Winter Weatherizing in Progress
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
United States
November 6, 2019 6:57am CST
With colder weather soon upon us, I have been trying to get this place tightened up To keep the cold air out in the warm air in.
Our home is a 1974 mobile home. Back in the day they were built with a little insulation in the walls weren’t very sick. So I have to do whatever I can to keep this place warm.
Years ago I would just buy the window film and tape up the windows. But because it is so thin My cat can easily scratched it open. So I’ve had to make the extra expense of buying a heavier gauge vinyl sheeting to place over the windows. It does work wonders at keeping the cold air out.
I also have to go around the door with felt weatherstripping because I’m noticing that I can see light through the gap in the door.
All of this takes a lot of time because you have to clean around the area where you’re going to have tape so that’ll stick. Then you have to let it dry. Apply the tape and then the plastic. Of course you also have to move the furniture and then once you move the furniture you have to clean behind it because you find all sorts of goodies behind them. So needless to say this is taking a lot of time. Oh and did I mention I have to stand on a stepstool to do most of this work because I’m so short? I’m not great on a stepstool it’s a sight to see.
Hopefully once I’m completely finished all notice a difference. Hopefully the draftiness will be gone And the furnace won’t come on so much.
Do you batten down the hatches Before cold weather sets in?
8 people like this
7 responses
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
6 Nov 19
I don't need to worry about the door with a secure apartment building. However, the windows are another matter. The windows don't have storms. It's one pane of glass between the apartment and the outside. Or a pane of glass and a screen on the other side. Needless to say, it can get cold in here. I don't put any plastic up. I've thought about it, but I'm short too and getting on a step stool isn't my cup of tea.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
7 Nov 19
I also have heavy curtains in the main windows to help keep the cold air out. I draw them every night.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
13 Nov 19
@just4him I have one window that I will be challenged with putting plastic up. That window does have drapes and just by closing them, it keeps a lot of cold air out.
1 person likes this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
13 Nov 19
@ElusiveButterfly I only have blinds. I haven't been closing them. I probably should with it as cold as it's been the last couple of days.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
6 Nov 19
I really want to move to a bigger place that is better insulated.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502427)
• Italy
7 Nov 19
@ElusiveButterfly I imagine that mobile homes do not have a very good insulation, hot in summer, cold in winter.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
7 Nov 19
@LadyDuck the newer models are better insulated. This old place lacks for much.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
6 Nov 19
Maybe you can reuse the heavier vinyl next year so it will lower your expenses. I had to do that around my door last year. I bought plastic I need to put around the window where my air conditioner is. Then put a blanket around it outside and a tarp.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
6 Nov 19
I was able to save the plastic from one window last year. I used it to cover another window this year.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
6 Nov 19
i used to put heavy plastic'n the outside 'f the windows 's these leak somethin' awful. my back door 'tis fallin' 'part, 'yond repair 'n that's gonna cause lots 'f troubles come winter. the hubs'll not listen, e'en though he does heat/air fer a livin'. 've tried fer years to get him to do schtuff proper to no avail. the sidin' needs replaced anyhow 'n such'd be a great 'pportunity to do that wrap thingy - he refuses. the savin's 'f energy'd be well worth 't. many 'f the double pane windows 've been broken o'er the years (hail storms mostly) 'n he's ne'er replaced those either. sigh... gonna be a long winter!
'd to giggle a bit o'er such turnin' 'nto a full days job. 've done that myself. hear ya'n the step stool. i get vertigo quite easily these days'n swear the critters 're takin' bets when i'm gonna come crashin' down. thankfully such's 'nly happened once 'n i landed'n the sofa...
i confess to've been puttin' horse 'n critter feed bags all 'long the gaps 'f the skirtin'. looks like crap, but hopefully such'll stop some 'f the cold, bitter winds.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
7 Nov 19
I would use the feed bags too if I needed too. Anything to put a barrier up to keep out the cold. Years ago I filled plastic bags with leaves and put them along the skirting of the trailer to help keep out the cold.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
8 Nov 19
@ElusiveButterfly great idea'n the leaves, hon. got my wheels to turnin' 's to how to secure 'em with our winds. yepperz, ya use what'cha got to do the best ya can.
@Marilynda1225 (91076)
• United States
6 Nov 19
I don't have to winterize my house anymore since I moved here. Back in the day, the house I raised my children in was a drafty old place with no insulation. We did that plastic on the windows too and it did help.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
6 Nov 19
Years ago, when my children were young, I moved to a duplex that was a 4 star energy rated home. Big laugh. It was so hard to heat that place. Drafty, high ceilings, one room had no heat at all which happened to be the laundry room.
First winter there I had to plastic all of the windows, and hang blankets over the doors to keep out the cold. My water froze in the laundry room causing the pipes to burst. What a nightmare.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
7 Nov 19
@Marilynda1225 we froze that winter. Spent more than I wanted to on fuel to keep minimally warm at best.
@JudyEv (382021)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Nov 19
I suppose the only good thing is that you only have to do it once a year. As our winters are so mild in comparison to yours, we only have to make sure we have sufficient wood for the winter. We take the wood away from the house in the summer to lessen the amount of flammable stuff in case of a bushfire then bring it back at the beginning of winter.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
7 Nov 19
Many people here stack their wood near their homes to season it. They bundles inside to keep near the stove for convenience.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382021)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Nov 19
@ElusiveButterfly We have wood stacked in a couple of different small sheds waiting for it to dry out.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (51819)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
6 Nov 19
I put mittens on the doorknobs...
1 person likes this
