The Citizen, 2013-10-24, Page 16PAGE 16. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013.
Painting, done the right way
Feel a draft? Find the culprit and take care of itMS –Think about what it mightbe like if you turned up the heat and
then opened all of the windows in
your home. All of that warm air
would rush right out, and you would
be left with a cold home and a hefty
heating bill.
A home that is full of drafts is
inefficient and expensive. And drafty
homes are not just a problem when
the weather is cold, as air that seeps
in when you’re trying to keep the
home cool can be an inefficient
nuisance as well.
Higher energy bills and wasted
resources do not have to be tolerated
if you simply scour your home for
drafts, sealing them to cut energy
costs and make the home more
comfortable.
Drafts are often small cracks
around windows and doors, but there
are many other places where drafts
can form. Knowing some of the less
visible spots where drafts come from
may help you to seal out unwanted
cold air more effectively.
• Attic:Homes that feature attics
with pull-down stairs tend to be
drafty. In such homes, a large hole iscut out of the ceiling so residents can
access the attic. So instead of thick
insulation, these homes may only
have a sheet of plywood blocking
your interior space from the
outdoors, as many attics are directly
vented to the roof.
To determine if there is a leak, turn
on the attic light, close the attic door,
and check to see if you can see the
light on from below. If you can, then
there is a gap letting both the light
and air escape. In addition to using
flexible rubber around the opening
of the attic to better seal the door
when it is closed, you can think
about adding a thicker, more
insulated door.
• Dryer vents: The standard home
laundry dryer vents outdoors via an
exhaust duct. This duct is open to the
outdoors, and it may be letting cold
air into the home. That’s because
there is typically a flimsy flapper
made of sheet metal on the outside
of the vent to help protect against air
infiltration. But over time, dryer lint
can accumulate at the vent opening,
causing the metal flapper to stayopen when it should close.
Homeowners can invest in dryer
seals that close the vent when the
dryer is not in use. Not only does
this prevent cold air from entering
the house, but also it keeps out pests,
like bugs and rodents.
• Pipes:Check pipes that exit the
home, such as those that feed
outdoor water spigots, as such pipes
can let cold air back into the house.
The same can be said for waste
pipes. Also, check to see if pipes that
connect to garages, basements and
crawl spaces are not insulated.
Use sealant around these pipes to
block drafts into the home. Foam
insulation can be sprayed into small
crevices, where it will expand and
harden, blocking off air access.
These damp, cool spots are also
great places for insects to enter the
home. Sealing drafts also may
prevent bugs from entering the
home.
• Fireplaces: Although fireplaces
often make for decorative and
appealing accents to a home, many
are not effective sources of ambientheat. They may draw more warm air
out of the flue than they bring into
the house. When a fireplace is not in
use, air can rise out of the chimney
and a draft can be felt in the home.
Some studies indicate that an open
damper on an unused fireplace, even
in a well-insulated home, can
increase overall heating and cooling
energy consumption by 30 per cent.
If you simply must have a
fireplace, remember to always keep
the damper shut when the fireplace
is not in use and use a glass cover
you can seal tightly to further block
the opening to the fireplace from
your living space. Fireplace plugs,which can keep out drafts during the
season when fireplaces are not in
use, may also be a worthwhile
investment.
• Electrical outlets: Outlets and
light switches can be significant
sources of drafts in a home. Check to
see that the switch plates are secure.
If drafts still come through, then
employ outlet draft blockers to
prevent cool air from entering the
home and warm air from exiting it.
Homeowners can address drafts in
a variety of ways. And doing so can
make a home more comfortable and
cut energy costs considerably.
Continued from page 15
molding and around doorways and
trim, use a damp cloth to wipe it
away before adding any new paint.
• Apply primer.Primer can serve
many functions, not the least of
which is its role as a bonding agent
between the wall and the top coat of
paint. Primer can also help conceal
dark colours, prevent stains and
increase the life expectancy of the
paint job you are about to undertake.
• Prepare your paint. Preparing
the paint is a simple task, but one
novice painters may not be aware of.
When opening a new can of paint,
stir the paint before using it. In
addition, even if you don’t plan to
use a roller when painting, do not
paint straight from the can, which
can be heavier to hold than a small
bowl, and a light bowl is less likely
to be spilled than a potentially heavy
can of paint. In addition, once paint
has been removed from the can,
replace the lid so dust and
other impurities do not settle in the
can.
• Purchase painter’s tape.
Painter’s tape can be especially
valuable to novice painters. Painter’s
tape makes it easier to paint smooth
and clean paint lines, giving a room
a more professional looking coat of
paint without the cost of hiring a
professional painter.
Painting can be an inexpensive
and fun way to upgrade a home’s
interior. But even though painting
does not require the technical know-
how of more large-scale home
improvement projects, it still
requires some preparation work and
attention to detail to ensure the job is
done right.
Brussels 519-887-9616
Windows
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Renovations & New Construction
NORTH HURON
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selling NEW & USED construction materials,
home furnishings & appliances,
as well as E-Waste & Battery recycling.
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A source for building materials • hardware • lighting
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Barn board perfect
for rustic shed look
Continued from page 15
or spruce.
After that, construction is up to the
homeowner or the company and the
product can be as plain or as intricate
as the homeowner wants.
Sheds, on the other hand, are a
little more easy to predict price-wise
according to Courtney.
He said that normal sheds
typically go for less than $20 a
square foot while more elaborate
ones cost more. He added that
doing it yourself can cost half that
much.
According to Courtney, “the sky is
the limit” when planning, designing
and building them.
“It can be built to look rustic or it
can be made to match the house,” he
said. “Pretty much anything can be
done to it.”
He explained that, for the more
rustic appearance, people can use
barn boards or they can simply go
with siding.
Optional windows as well as doors
can be made to match the house and
can be bought pre-clad so they don’t
need to be painted or can be made to
match whatever colour the owner is
using.
Find bargains
from our advertisers
in the
Deals section
of our
website at
www.northhuron.on.ca