e altos, acho que as pessoas odeiam árvores... Enfim, são muitos problemas, inclusive urbanísticos. Obs: Nunca vi parede suando... Sua casa é a pior KKKKKK Zueira.
Cara, umidade é realmente um problema comum em casas brasileiras, mas essa parede chorando não é normal não! Eu nunca vi nada parecido 😮
Yup, true enough.
Acontecer aqui em Foz do Iguaçu, ocasionalmente no inverno, quando tem duas dias consecutivos com temperaturas máximas muito diferente,mas não é muito común aqui.
Tem gente que usa o mofo da parede para comida e remédio caseiro
The crying walls happen a couple of times a year in my town when there is a really big change in temperature
@@lucasb0rges Usar mofo para comida? Como assim? Nunca vi isso não. 🤨
One thing gringos must understand: EVERYTHING here is 3, 4, 5 times what would cost for europeans or americans. Take the price os gasoline for example, in Sweden: 1.53 US dollars per liter. In Brazil it is 1,05 US dollars. So gas in 35% cheaper here. How much a swedish earns per month? Average of $2.900 per month. How much a brazilian earns per month? Around $600. So the average swedish gets paid almost 5 times more than a brazilian. And pays only 35% more in gas prices. This is a little example of how EVRYTHING here is stupidly expansive and why most people cant afford central heating and insulation and all the rest.
exactly! In addition to the cost to implement which is very high, the cost to maintain is higher. For example, I have a heating system in my apartment for the winter here in the South of Brazil, the monthly cost in Gas is around R$: 600 to 800. What Brazilian has R$: 800 to spend per month on heating? 99.99% do not.
But the point is that. even the rich, with their giant homes, so called "alto padrao", don't apply most of the things he mentioned in the video. So it's not really only a matter about money, but a matter about ignorance/knowledge, or lack thereof. Eg. this trend of new houses being built with flat roofs, even though we live in a rainy/humid country. No surprise lots of people end up having leakage related issues.
Yeah everything is relevative. However there is a large chunk of gringos who work remotely and keep their gringo salary while working in Brazil.
Then there's another chunk that get paid in USD and they think immediately you must be rich but it's europeans and American companies taking advantage of the cheap labor.. Yeah you get paid in USD. But it's the equilivent to a brazilian salary.. Maybe SLIGHTLY more
This guy seems to hate Brazil.... He can go back to Sweden if he don't like it lol
Btw, there are better words for "gringo" that you guys can use, like foreigner, expat, etc. It's less passive-agressive and less silly. Just saying.
Lived in Brazil my whole life and I've never seen a wall that humid
👍
sou de São Paulo e nunca tinha visto, até que fui para um hotel estilo chique em Blumenau em Santa Catarina, um prédio que parece empresarial com janelas espelhos, e toda manhã por trás das cortinas que iam do teto ao chão estava a parede completamente molhada chorando como mostrado neste vídeo. O quarto não tinha sinais de mofo, talvez o ar condicionado ajudasse, mas fiquei surpresa com a água na parede
Wooden homes need a lot of maintenance in hot and humid weather... Besides the scorching heat and risk of termites, there is also the destructive combination of heat and sunlight during Summers, which really make the wood decay faster. Also, wood is susceptible to rot and decay in consistently wet environments, requiring careful selection of wood types and treatments, which can be much more expensive than brick and concrete. Plus, brick and concrete tends to last much longer...
Good points 👍
@@jonpirovsky Termite is really a huge issue in Tropical and/or Subtropical environments.
Very good points. I'm Brazilian and I don't get why we need internal fortress walls and shiny tiles everywhere. The living room thing is probably due to the social nature of Brazilian culture. People used to visit each other a lot in the past. To the point that they actually called it "visit room" instead of living room.
I did not know that Brazilians used to call living rooms 'visit rooms'. It makes sense
@@nordicinvestoryes, my grandma used to call it "Sala de Visitas"
Tiles are great in kitchen, bathroom and most floors. Yeah, they don't look as good and cozy as wood, but is just very easy to clean, higienic and nice for hot enviroments (most of the country climate, actually). Thanks arabic influence for our love for tiles 😊
Indeed. And on the topic of it not feeling inviting, I will say that inversely I felt very cramped walking into european homes, like I was walking into someone's back closet.
We have those because of safety concerns. Up until the 70s, houses in Brazil had lower walls (if at all) and less of an fortress look on them. That changed during the later end of the military dictatorship when house break-ins started to get really common, so one of the safety measures the populace did was to surround itself with high walls (About 2 to 3 meters tall). Then it proceeded to have iron fences and even barbed wire and shattered glass fences on the top of the walls, but the later were turned ilegal in the early 2000s.
And about the tiles: They're not only a cultural thing (thank you, arabs and muslims!) but they're also better for heat dissipation. Wood is very good for insulation, but if you live in the non-cold areas of Brazil (the vast majority of the country), living in a wood house is asking to be cooked alive even if your house has a lot of airways. Masonry is better for warm climates because it allows to disperse the heat, but if you go to places like Gramado you'll see a LOT of wooden, nordic european houses.
I tried explaining the concept of wall borders and insulation to my girlfriend, and she couldn't understand ... Hopefully, one day 😂
😂
One major disadvantage of plaster walls or drywalls is installing shelfs or support for heavy stuff (such as a TV support, for instance). Cement walls allow for some really sturdy stuff to hang from it, such as hammock hooks, for instance...
Very true, super heavy things are difficult to hang on plasterboards
But not if you catch one of the holes in the brick... happened to me..
Btw: there are certain screws for plasterboards, that lock behind the board
@@tobiaslieblein2686 yeah, there's plenty of workarounds for each case, but the max load is invariably limited with plaster/drywalls regardless... I had a drywall failing me once due to a poorly installed hammock hook, that's why it's the first thing that came to mind.
@@jonpirovsky that's why u screw it on to centre of the timber, r put extra timbers around it ,havein a hammock in the house over proper insulated walls shouldn't be your main priority here
@@shanehopper100 hammocks are very common in Brazil, so it's a legit concern... And insulation isn't restricted to plaster/drywalls, it can be perfectly done with brick and cement walls as well. I'm just pointing out the tradeoff between each method. Plaster and drywalls are also less common in construction in Brazil, so they tend to be more expensive generally...
I used to say to my Swedish friends that "it is difficult to find beauty outside the mirror”, and your remarks endorse my point. For me it is also strange that Swedish houses have so few bathrooms and showers, bathrooms with carpet instead of tiles in the ground, open balcony in a very could environment, etc, etc. Nevertheless, I have learned that, in different countries, everything has a reason to be like it is…. Kram !
There are definitely lots of problems with Swedish houses as well. I might do a video about this in the future.
I am brazilian living in Helsinki, Finland. I work with renovations and have been working in a lot of centuries old wooden houses. One thing that is very common in old houses and apartments in here is the lack of a window in the bathrooms. But I've never seen a carpet in a bathroom here, I saw that in London. 😂
@@jorgepiresjunior I think I have used the unpropriate term "bathroon" ... instead I shoud use "lavabo" or "restroon", etc .....
Well, brick houses are the superior choice to drywall, anytime. It's way more resistant to anything, more durable and makes all walls 100% airtight.
The insulation isn't really a problem with those brick houses in the Southern Brazilian climate if they're built properly: they need to be built above ground, the floor can't really touch the ground, so the house needs to sit above the ground in a slab of concrete like half a meter over the dirt. Furthermore, there's no need to insulate the walls in this climate as a simple metal woodstove in a open kitchen/living/dining room (which are most all blended together nowadays) makes most of the house warm. I agree with the need for double pane and airtight windows. Those do really make the split ACs work hard as hell.
Making a house without bricks here is completely nonsensical as those plaster boards and wood would totally be destroyed by mold if you don't have a central cooling system runing 24/7 all year around, which is expensive as hell and most of the year they're not really needed. Central cooling and heating 24/7 is one of the stupidest things the developed world does that fucks up the environment as it's not really necessary to achieve comfortable temperatures and most of them ain't efficient as split ACs and their heat pumps. And, lets remember, when the temperatures are in the range 10 ºC to 28 ºC nobody really needs climate control, just put or take off some clothes. Sweatpants and hoodie in the winter or boxer shorts without shirt in the summer. You're at your own home, dude. Maybe, just maybe, for sleeping, when above 25 ºC, AC may be necessary...
For humidity inside the house, I just use those peltier dehumidifiers inside my wardrobes, cabinets and other storage places that get humid. Boom, humidity solved for what? 20 W of power each. In the kitchen, yes it can get very humid when it's winter and people cook with the windows closed. The solution is agains simple but most people don't realise it: stove exhaust fan! Simple, cheap and not energy intensive.
Following those simple guidelines, you'll never have any problem with humidity in Brazil.
Thanks for all the suggestions
It probably has a lot to do with money. All that stuff adds a lot of money to a new build. It's my understanding that they're now using waterproof cement to finish the exterior of the walls protecting the house from water and moisture.
i'm Brazilian, and agree with everything you said.. haha
i'm a more wood guy, next year i'm building a Scandinavian style cabin, with insulation, hot water and drywall..
Sounds great 😃
Since I was a kid I've been watching movies and series (mostly from America and Europe) and all of them shows people not caring if its cold or hot outside, their homes could handle it and everything was adapted while here seems to be a very undeveloped where nothing evolves in this regard. People helps this to not evolve by saying the cold is short and we shouldn't care about wasting time adapting insulation, heating or anything else. Some more ignorant say "this is an American thing, avoid it!" or "this is for the rich only".
The issue isn't just about the climate, but also about noise or sound and electricity. I'll explain why... You don't see soundproof glasses, walls and floor (especially on apartments) which can lead to problems with the neighbors. Electricity is a problem too, especially for houses, there is no surge protection, if there is much lightning during a storm and power outages, you might have huge issues with your devices that are plugged-in to a socket. So, take that into account as well.
Good point about the electrics and problems with a surge from thunder storms
I lived in Pelotas, and there it's not just the humidity in the air, but the constant rain that infiltrates water into all the spaces
One of the main reasons for not installing systems or using appropriate materials to solve these problems is the average annual income of the Brazilian people, which is between 8,000 and 10,000 dollars. In a ranking of per capita income, among a little over 160 countries, Brazil is practically in position 100. Another reason is that they believe that the house made of concrete, steel and solid brick is strong and solid and does not catch fire as easily as wood and other materials, is not blown away by the wind, and can even be bulletproof. It also does not make noise like a wooden house when you walk inside it. You don't build a castle with plaster or wood, it's supposed to be made of stone.
Wise words! (sábias palavras). [...noise like a wooden house when you walk inside it.]
the "bulletproof" part was for real? lol
lol
@@Covenant1984 You don't build a castle with plaster or wood, it's supposed to be made of stone. 😃
@@ofranzoficial You don't build a castle with plaster or wood, it's supposed to be made of stone. 😄
Insulation is a big issue in Brazilian houses. I used to live in Germany and, when I came back to Brazil, I lived some time in Teresópolis, which is high up in the mountains of Rio de Janeiro. I had a much harder time during Winter there than back in Germany precisely due to the lack of insulation.
I too have a harder time with winter here in Brazil than in Sweden
@@jonpirovsky And our winters are humid af, this is a huge problem, especially for those not used to "humidity" during this season.
I can't imagine that. I'm from the south and lived in São Paulo, which is somewhere in between the two in terms of climate. To me, Rio seems like an eternal summer and must be much better in terms of humidity and mold. Your comment comparing to Germany is shocking, insulation indeed must make a big difference.
Brazil is so hot that we like to enjoy a few days of cold weather. Insulation would be good in the hot days, though.
@otavio.a.8.r Teresópolis averages at 1000m high and I lived out of the city center at an even higher altitude, so it would get quite cold during Winter. Since most houses have no insulation, I felt like freezing most of the time...
As a Brazilian, I thought we were just supposed to deal with mold. I currently live in Mexico City and it seems we have the same house issues, minus the humidity. But every winter I’m reminded tile floors are no bueno. Thank you for sharing
@@gambarusso Don’t be complacent dude. Find a way to prevent mold before it makes its way into your system.
Thanks for sharing!
I used to live in an island and wow how everything in the house went bad sooner or later with the salty air, from shoes delaminating to electronics suddenly not working anymore, I had to leave windows open 24/7 for airflow.
Humidity levels are actually quite high up North as well. The whole coast of Brazil is quite humid, and humidity levels are quite high around rainforest areas. The difference to the southern part of the country is that it's usually humidity + heat, which can be quite difficult to withstand...
Thanks for the explanation!
Exactly. The only dry parts of the country are located in the center (Midwest and the inner part of northeast). And depends on the season.
I must say your analysis is spot on.
I should also mention that high humidity, mold and cold weather can also be problematic in Brazilians bathrooms.
It's difficult to use the toilet when it's so cold, to have a shower is another problem especially when your bathroom uses electric shower. There is no heat inside the bathroom and what you've shown during 1:44 can also happen in the bathroom.
Most bathrooms during winter, when you enter it you notice that it's like entering a very cold and humid cave.
To use the bathroom, some use a portable electric heater but still problematic in the most part the fact there is missing adaptation. The portable electric heat is what I call "a band-aid solution" and not a proper solution for the problem.
Very true, bathrooms get very cold and humid as well
01: there's no Air Handlers available in the brazilian market, so it's impossible to have domestic central AC systems.
02: brick walls already helps to insulate the house against the heat (the problem is cold weather), most of the heat comes though the roof and the windows. This being said, having triple glazed windows and insulated roofs would already improve significantly the thermal confort inside brazilian houses.
03: most brazilians wouldn't be able to afford the electricity bill if we had central AC systems.
04: having tiles applied over the walls helps cleasing the bathroom with water/desinfectant solutions.
04: gypsum is expensive in Brazil and there's not a lot of people with technical know-how in drywall.
05: having internal brick walls helps to improve the overall structural integrity. But, of couse, there's is no denial that it has a lot of disadvantages, poor Wi-Fi performance.g.
I agree with Insolation, it def should be a must, and as you said, it's good for warm and cold weather. However, wooden home maintenance is a pain with wooden houses. Wooden expands a lot with the sun, and humidity also rottens it down very easily.
Even to use things like air conditioners, insulation would help a lot maintaining the cold weather, and reducing the cost.
👍
I've lived in Brazil for 3 years now and am looking to buy a house/ big apartment soon, and I've been worried and trying to find solutions to some of the same problems you mention:
- Humidity. I have a lot of books, old photographs, various other things that are very dear to me that would be ruined by humidity. I also just don't want to live in a mouldy place and have to clean all the time or risk my health. As you mentioned the central AC systems are the best solution, but are there any reliable companies to do this? In combination of maybe building double brick walls for better insulation. Are there any other alternatives?
- Mosquitoes / insects if you live close to the forest / a park in the city. Has an easy solution for indoors, just put up screens on doors/windows. However, what to do outside? E.g. if you have a swimming pool or garden?
- Delicate plumbing. Even after 3 years I can't get over throwing my toilet paper in the small bin. In an apartment you're stuck with whatever they built. If you have a house, my guess is this can be solved by using wider and thicker PVC pipes along with ensuring you flush with enough water.
- Low Water pressure. Again, in apartment you're probably stuck with what you have, in house you can install your own pump to increase pressure. This might however mean you need to get heavier duty taps etc and double check joints/sealing of threads etc.
Any tips/comments/corrections/alternative solutions welcome :)
Just don't put the furniture against the wall and everything should be fine. Or books in a box on the floor. Things generally don't get moist, just the wall get moist, not objects. With big temperature changes the walls and floor create water sometimes, which can wet the books and cause problems. I've never had a problem with anything stored or on a shelf getting wet, just the wall and things leaning against it.
The guy in the video is only dramatic because he lived in a dry and cold country and now he's in a tropical country and everything is new. Most of the things he says are pretty standard in tropical countries. He probably does a series of wrong things that anyone living in a tropical country would know not to do, like depending on the weather I don't even open the house because I know it will fill with water, but he has no idea hahaha
Central AC systems are very rare and I have not found a good company to install them yet but I am researching it. Double brick walls with insulation is a good option or a wood/steel frame house with insulation is another option. There are companies that do this type of build on Brazil. I did a video about mosquitos in brazil recently, please check it out. The plumbing is annoying, i know that some new planned neighbourhoods have better plumbing and allow you to throw toilet paper down the toilet.
@fietaboys7403 I am building a house in state of São Paulo. My solutions were:
1- humidity: Built my house with large windows, many of them facing North for better sunlight during winter season. Made sure to have windows on opposite side of the house for passive ventilation.
2-Critters: can't think of a better solution than calling pest control once a year or two. They are not very expensive if your condo agrees to have an overall pest extermination and ask them to provide extra services to your unit. Planting citrus trees like lemons can also avoid some bugs. Some people place bird feeders too as they are natural predators to bugs.
3- Delicate plumbing. Your solution is indeed the one I adopted. On top of that you might opt for a toilet without flush tank, but with water coming straight from the water reservoir (caixa de água). However this solution will make you use more water than necessary and if you have plumbing problems, it will require to break the walls. Avoid unreformed houses that are 50 years plus as their plumbing are usually made of cast iron.
4- low water pressure. In our case we just raised higher the water reservoir and appropriately sized the plumbing diameter. But sure you can use pumps depending on the situation.
Best of luck
Mosquito: compre um aparelho que colocamos nas tomadas. Simples!
Another video which relates exactly to my experiences!
Here in Foz do Iguaçu, where we experience extremely heavy rainfall on occasion a problem can be leaking roofs.
Having had some electrical training while working in Europe the state of electrical installations here can be alarming. Even in new and very expensive residences. The problem is the 'A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing ' syndrome. Practically anyone can call themselves 'An Electrician' at least certainly in Paraná state, with no formal training or qualification. You can go to any electrical Retailer and buy all the materials you like, and freely work on anything electrical beyond the electricity companies meter, and your installation requires no formal, official inspection and sign off. This however can be positive as, I completely rewired my home, and saved R$1000s.
Too thin cable and overrated circuit breakers are common, but will only manifest a problem if what is running on them is working to full or near to full power. Another gripe I have is in bathrooms and Kitchens electrical sockets far too close to water.
Here in Paraná we have a dual voltage mains supply 127/220v both socket outlets are the same shape and size! It is common to have a double outlet with one of each! You may get '220v' in pencil or a little sticker on one, but the correct method now is to use a red surround to 220v outlets. No earthing or IDR protection even on shower circuits is also a common failing. The official National standard for domestic electrical installations ie NBR 5410 is a actually very good I think, but unfortunately to follow its requirements and recommendations fully will simply be too expensive (or troublesome) for many people
You make a good point about the electrics!
Great observations! The single pane windows don't block the noise very either, which is a huge deal in big cities. I ended up installing additional inside windows to block the street noice.
Good point, single pane windows are really bad at blocking the outside noise.
When I bring this up people get mad at me, but when you check Argentina and Uruguay you notice that is much better developed in this regard. Brazilian homes need more effort regarding adding insulation and heating (especially for the ones far south). People build houses from North to South as if the climate were the same everywhere, and basically 99% with the same stuff, rarely you see a house that isn't build on concrete and brick. Caring about humidity? People doesn't even care about this, even when there is mold.
Totally agree with you!
building a house in Brazil has always been MUCH more expensive than in Argentina/Uruguay and especially Europe. And to make matters worse, Brazil has always been protectionist, preventing foreign products from arriving in Brazil, which is why innovation here costs even more. It's been about 10 years since the most modern construction technologies arrived even in small towns, but only extremely rich people can afford them. That's why brick and concrete houses will continue to be the standard here for an indefinite period of time.
Those countries have a climate much more consistent throughout the year than Brazil. Also, the cost for building houses with those characteristics are much lower there than in Brazil, as pointed out by someone.
Sorry but this is low education low iq society and people can not do smart planning on their houses that takes climmate in consideration that's too complicated for their minds and no sense of visual aesthetic and culture so everywhere looks the same top to bottom of the country.
The whole tiled walls help with the mold issue.
In the city of São Paulo, in neighborhoods with houses, most of houses do not have gardens, all the property (backyard and front yards) are tiled.
Good point, it does help with the mold 👍
Can confirm, one day my dad decided to tile the front and backyard, because "it's easier to clean", pissed me off. I'm not sure, but i think this tiling fetish came from the Portuguese, as tiles were a show of status.
Great video! I am brazilian and consider these kind of analysis really important - construction companies do need to adapt and improve to build better homes in Brazil. Cheers!
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What I envy about your country is the quality of the sidewalk/pavement. There is no comparison to our country. Poles without a mess of tangled wires are also welcoming.
Well this having nothing to do with the video, but I just wanted to mention it cause rarely someone notices how bad are our sidewalks and poles.
One of the reasons I avoid living in the south is that I'm afraid of the cold weather and the fact nothing there is made for avoid this. People think if its 0°C outside, inside must also be 0°C. No comfort at all.
The cold winters can be tough here in the south!
@@nordicinvestor Our winters don't need to be like Sweden to be cold, as you've said, the high humidity plus no adaptation to the cold and hot weather is a huge con. As some say, even if the winter doesn't last long, it's not comfy to be feeling cold. The cold is a pain even if it doesn't last long.
So true about the tiles, first time I came I thought all the houses felt like doctor offices lol
In the North of Brazil, humidity can be 80% to 100%. I have a friend from Russia. He had serious problem to breathe in 100% humidity air. He said its like trying to breathe underwater and the air was like "thicker" than normal. For me that is used to that I did not understand anything he said.
I did not know humidity was so high in the north as well
@@nordicinvestor It is very humid but not cold when compared to the South of Brazil. I'm from Belém do Pará, here the minimum temperature is usually 24°C, it can get to 23°C or 22°C if it rains too much the whole day, so during night or morning you can get this temperature, the maximum temperature is usually 32°C, but can go high like 36°C. The feels-like temperature is usually higher due to high humidity. When it's 25°C, it tends to feels-like 30°C. This week we had 36°C but feeling-like 41°C. Even during dry season, the humidity tend to stay above 80%. The lowest humidity I've ever seen was 55% and it was during 14 pm which tends to be the hottest part of the day.
Not only its very expensive for us, but except by the Southern Region, the rest of country is very dry in the colder months
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i live in in the northeast of brazil and at afternoons i like to take a nap at the tiled floor, better than a hammoc to dissipate the heat
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Vai para Minas Gerais que você terá uma qualidade de vida maravilhosa.
Minas gerais is a very nice state 👍
Most countries in the Southern Hemisphere have houses that do not have double glazing, central heating and insulation. In South Africa one way to avoid mold is when you shower or bath you open a window slightly after you have done. This dries the walls and you are fine. Winters are freezing with temperatures in Johannesburg dropping below zero. No insulation in the houses, brrrrrrrr
As a Paulista who dates someone from the Paraná, i always get angry at all the houses with real wood on their walls, when most of our state have houses made of stones or bricks.
Full masonry walls and ceilings not only are more robust and durable than the suggested walls in this video but also prevent noise propagation more efficiently than the suggested walls (especially when you live in an apartment); not to mention that in the event of a fire, you'll wish you had a full mansory home!!
The suggested walls are now fire-rated so it can resist fire up to four hrs.
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Im Brazilian but have lived in the US for over 20 years. I can't make sense of walls in the houses in Brazil being brick/cement. I don't think they realize how maintenance and remodels can be easier with drywall. Ive hung 80 inch TV's in drywalls (studs) and have no problem. I recently had my kitchen redone and removed all walls for an open concept and they demolished all the walls in half a days work. It's insane to have brick walls inside the house.
Totally agree with you!
And american houses tend to be swept away so easily too!!
@@P2EDUARDO I live in Miami. We get hurricanes every other year. Never had an issue. The outside walls are brick solid with layer of insulation before drywall.
Drywall is becoming a thing only in the last 10 years or so. Before that, it was pricey than build using brick/cement. It changed a little. Remember that building costs are pretty relevant over here.
I believe most of the problems regarding houses specific to southern Brazil might be related to the development of the country. Industry developed mainly in more central states (like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro), so the techniques that came to Brazil were taylored to the needs of those states. The rest of us had to deal with whatever was available to build. No other regions have the thermal amplitude that we have in southern Brazil.
I never had a house wall "cry" in Brazil, I've lived in the southeast for more than 30 years! We did have issues with mold though. On the other side we don't have all the issues with plumbing, leaks, termites, and fire hazards that I see in the US.
Here in the US I hate how the central air system is always on in apartments, making noise and spreading dust, and the air gets so dry I need to get a humidifier to sleep well.
The tiles on bathrooms and kitchens are to deal with the mold!
minor detail that you left out about tile floors: it`s very common for them to EXPLODE when not installed properly to account for dilation lol
Tiles make a lot of sense in Brazil, actually, as they are cheaper and help to keep the cool in hot weather. Wooden floors and tops are quite expensive in the country and need more maintenance... I do prefer to use wood, however.
I prefer wood as well!
I stayed in São Luís one time near a hotel that had an outer facade of huge blue tiles. It looked like a giant, inverted shower stall 🚿 😂😂😂
@@JoaoSantos-lj3jp in that case, besides decoration, the tiles were also used as a form of thermal insulation of sorts...
I'm a Brazilian that lives in Canada in the kind of wooden houses that you described. You can see even in your pictures, central HVAC doesn't bring in fresh air, it also just recirculates. To bring fresh air people might either just duct an hole from the outside to the supply and return sides of the HVAC, or install an HRV or ERV. The condensation probably is likely due to poor ventilation, and yeah also due to lack of breathability of the cement instead when compared to drywall
Thanks for the info!
That's a nice video. Congratulations.
In Brazil, Labor is cheap and materials are expensive. Blocks and cement are cheaper than drywall and wood or steel studs. So people buy the cheapest materials and use cheap labor to build the house, not caring to much about how much time it'll take to build the house. The labor usually represents 30% of the total price of building a house here.
Also, blocks, cement, stone countertops and ceramic tiles are stronger, more durable and easier to clean.
On the 1st world, time is money. The labor is so much more expensive that it worth paying more on the materials if the construction time is faster. On US for example, labor is more than 50% of the cost of building a house. And people usually don't clean up their houses too much...
You make a great point, labor is cheap but materials expensive in Brazil
If one day I build a house, probably gonna look for those issues, I'd love to have a hallway and a insulated house.
I don't like the way we do houses actually in Brazil, but it's a problem to change these things because it's an cultural characteristic. I've already talked to a lot of people, all of them said that dry wall houses are too weak, and our houses are strong. I mean, strong for what exactly? In a war or a disaster this is not gonna change much.
We need strong houses when the wolf tries to blow it down 😂
Please show this video to all the architects and constructors in this country. I second all your points. There are so much wrong in the way people build their houses here, the cities, etc. Problem is that, I only realized it after 9 years in Germany. I generally find homes there much cosier than the ones around here. So the solution would be to send everyone to spend some time abroad to refresh their minds.
Good video.
Thanks
just buy a solar system, which is very cheap theses days, install an ac and keep it on, that humidity won't be a problem. also, to the north the dew point is much higher, but temps don't change that much, that's why it seems that there is a bit drier, but in fact it isn't, besonderes in summer.
cheap? the government just make it expensive
Does it come with Uranus? 😂😂😂
@@evertonsap kkkkkkkkkkkkk portunglish
No Hallways is definitely a modern home thing, many old colonial style houses do have hallways.
That's very true
Brasilian homes will survive for generations we have a house in the family that is over 120 years old, no AC made of stone and wood, the addition is brick great ventilation, and the addition is below ground level it never gets warm above 68 degrees.
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I would love to have central AC at home... But the tariffs here are out of the ordinary, turning everything quite expensive. And since Brazil doesn't have a powerful industry we have to import every technology.
Why is Brazil so heavy on Tariffs? Is it from the outside or is it your own goverment that put tariffs on foreign stuff?
@@zoom5024 The actual goverment loves to spend, therefore is taxing the hell out of us
If I am not wrong, its just like Portugal ! There are some germans and italians homes in south, the old ones are just like the europeans, but its hard to see something modern. Its a very honest video mate !
I lived my whole life in Brazil, and now its been a year I'm living in Australia.
Plaster walls here, everywhere.
My room gets the afternoon sun, and it feels like a sauna inside.
Also, sound isolation is not as good with plaster walls as it is with brick ones.
Good point
100% right , lets not forget many houses or condo do not have hot water...
Good point about hot water!
@@hendikaf3525 Not sure about other cities, but in Curitiba heating for water (kitchen, bathroom sink and shower) are pretty usual. Most of them are using gas instead of electricity that can't handle very low temperatures, so it doesn't heat the water properly. Gas is better for that.
About heating the environment (air) is still something you find more on mansions or very expensive apartments.
anti-humidity / heat isolation => non-existent in building culture, but we didn't get asbestis cancer
plaster / dry wall => fire hazard, lack of acoustic isolation, flimsiness
no hallway => cheap homes, trying to fit living conditions in 50m^2
Interessantes os seus comentários, uma dúvida: você comentou a respeito de plasterboards e drywall nas paredes internas da casa, comparando com a sujeira que quebrar as paredes de cimento cria, a minha dúvida é, se vc tivesse essas paredes não teria precisado quebrar do mesmo jeito para colocar uma nova tomada? qual seria a diferença? existem placas especiais que abrem e fecham? - pergunto isso porque sou ignorante no asunto mesmo. Primeira vez que assisto seu canal, e eu moro no RJ e não sabia que inclusive o teto precisa ser isolado termicamente para manter o frio - valeu pela dica! Abraço.
There is a space in-between the plasterboard and external wall and you can put cables in there without having the break the plasterboard
I love the different perspectives, and i might agree with you here there may be a nice business oportunity here in relation to central AC units
I am not sure if there is a business opportunity as I think only foreigners living in Brazil would be a central AC. Its a cultural thing here in Brazil to have individual ac units
@@nordicinvestor it's not cultural, it's about $$$
Humidity is one of the biggest problems I have here
It is also no use opening the windows to let in fresh air, because outside it is also damp.
80 - 90 % humidity is quite a lot
Maybe the walls are not properly insulated in the ground, ? so that moisture penetrating the earth is absorbed by the wall like a sponge.
the problem is that mold forms, which can be very harmful to health.
It might be where you can't see it like underneath the roof ...
I suspect that I cannot tolerate the moisture in terms of health. I never have been sick so often in my live since the two years I'm here now. Heat is okay, but...
That's why I'm thinking about moving north after all.
But as somebody said, it's not even better.
So I'm somehow helpless..
Yes, everything is covered with tiles. You feel like you're in a sterile hospital. I don't really like that.
The sofa is 2 meters away from the parking space of the car.
Here is a glass door and I can look at my car from the living room.
Strange to me 😅
One consideration would be to build your house so you could create everything according to your wishes, but I have no experience in that.
Probably aimed at trouble, cost, stress ..
Maybe it takes 10 years to finish such a house... ?
I agree that humidity is the biggest problem. I was also very sick at the beginning when I arrived in Brazil. The solution like you said is probably to build your own house but it will be very stressful.
I'd like to discuss that a bit further ... health /humidity, build house / stress..
The "sterile" houses is a contemporary issue... It is now a trend here in Brazil to build these shiny shoeboxes, with flat roofs, lots of polished tiles, shining metals and lots of glass. It has become the norm, almost to the point that people think it is "weird" to build a new house with tiled roof, wood and more traditional materials. They spend millions on these houses, never questioning anything... But one thing I've noticed, is that a lot of these mac mansions are sold within a year or two after the owners move in. They feel uncomfortable in their shoebox houses, because these houses don't offer a sense of coziness every house should offer, what with all the "coldness". But after spending so much on these houses, after being convinced by the trendy architects that this is the way to go, they will never admit that they don't feel good inside their shiny house, and just quietly sell and move to a more traditional house.
You can find an excess of these houses for sale here in Brazil, and there is a reason for that, one that most people can't quite put their finger on it, or just want to sweep under the rug: these houses can't offer comfort.
@@MedievalFantasyTVYes, on point..
I recognized the cold atmosphere right away.
I assume it's just an imagination of upper class having to be sterile, and architecture is just drawing a few rectangles on a paper.... 😊
I definitely miss an open space hallway in my house here in Blumenau SC.. As soon as open my door, there's a huge flat screen TV in my face! 😅
A big sofa, coffee table and TV in your face 😂
I lived in Ireland and different places in Brazil, and most issues are related to cultural aspects. In Ireland, we don´t have air conditioners to cool the house in summer, just heaters, if you want to cool your home, you need to open the windows, hehe. If you go to Portugal, you will see basically the same issues related here, I know that from experience. Not sure what is your line of work, but it could be an opportunity for you to explore, it could be a profitable business. The unique place that does not have the same issues you said here, is in the US. The houses look fragile because they are not built with stone or brick, in mostly of cases, however, they offer everything that you said in this video.
I agree with everything you said
Agree 100% about everything. Brazilian homes are not as welcoming as American or European homes. Too much cement an tiles, make it really unwelcoming. I prefer wood and carpeting. Not to mention the lack of heating and a/c. It's slowly becoming common place. You freeze in the winter and suffocate in the summer ( in the south anyway...)
By the way, canela wood was the one used by japanese immigrants in Brazil to build homes. This wood is very tough and anti-termites.
I never heard of this wood, I will look into it 👍
@@stormxjp Expensive?
I think that poverty it's THE biggest problem. I'm living in a rented house with wooden floors, and the termites are A NIGHTMARE😂😂!!!!
Good point 👍
1. Humidity - Central air conditioning is expensive. That's why you don't see them much in cheap houses.
2. Insulation - Brick is already a good material for insulation. But as the climate gets hotter and hotter, we definitely need more insulation methods.
3. Cement walls - I guess they are cheaper than drywall.
4. Tiles everywhere - Brazilians like to WASH the floors frequently. You can't do that with wooden floors.
5. No hallway - land in Brazil is extremely expensive, so the houses are tiny and people don't have the space they want.
YES. I think that poverty is THE biggest problem. I'm living in a rented house with wooden floors, and the termites are A NIGHTMARE!!!!
Thanks for all the explanations 👍
@@ArtexandreFuzaro yeah termites are a big thing in Brazil. Wood is always a worry. I guess there are some treatments to make the wood resistance to termites, but then again: cost.
Drywalls are cheaper as the material itself is cheaper, what is expensive is the fact there is basically no one with enough knowledge (know-how) to handle this material.
@@shyguy.654 There are natural woods that are termite-resistant or you can apply some resistance against that on general woods (ofc it won't last forever).
The opposite of the United States. Here nearly every house, apartment, and business have central air conditioning.
True
I do like the tiles I'll be honest. In the US, most homes have carpet or wood floors, though you do see more tile in warmer areas, and of course it's common in kitchens and bathrooms like in Sweden. Especially in hot climates, tiles seem cooler and they're definitely easier to clean and less allergenic than things like carpets. They also don't warp like wood can when it gets wet.
There are definitely advantages of using tiles 👍
@@MrStv1163 The problem with carpet is that it accumulates a lot of dust, including on the underside, it is difficult to clean and a headache if you spill any liquid or your pet vomits or pee on it.
Many people are also allergic to carpet fabric.
I only lived in a wood house for about 8 months but my experience was horrible.
I have a hard stand for concrete/cement/ceramic tiles against drywall and wood any time.
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The use of tiles is a Portuguese tradition that's why Brazilians still use tiles everywhere
Take a look at Chile, you'll find much more central heating, insulation, drywall and it's so close to Brazil and yet so different in many ways, much more developed in this regard.
This is visible in Santiago, Pucon, Punta Arenas etc.
Vou salvar esse video pra se um dia eu for construir uma casa
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Well, steel frame is catching on across Brazil now. Hope it will withstand the elements.
Steel frame is also a great way of building a house
It would be great if the weather in that part of Brazil was constantly 25C with 50% humidity
That would be great!
Can't hang a hammock with plasterboard walls!
Move to Pocos de Caldas, MG😅
Beautiful people and good weather.
I never realized we never had hallways, that's so crazy
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How about no screens on the windows??? When I went to visit my in laws for the first time the windows were open and the lights were on at night! The house was swarming with insects! I went out the next day and installed screens on every window I could!
Very true, thats another problem!
This one is a head scratcher but not as weird as the inane justifications for not having screens.
You should build a Steelframe house, a relative that works in construction told me is the best type of building in his opinion
Building a house out of steel frame is a good idea. The only thing is that, I am a bit unsure about how easy it will be to sell the house in the future though
You got to understand that half of the brazilian shits in a hole. Insulation is much lower in the brazilian priority list.
But yeah, richer people could get some of that. Gramado in RS is a city in which insulation is much more common, mainly because of the colder climate than the rest of the country.
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My biggest problems with Brazilian homes are: immovable brick/cement furniture (beds, couches); electric showers that don't heat properly; and inferior sewage systems that easily get clogged.
What I love about Brazilian homes is that many come with hammock hooks; barbeques and swimming pools.
Totally agree with you!
Waat. Cement couches and beds? I've only found these in motels in Brazil, and this is all for a reason.👀 😅
@@joaov.m.oliveira9903 Lol, I can guess.
I am looking for a house in the Northeast, there is a lot of that stuff going on there. Mostly in houses of the previous century. I am guessing it was done at the time because it was cheap and durable.
It was trendy in the 80s and 90s
What's it like living in the Barra neighbourhood in Salvador da Bahia?
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The only place in Brazil I have seen some good adaptation for the cold was Gramado the rest just don't care and don't even know such thing exists. Imagine you living in Sweden without heating, insulation??
Good point, some houses in gramado have central heating 👍
Gramado is like this because of high tourism, so this city is used as "example" and if they do it wrong, it will be very bad for the city.
There is a lot of tourist coming from hot regions, so everything (especially hotel and commercial stores) MUST be adapted to them to feel comfortable and come back.
O foda é que é caro pra caralho ter isolamento. Fiz orçamento para um vidro da sacada e tavam querendo 6k para por folha dupla.
Its expensive, I agree
I learned how backwards we are by watching americans building their homes. That's why I fell in love with a new construction method that uses EPS (an industrial type of styrofoam) because it's biggest advantage is the insulation.
EPs is a cool way to build houses 👍
People are most busy criticizing the USA than paying attention of what they've done correctly and taking this for our country
Great video.
I use a dehumidifier and it works very well
I also use a dehumidifier 👍
At what costs? It can eat lots of electric power, doesn't it?
160W. If you use let it on 24/7 It will bem around 80KW/h, or 50 reais per month. But you will end up using 50% of the time.
I've got a mobile air conditioner from Germany that needs a hole to get things out of the house... but it can both cool and dehumidify as well...
the problem is money, it always has been
Very true
They have a/c central system, but only on modern and expensive houses.
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so how is the optimal way to build a house in your region? if you could build from zero, how would you do it?
AC units even split is a luxury item for 95% of population..!!
Very true
I think the lack of a hallway or foyer has to do with the habit by Brazilians of not taking off their coats or shoes when they enter a home. This is starting to change in São Paulo at least. Especially after COVID
Humidity and temperature control is indeed neglected and a novel concept to many medium and small construction companies in Brazil. I am lucky to live in a warm and windy city so that I did not have to think too much about it either.
I think most Brazilians like tile floors because it is easier to clean with a wet mop. Again, the lack of habit of taking off their shoes makes the floor in constant need of cleaning.
Good point about Brazilians not taking off their shoes and coats. That would explain not needing a hallway
Meus pais constuiram sua casa e anos depois percebem os erros no planejamento, muito por causa de pobreza e vão construindo a casa aos poucos, e muito também porque deixam na mao do pedreiro planejar
Errors in building are very common. Hopefully your parents were able to fix some of the issues.
I’m Brazilian, and all of this is tied to our culture, customs, and the way construction works in Brazil, my friend.
I currently live and work in construction in Australia, and in many ways, I understand your perspective. However, I have my own observations about how houses are built here in Australia compared to Brazil.
Out of everything you mentioned, I only agree with the point that houses in Brazil could benefit from better thermal insulation and ventilation systems. However, these are rarely considered priorities because they are expensive and not seen as essential. Generally, we don’t think it’s a big deal, and when a house is well-designed, these issues are often minimized. Perhaps your experience involved specific regions or houses that weren’t properly built, but that doesn’t represent the norm. We build in a way that makes sense to us.
Another key point is that, in Brazil, construction labor is not as highly valued as it is in other countries. This allows us to have workers on-site for longer periods, using methods that are more robust to us, like building with concrete and bricks, rather than opting for "quick" solutions like plasterboard.
Culturally, many Brazilians dislike hollow walls. We also prefer solid floors, such as porcelain tiles, over wood that might creak when you walk on it. This reflects our preference for durability and the idea of a clean, organized home. For example, we use glossy porcelain tiles because they’re easy to clean and give a sense of hygiene. On top of that, many families in Brazil have access to domestic workers to help with cleaning, something that’s not as common in many other countries.
This fixation on cleanliness is deeply cultural. I’ve lived in Ireland, London, and now Australia, and at first, I was shocked by how people clean their homes: it’s often superficial, with carpets covering everything and just being vacuumed. I always wondered-what about the dirt beneath the surface? But again, this is a matter of culture.
In Brazil, I find our construction methods very intelligent. Maybe what we lack is thermal insulation, but this doesn’t affect us much because we’ve grown up in a climate that doesn’t demand extreme solutions. We build in a way that’s adapted to our reality, and for us, it works.
In summary, I don’t agree with most of your criticisms. For me and many Brazilians, what you said doesn’t make much sense because it comes from a culturally different perspective. Perhaps you could have used your time in Brazil to learn more about our culture and why we build the way we do, enriching your understanding with this diversity.
Do you go tô thailand, vietna, Uruguai, etc is the same👍and do you know the problem with the paper house? the problem with paper houses is that they fly or sink 👍
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cement doesn't catch fire and the wind doesn't blow it away. Didn't you watch the three little pigs?
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Yeah central heating and cooling would be crazy expensive to the average person here. And insulating material would increase costs too much, people can only afford the bare minimal essential items of living. This is rampant crime, rampant corruption, low trust, low education, low comfort society surviving on bare minimums not thriving and living.
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Bro, how are you doing down there? Are you handling life there well?
The reason is simple: Although services are cheap in Brazil, things are expensive. Every physical product you buy is expensive. That's the reason the houses are crappy. (I'm from Brazil, I know how it is).
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The problems with Brazilian homes: Ugly modern architecture... Esse é o centro de todos os problemas.
Problemas com isolamento acústico e PRINCIPALMENTE térmico, esgoto é um projeto muito antigo, casas muito coladas umas as outras (se for pra fazer casa germinada, faça logo prédinhos), muros são feios e altos, acho que as pessoas odeiam árvores... Enfim, são muitos problemas, inclusive urbanísticos.
Obs: Nunca vi parede suando... Sua casa é a pior KKKKKK Zueira.
Sim, attached homes are a crime. 😅
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I Think that homes with no hallway and with Tiles everywhere is not a problem
Also, I Don't think that cement walls are impractical
Quem derá os problemas fossem esses... Cara vive numa bolha ou no mundo da lua, pessoas estão desconexas da realidade os cerca.
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