Double doors, like double windows, can help a great deal to save heat, but first, two considerations:-- The tighter of the two doors (better weather-stripping, better door) must be on the inside when the doors are on the same frame as moisture must escape outward.-- Glass storm doors must not b...
When weather-stripping can be applied in such a way as to compress between the frame and the moving door, window or trap, without any sliding action, it will seal better and last longer.-- Simple foam tape is quite effective for the attic trap if it is put on the frame and the trap falls flat ...
Caulking is actually a common name for what is properly called "sealants".Contrary to the recommendations of almost every handyman book from the US, do not caulk on the outside of the house except where necessary to keep rain, driving rain and blowing snow from penetrating into the wall. Any ...
When you consider the total heat given off by an open fire place versus the amount of household air that goes up the chimney throughout the burn cycle, an open fireplace may warm up the room it is in, but it delivers a net energy loss to the house. It is in fact a wintertime air conditioner ...
You should not put any insulation or sealing materials inside the electrical boxes as the air space is needed to keep the wires from overheating.In new construction we set the electrical box inside a "poly-pan" which then seals down to the vapour barrier, giving an air-tight electrical box. ...
Terry has heard that if you want to stop drafts, you need to take the trim off from around the inside of windows and seal that gap between the drywall and the window frame behind the trim. He suggests simply covering this gap with aluminum duct tape.That is a great idea Terry. Aluminum duct tap...
Hugh from Vancouver wrote: Our patio door was single glazed and the cold came through it like there was no door there at all. We installed inside storms several years ago and the improvement was like night and day.A couple of years ago, we saw at a local mall show displays of their double g...
Air drafts through the walls cost us the most heating and air conditioning dollars, far more than a lack of insulation. Blocking them up is called Air Sealing.If a crack is meant to move, like a door or a window, then we block the drafts with weather stripping.If the crack is not meant to move, l...
You have all seen, maybe even used the little foam gaskets that are supposed to block the cold air from coming in through the electrical outlets, as you can see my smoke pencil flowing through the outlet in the first photo. The air sealing experts at CanAm Air Sealing showed me how to make t...
On windy days, houses in the Prairies often develop a small frost line on the rug about an inch away from the wall on the north or west side of the house. Here the wind is succeeding in lowering the temperature of the most poorly insulated part of the house -- the floor boards.
In most construct...
