I AM A SHAMELESS CAULKHOUND

[rmd]

so, some of my windows are drafty. now that it's finally getting really cold, i finally got pissed off about it enough to dig out a tube of caulk and go to town on the inside of the window frames. standing near the window, i can feel that it's made a noticable difference already -- noticably less breeze with the gaps better-sealed. i also noticed that some of the preexisting caulk on frame pieces of the windows was chipped and gapped in a few places, so i took some silicone goop and smeared them airtight again.

since i can't seem to find the big sheet of shrinkwrap plastic i have kicking around from previous bouts of window-shrinkwrapping, i figure i'll go to tags tomorrow and buy more. it's not like i won't want more next winter anyways. and then tomorrow (once the caulk has had a chance to set up) i'll shrinkwrap the newly caulked window gaps and it should be even better.

Comments

[catness.livejournal.com]

Hahahahahah! She said caulk!!!!!!

[evwhore.livejournal.com]

You can never have enough caulk. In fact some projects may require two types, in which case you get two different caulks at the same time. But always wear shoes when caulking -- if there's one thing I can't stand, it's those goddamned sock-caulkers.

[rmd.livejournal.com]

heh heh.

HI, WE'RE TWELVE.

[cz_unit]

If you really want to rock and roll, get some R13 batt insulation and put it between the window and the storm window. Don't have to do the whole thing, just do the bottom.

CZ

[rmd.livejournal.com]

see, that's pretty excellent, but i'm too in love with natural light to do that.

otoh, i just figured out a way to cover the thru-wall a/c units to put more insulation in front of them (right now, they're just shrinkwrapped). i'd been thinking of ways to secure something that wouldn't be too fugly when not there. i think that putting up some metal strips around the a/c that are painted to match the wall color, and then basically a quilt with magnets in it to attatch it to the wall might be just the thing.

[cz_unit]

*nod* We have a pair of north-facing windows up at the top of the wall on the bottom level (they're at grade, bottom level is not). I used to tape, shrink, and all that before finding I could just toss a batt between the glass to provide perfect insulation. In the winter there's not really much of a light loss.

For the AC, a blanket would be good, but what I do for mine is to put one of those $10 buck Home Despot AC covers on the outside of it. Covers the vents and reduces the air coming in to pretty much zero. Stopping it on the outside is better than the inside.

Same with caulk and sealant; putting them on the outside of the windows provides a lot more benefit than the inside. And cover the faucets with those little shriner-hat things from Home Bepot; they work well too.

CZ

Chris

[rmd.livejournal.com]

yeah, the problem is the a/c is functionally inaccessible to me from the outside.

[kjc.livejournal.com]

Hooray for stopping energy from leaking out and letting cold in!

Or something.

You tool-usin' human, you!

[keren-s.livejournal.com]

I used to love caulking my rental place in Albany. Love using the caulk gun. Didn't want to just stop at the windows. Like where the bathroom tub meets the wall. Around the door frame. Hmm....what else needs caulking around here...? (cue to cats hiding in bedroom).

Now we own and instead I try to pretend I don't feel the drafts coming through where multiple applications of caulk on the inside, and paying carpenters to work on the outside, don't seem to make a difference. Its not fun when it doesn't work.

[rmd.livejournal.com]

yeah. drafts are a pain. as near as i can tell, most of the walls in my house are not actually insulated. i occasionally wonder how long the ROI would be on re-siding to get insulation and tyvek wrapped around the house.

i was just over at tags and found something ... intruiging. it's removable caulk. so you can slather the hell out of the seams around and within a window in the winter and then in the summer pull it off and open the window.

i picked some up to try on windows i don't open very often and for things like my office window which i'll open on any day that even threatens to be warm if i'm around the house to get fresh air and a breeze inside (since presumably i can caulk, for instance, the upper seams, and not lose the ability to move the bottom window)

[cz_unit]

Quickie; how good is the insulation in the attic? I found that a lot of the cold air coming in from the "walls" was actually coming down thru the wall from the attic. The new batts I put up last year made the difference.

Which makes sense since the air up in the attic is heavy and wants to "fall". Going down the sides into your walls is a great way for it to find it's lowest level.

CZ

[rmd.livejournal.com]

not sure. once i finish clearing the spare bedroom, i'm planning on cutting a hole in the ceiling (since the ceiling needs work anyways) and throwing a crapload of the big pink stuff up there.