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Found 45 results for the keyword(s) ‘Drafts’

  • Article

    Improving a wood chimney to stop backdrafting

      Rick from New Brunswick is having problems with his wood stove backdrafting and he wants to know if it will help to box in the chimney on the outside of the house. Backdrafting or difficult starting with wood burning appliances is often a problem and there are several entries in this database ...
  • Article

    Heaters for Patio Doors

    Patio doors are actually very large windows and even when the weather-stripping and caulking is in good shape, they can create cold drafts in a room simply because there is so much cold glass that the air at the top begins to cool off, slides down along the glass getting cooler and cooler as it g...
  • Article

    Where to find WEATHER-STRIPPING that will fit your window/door?

    Weather-stripping is used to seal air leaks at any opening in the house that moves -- doors, windows, and traps. If you need to be convinced of the necessity of doing a good job of weather-stripping, check out Air Barriers in the search tab above -- or look at your last heating bill.   Much of ...
  • Article

    WHAT IS AN AIR-TO-AIR HEAT EXCHANGER, HRV and ERV?

    Air-change ventilation systems exist that take stale air out and bring fresh air in so as to not rely on cold air drafts for the entry of fresh air to the house. They are simply a box with two fans. In a few of the warm spots of Canada these are legitimate systems on their own. In most of Canada ...
  • Article

    Insulating an above grade block wall from the inside

    This article deals with a block wall above grade.  For a below grade block wall see Basement Perimeter Drainage and Leaking Foundations.   Bryan is faced with a totally un-insulated cinder block wall with 1x2 strapping and a plaster covering.  He is thinking about stripping it back to the block...
  • Article

    WHY IS THERE FROST ON THE RUG?

    On windy days, houses in the Prairies often develop a small frost line on the rug about an inch away from the wall on the north or west side of the house. Here the wind is succeeding in lowering the temperature of the most poorly insulated part of the house -- the floor boards. In most construct...
  • Article

    Blocking drafts through existing electrical outlets

    You have all seen, maybe even used the little foam gaskets that are supposed to block the cold air from coming in through the electrical outlets, as you can see my smoke pencil flowing through the outlet in the first photo. The air sealing experts at CanAm Air Sealing showed me how to make t...
  • Article

    Adjusting doors so they do what YOU want!

    If you look carefully at the photo above you will see that I am holding a rather strange door latch. This thing is called Door Tite and it solves so many problems with exterior doors such as where you have to pull hard part of the year to be able to close the deadbolt with your key. It has a li...
  • Article

    What is the best weather-stripping for a wooden door?

    Dan from Winnipeg, Manitoba writes: "What would be the best weather stripping to use for the wooden storm doors on my house? Front and Back."Wooden storm doors tend to warp a bit with changes in the weather and with any direct sunlight on them, so you will probably find that the south facing doo...
  • Article

    Will insulating a floor make it warmer?

    Lee from Portugal Cove, Newfoundland is trying to warm up his floor without warming up his basement. "The floor above the basement is plywood covered with hardwood or vinyl flooring. It is very cold during winter and our 10 month old spends most of his days crawling around on a cold floor. Wil...
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