Taking the bull by the horns

 

In the end, it became quite clear why our furnace was struggling to keep up with the cold. The 2 to 3 inch gap between the well insulated skirting around the house and the ground was allowing frigid wind to pass under the house freely. Insulating and isolating the "dog house", or the small lean to shelter at the back of the house helped, but closing the gap was essential.

Stephen and Jim, two of the bosses at SEED Homes, arrived bundled up early on Friday morning with some pre-cut strips of industrial insulation. With temperatures hovering near minus 40, they filled the gap all around the house with this insulation while I followed behind shovelling snow over top.

By the time we were done and in the house enjoying a warming cup of coffee, the temperature started to rise. Closing the airflow under the house allowed the furnace a chance to catch its wind and bring the house up to a more comfortable 19 or 20 degrees. 

I can't imagine a day in southern Alberta colder than what it is today. With the windchill, it feels like minus 49. The days in the year that it will get this cold are few and far between. By early next week, we will be back to more normal winter conditions and our challenge with the house will be not allowing it to get too warm.

While we were enjoying a lovely visit, two gentlemen from Okotoks Glass arrived to install the shower door in the guest bathoom and the mirrors for both. It had been several weeks since we had been able to look at ourselves. They were happy to be doing an inside job on what was a bitterly cold Friday.

While we are much closer to having all the finishing work completed in the house - some final tiling behind the stove happens today - the other building is coming together in the shop. Birdsong Studio 3.0 could land within two or three weeks. The wall you see in the distance features four 3' by 4' windows that will face north. That will be the studio space. As it is a much less complicated affair with a smaller footprint, conceivably it could be completely done and ready by early March.