Insulation Article(s)
Oct. 5th, 2008 12:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
helwenFeel free to ignore, just me posting what I submitted for the local paper. Had to break it up into two parts because of word limitations. Part 1 should be in the November issue of the Ashfield News.
Here are some ideas on how to insulate your home, sometimes using existing materials, all tried and true. One of the best ways to save energy is to not have to use it. Winter or summer, the better insulated your home is, the less the outdoor temperatures can affect your living space.
Inside: Layers on walls and floor -- wall hangings and rugs -- even layering rugs as long as they aren't a tripping or slipping hazard. Wall hangings can be quilts, comforters, or multiple layers of blankets pinned together and hung from hooks/nails attached near the ceiling. Multiple layers trap air, which adds to their insulating properties. A light-colored fabric as topmost layer is best as it reflects whatever light’s in the room.
Move tall furniture, especially bookcases and dressers, against the outer walls. They’ll help insulate and you can fit a few layers of fabric behind them if there isn’t a wall hanging there. Lay some of the fabric across the top of the furniture to either tack on or put something heavy on top of, thus connecting the insulation of the wall with that of the contents in the furniture.
Fill bags, boxes, or trunks with fabric, off-season clothing, bedclothes. Line up along the outside walls, anywhere there isn’t a radiator. Take card tables or other flat items and lean them against the wall, layer blankets/fabric over them, to block the bottom edge of windows. Every square foot insulated counts! Of course if you have baseboard heat, don’t cover up the radiators or have curtains that are too close to them – that would be a fire hazard.
Heavy-weight curtains are easier to find/make than shades, or pin and hang blankets. Use extras or pick them up from Goodwill or Freecycle (http://www.freecycle.org). Have the curtains open during the day to get heat from the sun, close the curtains in the evening.
Basement and Outside: If your house has a basement, insulating around the foundation is key. The best place to insulate is where the first floor meets the foundation, because cold air can blow in and chill the floor from underneath. This is one of the places where purchased insulation is the best choice, but the insulation is only needed around the edge of the house, not the entire floor. Each piece should be as wide as the space between the joists, long enough to go 12-18” along the floor, over where the floor and the foundation meet and down 10-12” along the foundation wall.
Rake and bag leaves, put the bags along the foundation, especially along the north face. Leaves should be bagged as otherwise they can invite insects and mold.
For homes without a solid foundation (e.g., open around, under porch), find old carpeting or other heavy-weight fabric, tack it up along the bottom edge of the wall so that it hangs down and touches the ground. This prevents wind from blowing cold air underneath; cold feet can lead to turning up the heat.
Some more ideas for keeping warm this winter. Hope they help!
You: Wear layers. Keeping the heat lower in the home is easier if one is dressed warmly. I've found that wool socks, slippers, long johns under slacks or skirt, and a few layers on top work for me. Legwarmers are an excellent addition, as they’re adjustable for comfort. Vests are a favorite for me because I can stay warmer without feeling like a stuffed animal. Fingerless gloves are great, indoors or out. Hats, headscarves are good. People lose a lot of heat through their feet, hands and heads.
The knitted garments above usually aren’t too pricey if you shop around. And gloves and sweaters can be found at Goodwill or Salvation Army; just cut the fingertips off the gloves, modify the sweater sleeves into legwarmers, and maybe the sweater body into a vest if you’re clever with a needle and thread. Or if you can knit or crochet it could be a fun project to make some of these things.
Bedroom: Hang curtains/blankets around the bed to trap body heat. Remember to open them during the day to air out the linens. Also leave them open if the bed’s being shared and an occupant has a cold, to help prevent passing the cold on. Wear socks to bed, as well as PJs or equivalent. I’ve also heard from folks who set up tents in their living rooms… same idea of limiting the area one’s body is heating.
Other Ways: Make hot drinks and soups, for heating from the inside. Bake bread and then leave the oven door ajar so the residual heat can warm the room. Candles can double for heat and lighting (remember, don't leave flames unattended). I know people who've used them this way, to supplement the little heat for which they were using their furnace.
Get up and move around, to get the blood circulating. Try spreading house chores throughout the day, throw in some light exercise while listening to some favorite music, or while singing a favorite tune. Have friends over, or go hang out with some friends. People produce, on average, 100 watts of heat per person, so a half dozen people can make a living room pretty comfortable!
A Few More Ideas:
Go to the library. Great place to hang out, read, do some knitting or crocheting. Go to public activities in town. On rare occasions, go to the mall or theatre, combining that with a trip to the grocers and other errands, to save gas on travel.
Here are some ideas on how to insulate your home, sometimes using existing materials, all tried and true. One of the best ways to save energy is to not have to use it. Winter or summer, the better insulated your home is, the less the outdoor temperatures can affect your living space.
Inside: Layers on walls and floor -- wall hangings and rugs -- even layering rugs as long as they aren't a tripping or slipping hazard. Wall hangings can be quilts, comforters, or multiple layers of blankets pinned together and hung from hooks/nails attached near the ceiling. Multiple layers trap air, which adds to their insulating properties. A light-colored fabric as topmost layer is best as it reflects whatever light’s in the room.
Move tall furniture, especially bookcases and dressers, against the outer walls. They’ll help insulate and you can fit a few layers of fabric behind them if there isn’t a wall hanging there. Lay some of the fabric across the top of the furniture to either tack on or put something heavy on top of, thus connecting the insulation of the wall with that of the contents in the furniture.
Fill bags, boxes, or trunks with fabric, off-season clothing, bedclothes. Line up along the outside walls, anywhere there isn’t a radiator. Take card tables or other flat items and lean them against the wall, layer blankets/fabric over them, to block the bottom edge of windows. Every square foot insulated counts! Of course if you have baseboard heat, don’t cover up the radiators or have curtains that are too close to them – that would be a fire hazard.
Heavy-weight curtains are easier to find/make than shades, or pin and hang blankets. Use extras or pick them up from Goodwill or Freecycle (http://www.freecycle.org). Have the curtains open during the day to get heat from the sun, close the curtains in the evening.
Basement and Outside: If your house has a basement, insulating around the foundation is key. The best place to insulate is where the first floor meets the foundation, because cold air can blow in and chill the floor from underneath. This is one of the places where purchased insulation is the best choice, but the insulation is only needed around the edge of the house, not the entire floor. Each piece should be as wide as the space between the joists, long enough to go 12-18” along the floor, over where the floor and the foundation meet and down 10-12” along the foundation wall.
Rake and bag leaves, put the bags along the foundation, especially along the north face. Leaves should be bagged as otherwise they can invite insects and mold.
For homes without a solid foundation (e.g., open around, under porch), find old carpeting or other heavy-weight fabric, tack it up along the bottom edge of the wall so that it hangs down and touches the ground. This prevents wind from blowing cold air underneath; cold feet can lead to turning up the heat.
Some more ideas for keeping warm this winter. Hope they help!
You: Wear layers. Keeping the heat lower in the home is easier if one is dressed warmly. I've found that wool socks, slippers, long johns under slacks or skirt, and a few layers on top work for me. Legwarmers are an excellent addition, as they’re adjustable for comfort. Vests are a favorite for me because I can stay warmer without feeling like a stuffed animal. Fingerless gloves are great, indoors or out. Hats, headscarves are good. People lose a lot of heat through their feet, hands and heads.
The knitted garments above usually aren’t too pricey if you shop around. And gloves and sweaters can be found at Goodwill or Salvation Army; just cut the fingertips off the gloves, modify the sweater sleeves into legwarmers, and maybe the sweater body into a vest if you’re clever with a needle and thread. Or if you can knit or crochet it could be a fun project to make some of these things.
Bedroom: Hang curtains/blankets around the bed to trap body heat. Remember to open them during the day to air out the linens. Also leave them open if the bed’s being shared and an occupant has a cold, to help prevent passing the cold on. Wear socks to bed, as well as PJs or equivalent. I’ve also heard from folks who set up tents in their living rooms… same idea of limiting the area one’s body is heating.
Other Ways: Make hot drinks and soups, for heating from the inside. Bake bread and then leave the oven door ajar so the residual heat can warm the room. Candles can double for heat and lighting (remember, don't leave flames unattended). I know people who've used them this way, to supplement the little heat for which they were using their furnace.
Get up and move around, to get the blood circulating. Try spreading house chores throughout the day, throw in some light exercise while listening to some favorite music, or while singing a favorite tune. Have friends over, or go hang out with some friends. People produce, on average, 100 watts of heat per person, so a half dozen people can make a living room pretty comfortable!
A Few More Ideas:
Go to the library. Great place to hang out, read, do some knitting or crocheting. Go to public activities in town. On rare occasions, go to the mall or theatre, combining that with a trip to the grocers and other errands, to save gas on travel.
