We got around two feet of snow yesterday. Join me for a quick walk down the steps and through the raspberries to look at one of our bins to see how it’s doing.
Compost and 2 feet of snow
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Tag Archives: snow
Preparing for the Great Melt
If you live in Greater Boston*, you need to do this – now.
Do this now, even if you’ve never had a flood before, because we’ve never had snow like this before.
Do this now, even if you believe that the snow won’t melt for weeks to come, because until this year, we’ve never had snow like this arrive at this time before. (And who knows what will take up your time before then.) Continue reading
Storm Prep
Friends,
It’s been a while since our last storm, so a few quick reminders about safety related to energy efficiency. Remember, our safety personnel will likely have their hands full with other emergencies – let’s do them a favor by avoiding some of these basic hazards.
1. Clear direct vents: If you have a “direct venting” appliance such as a boiler or hot water heater, make sure the vents stay clear of snow. The vents are only a few feet off the
Typical direct vent exhaust as seen from outside the house.
ground, so snow drifts can sometimes get in the way, especially if you’ve put anything under the vent. (Hint: Don’t put anything under the vent.)
If blocked, the CO from combustion will go into the home rather than outside. CO is known as a silent killer because there is no smell. Check the vent periodically throughout the storm.
2. Dryer vents: The same holds true for dryer vents – if snow or ice is blocking them they won’t function safely. In the case of a dryer this can lead to additional problems, like burning your house down. Until that happens, it can also dramatically rise the amount of time it takes to dry clothing, which wastes energy. Continue reading
Tired of paying someone to get rid of ice dams each year?
A lot of people are getting ice dams this year… a lot of people get ice dams every year.Why? In most cases it is due to a lack of insulation, air-sealing, or both. (Spoiler: If you want to read the best, and most detailed, piece on this I’ve seen, read Martin Holladay’s article on Green Building Advisor.)
If you call a roofer they will usually tell you to install “ice shield” under the shingles as a solution. As you’ll see, that’s kind of like telling you to take medication because you keep getting food poisoning at your favorite restaurant. Better, of course, is to stop eating there.
Is your direct vent clear?
We keep getting more snow
We keep getting more snow
We’ve had a lot of snow locally in the last few weeks. Another 8″+ today has made the commute difficult and added significantly more to the piles of snow next to our driveways.