Tips for weatherizing homes?

[WindHarvester]

With winter here I thought we could all share weatherizing tips.

I do the basics

Plastic over windows

Weather stripping

Silicone windows and cracks

Does anybody do anything different?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Cry Of The Eagle: History And Legends Of The Cherokee Indians And Their Buried Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[Urban Prospector]

In my area we close the windows and wear a long sleeve shirt. When it's really bad break out a jacket.

 

[WindHarvester]

LOL, Lucky you Urban.

At least I'm not on here asking for tips on how to earthquake proof a home! :P

Lust kidding and thanks for making me laugh.

 

[Urban Prospector]

I went to Collage in N Utah and got a rep as a nut job for piling the snow I removed and squirting it with water. I'd cut and shape it like a castle. Eventually I took my sculpture to the exterior walls of the house right up to the rafters. Can't prove it but I think having the house in a virtual snow cave helped retain the heat. The plastic I had stretched over the windows would get an inch or so thick from "watering" them, insulating yet still allowing natural light. Only heat I had was wood fireplace and portable Kerosene heater since the radiators had frozen and split (cheap rent)so come winter I moved my bedroom into the parlor so I only had to heat it, the kitchen and the bath. The other rooms I put rolled newspaper in an old tube sock and tacked them to the bottom of the doors. Insulated from heat loss and drafts yet didn't have to kick the roll back in place every time i went thought the passage, doesn't work well on carpet thou. A couple of old MC exhaust pipes in the fireplace for a grate will push the heat out as if there is a fan in them and keep it from going up the chimney.Sweep the roof before the snow hits if you've got fallen leafs on it to prevent ice damming.On south facing windows depending on how much sun they get 3" abs pipe filled with water and sealed makes a nice passive solar collector. I made a frame (2" pipe) that I could lean in the window and then at night slide over under the bed so I had some heat rising up under me for much of the night.It gets heavy fast thou so plan accordingly if you want it mobile. I didn't have much money so had to be inventive of cheap or free heat. Man I miss being broke and miles from home in a strange land. Moving the heat collecting at the ceiling back down to the floor is important. Cooking a nice pot of soup is a good one too.Luck be yours. As to earth quake proofing I got nothing.

 

[Libralabsoldier]

I have filled in every hole and crack in my walls, doorways, windowsills, etc with GreatStuff foam. It has dropped my electric bill by 30 bucks a month. I also turned the hot water heater down to 95 degrees F, and that shaved off another little bit. I have no attic, as the attic was converted to bedrooms, so my insulation in the roof is lousy. I am working now on stuffing newspaper into spaces under the eaves. Next spring we are replacing the old roof with a metal one, and I will be heavily insulating then.

 

[diggemall]

The three things you can do with the best bang for the buck:

1) Seal up every crack and hole in walls, windows, doors, around outlets and especially ceiling fixtures that go into the attic. Stop warm air from getting out and cold air from coming in.

2) Insulate, insulate, insulate. Spray foam is the best (R-6 or 7 / inch) but pricey. Fiberglass and cellulose are usually a more cost-effective alternative.

3) Insulate windows. Cellular window shades, plastic film, insulating shuters - they all help. Windows are basically a 'heat hole' in your walls. The best ones only have an R value of around 3.


Diggem'

 

[pygmy]

If you can afford it as I'm sure most of you can , then use double even triple glazing
on all windows , having the added benefit of summer protection and noise abatement.

 

[AU24K]

Be sure to remove garden hoses. If there is water in the faucet that can't drain because a hose is attached, it will swell and freeze and split the faucet piping in the wall. When it thaws, you will have a mess!

Scott