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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1993-11-17, Page 15Times -Advocate, November 17,1993 Page 16 repair, improve for the holidays Nether aesthetic ap- peal, home repair or J weather proofing (are the mo- tives - fall is a great time for home renovating and refurbishing. The in- tense summer heat has died down, and the cool breezes sig- naling forthcoming winter winds are in the air. Is your home An pristine condition -'.and ready for such seasonal attributes as the holidays and haz- ardous weather con- ditions? Some jobs may re- quire a sizable invest- ing a whole new room to the house. Energy -wise home- owners know that installing insulation in certain areas can help reduce heating bills ing of the house? And with the holidays ahead, assigning once -a -week housecleaning chores to the kids will get things in tip-top shape for grandma and grandpa's visit. And while the family is packing up summer clothes for storage and bringing out fall and winter wear, closets can be reorganized and straightened up for maximum storage effi- ciency and ease of use. So ask everyone to do their part in investing some additional time to get the most out of their living space. No matter what you under- take this fall, be sure to valu- ate whether or not fix -it pro- jects are within your capabilities as a do-it- yourselfer. If trying a partic- ularly complicated job, re- member that two heads are better than one: Consult with a local hardware store or home centre to get helpful advice and information. Or hire a contractor you can trust to get your house ready for the winter weather. ment of time and money, as well as electrical or carpen- try skills. Others will require minimal effort and resourc- es. But whichever is the case, giving immediate atten- tion where it's needed will enhance and improve the condition of your home, pre- serving it for a lifetime of memories. Interior or exterior home -improvement projects can .assume any number of forms, from installing a new kitchen sink, to putting up new window screens, to add - this winter, as well as de- crease air pollutants. Fall is also the season to second -thought the condition of roofing and gutters, per- haps drywall the garage or basement for a clean work- space this winter, install storm doors or remodel un- finished attic space. Rome improvement is also a great way to get the whole family involved. When was the last time you gathered the .entire "clan" and assigned a rihorough head -to -toe clean - Get rid of drafts o the drafts under your door give you cold feet? Does windy weather cause your windows to rattle incessantly? Does the } cold air leaking through your patio door mean that you're al- ways chilly, no matter how high you set the thermostat? If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are you need weatheroliippiiiet..iied the sooner you get it, the .teenier you will start reap- ing its benefits. Weatherstripping can dramatically reduce heat loss through doors and windows. If improved comfort does not convince you of the benefits of this economical conservation measure, lower heating bills will. Designed to be installed at any movable joint (caulking is the appropri- ate material to use on non-moving joints), weather stripping is most com- monly used on doors, windows and attic hatches. Applied properly, it should make these units airtight while allowing them to open and close freely. Locating air leaks is the first step in the weatherstripping process. On cold, windy days you may be able to feel drafts coming through especially leaky doors and windows. Less severe leaks can be pinpointed by pulling a tissue or smoke pencil along the outside edge of doors and attic hatches and along the edges of window panes. If the smoke or tissue flutters you have found an air leak. Don't neglect to check areas that have been previously weatherstripped. Weatherstripping can wear and compact with age, and the natural warping or bending of windows and door units can further reduce the effectiveness of the seal. To determine whether existing material is doing its job, open the door or window in question and close it on a piece of paper. If the weatherstrip- ping docs not provide resistance when you try to pull the paper out, it probably isn't providing any resistance to air. Consider replacing or ad- justing such ineffective materials. The weatherstripping y6 i use will depend on the type of door or win- dow on which it will be installed and the size of the gap to be sealed. You must also consider whether you want the material to contact the face or edge of the unit. Most weatherstripping is sold with its own fastening sys- tem (screw -on and self-adhesive are the most common) and the design or location of some doors and windows may make a particular type of fas- tening system more appropriate. Don't base your decision solely on cost; less expensive materials are often less durable. Weatherstripping falls into three basic categories; * Pressure seal weatherstripping relies on the force of the door, window or attic hatch to effect a seal; it is used for all hinged doors and windows and both hinged and unhinged attic hatches. * Sliding seal weatherstripping is always in contact with any closed part of the sliding door or window on which it is installed. * Sweep -style seals are fastened to the bottom of doors; they are de- signed to allow the doors to open but to seal tightly when closed. Weatherstripping seals best on smooth surfaces, so uneven or damaged surfaces should be smoothed or repaired before installation. All surfaces should be free of dust, oil and remnants of old weatherstripping. Doors and windows that arc out of alignment may have to be adjusted before weatherstripping can work effectively. Sliding windows (vertical or horizontal) can be sealed with weather- stripping applied between the frame and sash at the top and bottom, and where one sash meets another. Weatherstripping should also be sized properly - sometimes it helps to use a sample of the old weatherstripping to find a replacement. Heat pumps can help you save on monthly energy bills A ' heat pump not only heatkand cools your home: but also re- sults in major savings on.lbanthly energy bills for many home- ▪ owners. . eat pu- mps provide summer cooling and winter heating, replacing both furnace and central air -conditioner with a single heating -cooling system. Heat exists in all air dower to absolute zero - even cold wittier air cottlains heat. This is the principle behind a heat pump. In summer a heat pump operates as a standard, electrically driven air conditioner, cone :ting heat from the air in your home and expelling it outside. In winter the process is reversed, so that the heat pump collects heat from outdoor air to warn your home. If you are buying a new hiliklear, to replace a tired furnace or central air -conditioner, you skald consider a heat pump along with other heating -cooling systems. Cracks may burn hole in pocket he costs of keeping up a home seem to rise every i J year, and homeowners find themselves putting off ski weekends and tropical vacations in order to meet expenses. But there is a money -saving measure all homeowners can take that makes such sacrifices unnecessary: insu lation. - How can you tell if your home is .leaking energy dollars? With win - <ter just around the corner, now is :ttd'te perfect time to assess your DUCT WORK CLEANING For a clean extent system with more ecosternical costs We reco mend CLEANING E RY 2 YEARS w u.ht - —"4-, TOTAL CLEANIN OFFICE 524-2280 RES. 52 1224 Free Estimates between 7-8 a.m. JEFF TYNDALL 21Wifirite.4.X1Z.Z11144.1h4r r.: rt r.: rt r.: • home's insulation, and make sure that the money you're spending on heating (and in summer, on cool- ing),isn't literally going out the window. Air infiltration, the process through which costly energy Teaks occur, can happen in numerous places in the average home: be- tween eaves, under thresholds, be- tween baseboards, under exhaust ducts, around chimneys, under and on top of loose siding, and be- tween comer joints and flashings, to name just a few. So it is especially important to check carefully for those places where wasteful energy leakage may be occurring and, before win- ter's windows begin to howl, make sure they are sealed effectively, in order to prevent unnecessary heat loss in the months of cold weather ahead. Even if the walls • and attic of your house are adequately insulat- ed, you still may be losing energy through random cracks and through spaces around doors and windows. hi fact, these often - overlooked areas can account for at least 38 percent of the heat Toss from die typically insulated home. According to the Home Energy Saver's Workbook, "In a well - insulated house, the largest source of energy loss can be the air leaks around windows and doors and through other cracks." Amazing as that may seem, even more amazing is the fact that, of all areas in the home, these are among the simplest and least costly to in- sulate effectively - yet, often, they simply are neglected. For, while other types of is tion themselves may be expensive and may require a professional ex- pertise to insulate, the small cracks and spaces that can cause large en- ergy losses can be sealed easily, even by the most inexperienced do-it-yourselfer thanks to an all- purpose foar r insulation and seal- ant that pro% des quite simply, the most econom,cal method of elimi- nating drafts, heat loss and air infil- tration through cracks and open- ings in the home. i-e'k II PI CC fV Tit"" g • r= Are you ready for winter? Install a new high efficiency gas furnace or gas fireplace to ward off the winter chill. Have your old windows replaced with new thermal replacements. Save heating costs and be comfortable. I can help you with your indoor improvements before Christmas FREE- ESTIMATES '4.- Call 4 Cal! Jim 228-6303 We're giving away over 250 POW" Hone Buikling Centre Gift Certificates! 1 Each — $100.'° Gift Certificate Per Store. Extend your holiday budget this season by entering our Home Building Centre Holiday Giveaway Contest. All you have to do is complete the entry form and deposit it in the ballot box at your local Home Hardware Building Centre or Home Building Centre. No purchase is required to enter! R12 15" WIDTI1 Approx. 97 sq. It R20 ta•WIDTH Approx. 66 sq. ft r • • Thank you for your patronage! e ifir Home suitding Centre ifir Holiday Giveaway! Name Address. City Province Postal Code Tel. ( ) Skill Testing Question: (9 x 28) + (83 + 3) - 62 = Complete Contest Rules and Regulations available in the store All entries must be in before closing November 20, 1893. L --- This event is sponsored by Apt. 1 Mil and MI ;it Home 4Nralia Farusrp spply Ltd. CENTRALIA 228-663$ Centralia Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8 ail!. - 6 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m. - 12 noon