conserving our resources

Garden Path
Cypress House
January 16, 2008

I apologize for not making an entry sooner. Somehow with respect to homemaking aspects I had a serious case of writer's block. It's not like I didn't have ideas, I just couldn't get them to come out right in writing. So winter preparations gave way to Christmas then we were off on our winter vacation. Energy conservation is weighing heavily on my mind as so it was while on vacation so I thought I would share some of my observations and our recent changes.

We vacationed at Cypress House in Key West, Florida for part of our vacation then rented a condo at Hallandale, Florida for the remainder. There seemed to be a huge difference in terms of energy conservation. There were no CFL bulbs at Cypress House in the rooms however there was a friendly tag asking us to conserve electricity by turning it off when not in the room and there were recycling bins. They also asked that we be conservative in our use of water and re-use towels if at all possible. Walking around the area of Cypress House and Duval Street seemed dark compared to what we are used to in even smaller towns. There were street lights but the streets themselves appeared to be quite dark. Even Duval Street is not bright and glittering but more of a quiet ambiance. One reason for this is electricity is expensive and water resources are being stretched. In a region surrounded by a lot of water, water is becoming precious. This should serve as a warning to all. On our way to the Fort Lauderdale area we stopped at my husband's aunt and uncle's home on No Name Key.

Their house is beautifully located, looking very much like a home one might find in a subdivision except this house is very different. It is 100% solar and let me tell you I am in awe! Not only that under the large covered porch entrance was their water storage. This space had to be a good 10' x 10' x10' for water storage alone. Both just absolutely amazed me. Here they supplied their own electricity and water subsidizing only a bit of heat by propane as needed. So of course I looked for energy efficient appliances, CFLs and other signs of saving. Aside of using a laptop as the primary computer there were none! The washer and dryer were old (>15 yrs old) models and the fridge was a normal likely older than 10 years old. I saw no CFL bulbs but only one television instead of more. I didn't see a dishwasher or chest freezer either. What they would save in freezer costs would more than be made up in traveling to a grocery store and in fact it would likely be more expensive factoring in the traveling.

Onward to the condo in Hallandale. The condo was on the 14th floor overlooking the ocean with a view of the intercostal waters. All cars were valet parked. Each floor had a laundry room with energy efficient washer and dryers. That is where it ended. There were no recycle bins anywhere. This was a one bedroom condo with two baths. The main bath drove me completely nuts because when you turned on the lights three 150 W flood lights blared down but if you turn on both switches five of these flood lights would light up. That's 600 W total for one rather small room just for lighting! None of the appliances (all GE) were EnergyStar rated. Now this doesn't see like a real problem for one unit but given that in this building alone we caluculated there were 300 units not factoring in the common areas. This one building is a huge source of energy wastage! Now times that by the number of buildings just like this one we could easily see and that amount would increase almost by 10x. See where I'm going here? As a single family homeowner (single family) we are encouraged to save as much as possible yet a unit that could easily sit on our property with perhaps a bit of our neighbour's yet instead of an impact of two families could have an impact of 300 families and there is no incentive for those 300 families to conserve at all? It's this kind of thing that does really bother me. Conserving seems to be left up to the little guy with multi-family units and industry doing little to conserve.

Yesterday our Smart meter was installed. When fully functional we will be paying for electricity according to time of use (TOS). For the time being until the new rates become effective (yet to be announced) we are still paying the winter rate of 5 cents per kWh but when you factor in the service charges the real rate is about 11 cents per kWh. The new rates will be 3.4 cents per kWh off-peak, 7.1 cents per kWh mid-peak and 9.7 cents per kWh on-peak hours. One thing is for certain, the little guy who takes the measures to conserve will be taken advantage of by the mult-family units and industry. Mark my work on this one. While I am a bit bitter that those who use more electricity continue to do so without any seeming measures of conservation, I for one will continue to conserve and move towards the time we can move off the electrical grid.

Garden Gnome
© 2007

January 14 - 24, 2007

Garden Gnome
© 2007

Garden Gnome
© 2007

Garden Gnome
© 2007

Winterizing Project #4 - Door Snakes

Door thresholds can be chilly even if the door is well sealed and insulated. Not only does cold air fall to the threshold area, thresholds are often made of metal that is a good conductor of cold. The simple solution to this problem is a door snake aka draft stop. I prefer to not call these draft stops because ideally there will not be any drafts around the door or at the threshold.

Door snakes can be purchased to fit average sized doors. Some are plain Jane but there are some really cute ones that have faces on or are made to look like animals. However, finding door snakes for patio doors or off sized doors can be a problem. The easiest solution is to make your own. That way you will have a custom made door snake that meets your needs.

Method

This is an ideal project whether you own your home or are renting. It is one of those things you can easily take with you when you move. The first step is to measure the spot where you are putting the door snake (1). If it is an inside application as here, add 2 inches to the end plus the seam allowances to give a bit of bend to fit both doors. If the application is for a single door, measure from the edge of the trim furthest from the door. Cut a length of fabric this length and 16 - inches wide. Fold the fabric in half along the long side.

You will need a sewing machine for this project. Mine happens to be a very loved, well maintained, older Brother (2) that my Mom gave me for my thirteenth birthday. It works as well as the day I got it. The only thing that has changed is the skill of the user! Start at one open end and working along the long side, sew a seam 5/8 - inch wide (3), reinforcing at each end. Repeat along the bottom open end and up the remaining long side. Cut across from the short end to the long end about 1/4 - inch from the reinforced corners to reduce the seam bulk when you turn the tube. Turn the tube and fill leaving about 2 inches. Turn 5/8 - inch inwards. Sew the end closed.

Filling the tube is rather easy but choose your filling based on your circumstances. Dried corn, rice or peas are cheap fillers but should not be used if you have a rodent problem or a potential rodent problem. If the door snake will be in an area where it may get wet, grains my mold too. Aquarium gravel can be used that will eliminate both problems but is more expensive. I decided to use kitty litter that will eliminate any rodent problems and is less expensive but can be a slight problem if it gets wet. Drying out well should solve any wetting problems. A layer of plastic can be sewn into the tube if moisture is a concern.

Finished Door Snake

The finished door snake for a patio door is quite heavy. It is higher than a store bought door snake so it comes up higher on the door. The extra length allows for a bend for patio doors. Using the door snake is quite easy. Lay it along the doors creating any bends as necessary. Once in place, lightly kick the snake to snug up against the doors.

On an unused patio door, the door snake will not get dirty enough to worry about. At the end of the season, gather up the snake and store as is. If the snake has become dirty, you can remove the end stitches, empty and wash the covering or you can simply make a new slip covering for the snake to fit into, much like a miniature, elongated pillow case.

DIY Skills: beginner level with beginner level sewing skills

Materials:

length of firm woven fabric
filler

Garden Gnome
© 2007

Winterizing Project #3 - Window Sill Insulator

Window sills, especially wider ones, can be cool even if the window is well sealed. The reason this happens is because the window pane itself is always colder than the frame or wall. Cold air is heavier than warm air so falls to the window sill where it pools. If the window frame happens to be metal, the sill can be even cooler. On narrow window sills this effect is counteracted by using window treatments however on some windows, heavy window treatment is not desirable during the day, usually because of a great view. These include bay windows, picture windows and larger sliding windows.

Our walls are about 18 - inches thick on the lower level so we have deep window sills. We would prefer leaving those widows with the water view uncovered. We've all seen it where the homemaker tries to compensate this cooling effect by rolling up a towel or sheet and placing it along the window sill. While this can be low cost and effective, aesthetically it isn't very appealing. I came up with a simple window sill insulator that is inexpensive, easy to make and looks nicer than a rolled up towel. With care, it can be used for several years. The fabric covering is optional but I think it will protect the insulator and it can easily be changed to suit your decor.

Before (1) & With Foam (2)

Measure the area you want to insulate (1). Transfer the measurements to the sheet of foam. Draw the lines in using the Sharpie marker. Using the utility knife carefully cut outside the line. This way you will be able to make small adjustments as necessary. Fine cut along the edges until the foam fits snugly into the spot (2).

Attaching Fabric

Remove the foam and lay good side up on the wrong side of the fabric you are using . Working on the wrong side of the fabric cut around the foam leaving 3-inches on each side (3). Along each edge of the foam, fold the fabric up and secure at intervals using push pins. The corners need to have a square cut out then one side of the corner folded and hot clued before gluing the other portion of the corner (4). This eliminates too much bulk on the corners. Once the corners are secured, hot glue each short end. Then glue one long end, working from one push pin to the next and removing each push pin as the fabric is secured. Repeat along the other long end but pull the fabric slightly and secure by hot gluing (5). If you wish, you can cut another piece of fabric to fit just the bottom then secure by hot gluing but this is not really necessary. Now turn the insulator over and pop into place.

Finished Insulator

The finished insulator in place looks quite nice. I like that it can be popped in and out when needed and can be customized with other fabrics. Slight wrinkles may occur at inner corners if you have them. It will take a day or two for these wrinkles to flatten or they can be carefully flattened using a medium warm iron. If using this method you may have to weigh the insulator down for a few minutes after ironing.

DIY level: beginner level skills

Total Cost: approximately $10

Materials

1 half sheet Styrospan R 5 foam board
piece of firm material of your choice
Sharpie marker
measuring tape
utility knife
straight edge
scissors
push pins
hot glue gun
multi-temperature glue sticks

Garden Gnome
© 2007

Winterizing Project # 2 - Easy Window Cover

Many of us have a window that has no real view and the only values are air filtration or light. Often it is for light only and quite often is in a location where conventional window covering isn't quite appropriate. So what is needed is a covering that can give added insulation for the winter yet can be removed for the summer. Ideally the window covering is inexpensive and easy to install.

The Window

We have two such windows. They are good quality windows that are well sealed so could be left as is but I want a bit more insulation factor. They are at ground level meaning if we have any amount of snow they will be covered. I could not find any air leaks on either window but if you have a window like this check the spots marked by the arrows. If needed caulk these with clear silicone if wood stained or paintable caulk. On older windows check all weather stripping on the windows to be sure you have an air tight seal. Finally, lock the window to ensure a tight seal.

I adapted this idea from winterizing my greenhouse in my previous garden. This is an effective, low cost and energy efficient solution for some windows. Bubble wrap lets the light in while adding insulation to the north wall. When done properly on house windows it give the effect of frosted glass while adding insulation value. It is easily removed and if you store properly you can re-use for a couple of years. This is a project that can be adapted for any sized window.

Materials

Materials:

clear silicone caulk
latex caulk
indoor shrink window film
bubble wrap
weather tape
scissors
caulk gun
tape measure

Clean the window pane with a 1:1 vinegar solution. Dry well. Seal the window as necessary with the caulk. Cut the two sided tape in the window kit to fit the window. This should leave you enough tape to attach the optional window film if you choose. Carefully place the tape around the window. Do not remove the other protective side. Cut the bubble wrap to fit. Remove the protective side and carefully attach the bubble wrap to the tape, keeping taunt and wrinkle free. Press the bubble wrap firmly into the tape. From there you can leave as is, add a finish edging or for added energy efficiency hang a curtain if desired.

Finished

The first thing you will notice about my window covering is there is a seam. The seam is joined with weather tape. I don't mind the seam because I am likely going to be the only one seeing the window and I am using up bubble wrap left over from winterizing the greenhouse. This picture was taken after dark but during daylight hours there is the same visibility of lightly frosted glass but the insulation value is greater.

As mentioned this window is already very well sealed but if you have a leaky window and can't seal with caulk, then after the bubble wrap is installed place a layer of shrink film on the inside window trim. Shrink for clarity with the bubble wrap between the window and inside surface. This will cut any draft unless it is coming from around the trim. You now have an energy efficient, low cost window treatment that allows the light in at the same time.

DIY: a novice DIYer could easily do this project.

Garden Gnome
© 2007