On the last day of January we got snow, real snow with fluffy snowflakes, not frozen raindrops. Thankfully, it's not as treacherous as ice, except where it
hid the thick slippery patches of ice that haven't melted yet. It snowed all
day.
Meowy's early morning footprints on the back steps.
Early morning view of one of the girls' pastures.
The goats sniffed at the snow but had no intention of leaving the barn.
Big Duck came out after Dan filled the ducks' pan with warm water.
The video is a little out of focus, but it's the best I could do with
heavy gloves on my hands.
We got a total of four inches of snow. Not a record breaker, but enough for
the neighborhood kids to build snowmen to their hearts' content. It was our
coldest day so far, with a high of 25°F (-4°C) falling to a nighttime low of 7°F (-14°C. The greenhouse got down to 19°F.)
Wood yard with the boys' pasture in the background
Driveway gate
Back side of the house approaching the greenhouse
Side gate to the front yard
Greenhouse and keyhole garden
Late afternoon sun trying to burn through the clouds
After a walk around the yard, there's nothing nicer than coming back into a wood cookstove warmed kitchen with a pot of soup cooking.
The window idea is one I found on
permies.com. Windows (even energy efficient ones) are notorious energy leaks. When
you put your hand on the window on a cold day, the glass is colder than the
walls. That's why most of mine are covered with thermal curtains.
The cold air from the windows sinks and is one reason why floors are so cold. The idea
here is to install a simple barrier to prevent the cold air from cascading down from
the window and further chilling the room. All I did was to take a piece of
3/16 inch foam board, cut two layers 6 inches times the inner width of the
window frame, and glue them together. Then I slid them into place, resting on
the window sill.
I could immediately feel that the air below the window ledge
wasn't as chilly! It didn't magically make the room warmer, but it definitely makes a difference, and without blocking the view or the light.
I only bought one sheet of foam board, but I took the remaining piece and fitted it to my kitchen sink window.
This window leaks cold worse than the bathroom window, so even one layer of foam board made an immediate difference. A double layer works better, so I'll add a second layer when I get more foam board. I plan to
install these in my other windows as well. Even the energy efficient windows
don't completely keep out the cold.
This might be a good time to put in a plug for a really good book because it
has an entire chapter on easy ways to stay warm while decreasing your energy
bill. The authors call their ideas "luxuriant environmentalism." I did a book review on
it a few years back here.
It offers easy solutions for global environmental
problems, ideas anyone can implement, from urban renter to rural land owner.
These aren't problems that only governments can solve, we
can all do something to help. This
book focuses on actionable ideas.
We're supposed to be heading toward a warming trend, with the snow and ice melting during the day and refreezing at night. I'm not sure if the winter weather is over, but it will be nice to have a reprieve.
How about you? How are you surviving your weather?
You definitely got more snow out of that than we did but we have you beat in spades with our lowest highs. I think our lowest high was -1 F.
I grew up in an old drafty farmhouse that would be nearly 130 years old if it were still standing. By far, the best way to keep the cold outside from the windows were to use those plastic kits with double stick tape and a hair dryer. We did that every fall that we lived there and on gusty days, you could see the pressure being exerted on the plastic as it bowed toward the interior of the room from the drafts! But it really kept the cold at bay and made the house feel three times warmer.
Another thing we did was build a passive solar heating box for one of the windows. Hard to describe other than it allowed the cold air to sink on the bottom half and then get heated up by the glass and tarpaper lined upper half as it convected back in the house. I don't recall how it worked on really cold days but I do know it worked well in the late fall and early spring days when there was plenty of sun but it was still chilly out.
Ed, you're perfectly welcome to the first prize for coldest high! lol
I have instructions in a book somewhere for those solar window covers. I've never tried it, but I was thinking about getting black foamboard for the windows that get winter sun. I'm thinking it would work on the same principle.
That white stuff is just 'poor man's fertilizer'! Great idea on the windows. We used to do Ed's thing with the plastic coverings. I have also put layers of newspaper or bubble wrap between plants on the window sills and the window.
You sure did get hit! I don't remember what state you're in, but here in NC we got a mess of snow. Whippeee! I like the idea about the foam in the windows. I'm gonna try that. Enjoy the meltdown!
I live in WI snow is good - just not subzero what we had. WI tourist state during all 4 - Winter enthusiasts go north to snowmobile. Your tip on windows is good.
Rosalea, I think there are a number of ways to utilize bubble wrap that I haven't tried. I usually recycle the stuff, but I think I should start keeping it for winter use.
I was wondering the same as Quinn above? I hope the little girl in you surfaced and you made snow angels at least... I built a house on the plains West of Spokane which got a bit of snow and cold wind. I used 2X8s as wall studs with full closed cell urethane spray in insulation and I placed as small of a thermal window that code allowed and built internal shutters with glass panes to stop the invariable cold seep that happens with windows. With a medium sized air tight wood stove that drew combustion air from outside I was snug as a spider in a ceiling corner.
Quinn, we haven't had condensation on the glass since we replaced our single glaze windows with double glazed energy star windows. I did leave some space between the window and the foamboard, as you can see in the second pic, just because that seemed like the right way to do it.
Kevin, I didn't even think about snow angels, lol.
I like your idea of glass pane inside shutters. Drawing fresh air for a wood stove from outside is absolutely the best way to do it. We don't have that and can feel cooler air coming from other parts of the house. It does create a slight cool draft on the ankles.
Interesting hack for the window. I'd be interested if it blocks the light because we get almost no sunshine, and what little light we do get is much needed. I purchases some thick curtains for one room this year, that I close at night to keep more wind out, when the blowing is terrible. I'll take them down come spring.
Kristina, I suppose it depends on how wide you make it. Mine are 6 inches so they block very little light. The thermal curtains block more light. If you're getting strong drafts through the window and already covering them with curtains at night, you might try using foam board to cover the window at night. Mine fits snugly but is removable if I want. But it really blocks the draft very well.
I love Big Duck getting a bath. Reminds me so much of the pair of Muscovy ducks we had for several years. They make good pets...ours loved Old Roy dog food. Your greenhouse turned out so nice! You and Dan have made that into such a great place, and pretty too.
18 comments:
You definitely got more snow out of that than we did but we have you beat in spades with our lowest highs. I think our lowest high was -1 F.
I grew up in an old drafty farmhouse that would be nearly 130 years old if it were still standing. By far, the best way to keep the cold outside from the windows were to use those plastic kits with double stick tape and a hair dryer. We did that every fall that we lived there and on gusty days, you could see the pressure being exerted on the plastic as it bowed toward the interior of the room from the drafts! But it really kept the cold at bay and made the house feel three times warmer.
Another thing we did was build a passive solar heating box for one of the windows. Hard to describe other than it allowed the cold air to sink on the bottom half and then get heated up by the glass and tarpaper lined upper half as it convected back in the house. I don't recall how it worked on really cold days but I do know it worked well in the late fall and early spring days when there was plenty of sun but it was still chilly out.
Ed, you're perfectly welcome to the first prize for coldest high! lol
I have instructions in a book somewhere for those solar window covers. I've never tried it, but I was thinking about getting black foamboard for the windows that get winter sun. I'm thinking it would work on the same principle.
That white stuff is just 'poor man's fertilizer'!
Great idea on the windows.
We used to do Ed's thing with the plastic coverings. I have also put layers of newspaper or bubble wrap between plants on the window sills and the window.
You sure did get hit! I don't remember what state you're in, but here in NC we got a mess of snow. Whippeee!
I like the idea about the foam in the windows. I'm gonna try that.
Enjoy the meltdown!
I live in WI snow is good - just not subzero what we had. WI tourist state during all 4 - Winter enthusiasts go north to snowmobile. Your tip on windows is good.
Rosalea, I think there are a number of ways to utilize bubble wrap that I haven't tried. I usually recycle the stuff, but I think I should start keeping it for winter use.
Daisy, it's amazing how such a simple and inexpensive idea can make such a difference. Every little bit helps!
Dicky Bird, I imagine Wisconsin offers skiing too. Such a beautiful state for outdoor enthusiasts.
Leigh, does the panel along the bottom of the window affect the amount of condensation you get on the glass? Or is that not an issue for you?
I was wondering the same as Quinn above? I hope the little girl in you surfaced and you made snow angels at least... I built a house on the plains West of Spokane which got a bit of snow and cold wind. I used 2X8s as wall studs with full closed cell urethane spray in insulation and I placed as small of a thermal window that code allowed and built internal shutters with glass panes to stop the invariable cold seep that happens with windows. With a medium sized air tight wood stove that drew combustion air from outside I was snug as a spider in a ceiling corner.
Quinn, we haven't had condensation on the glass since we replaced our single glaze windows with double glazed energy star windows. I did leave some space between the window and the foamboard, as you can see in the second pic, just because that seemed like the right way to do it.
Kevin, I didn't even think about snow angels, lol.
I like your idea of glass pane inside shutters. Drawing fresh air for a wood stove from outside is absolutely the best way to do it. We don't have that and can feel cooler air coming from other parts of the house. It does create a slight cool draft on the ankles.
Interesting hack for the window. I'd be interested if it blocks the light because we get almost no sunshine, and what little light we do get is much needed. I purchases some thick curtains for one room this year, that I close at night to keep more wind out, when the blowing is terrible. I'll take them down come spring.
Kristina, I suppose it depends on how wide you make it. Mine are 6 inches so they block very little light. The thermal curtains block more light. If you're getting strong drafts through the window and already covering them with curtains at night, you might try using foam board to cover the window at night. Mine fits snugly but is removable if I want. But it really blocks the draft very well.
I love Big Duck getting a bath. Reminds me so much of the pair of Muscovy ducks we had for several years. They make good pets...ours loved Old Roy dog food. Your greenhouse turned out so nice! You and Dan have made that into such a great place, and pretty too.
Henny, thank you! The ducks are pretty amazing. They seem impervious to cold as long as they can get their bath!
Interesting about the dog food. Too bad it's way more expensive than chicken feed.
I bought that book but have never read it – a waste, I know!
Michelle, it's never too late! Lots of good ideas in it.
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