I can’t remember our winters ever being this serious until the last few years.
As a kid, I never had to bundle up in several to 5 layers before leaving the house, nor did I ever get serious frostbite on my face appreciate I do now.
It takes extra vigilance to stay warm and safe in a weather conditions as uncompromising as ours. Because the winters are so serious these afternoons, I have had to adapt my cabin to better insulate it from the cold outdoor air. The building was originally uninsulated in the attic, letting in constant cold drafts that would inevitably make their way into the floors down below. By putting insulation along the frame of my attic, it created a thermal barrier to keep cold air out and the warm air in my air duct from escaping. There were also my windows that needed to be updated. I wanted to buy double-pane storm rated windows, and not because of serious weather, but because they’re so effective at insulating the house. I can’t even imagine how much air conditioning was leaking out during the warm summer time season when I had to use the A/C on a nonstop basis to keep the temperature inside from rising too high. The last chore on my list was the easiest one of them all. It involved taking strips of foam with adhesive on one side and positioning them inside my front door frame so an air seal is created whenever the door is closed. Doors with poor weatherstripping, as it is often called, will have light shining through the cracks in the days. Thankfully, the weatherstripping kit for a single door can be found in the store for under $10. When you factor in the energy savings, the purchase is a no brainer.