Mon, Nov 09, 2009
Doors
Posted to Miscellaneous category
My new doors were finally delivered and installed today.
Dinah Kitty was not happy, but she seemed less upset than she would have been in the past. I think she may be getting a bit deaf in her old age, so she doesn't notice people moving around the house as much as she once did.
The new sliders to the bedroom deck have a full inch between the double panes. The old doors were technically double paned, but had only a fraction of an inch between the panes. The screen door built into the unit actually is usable. And the new frame is vinyl with heat flow breaks. So my bedroom should be warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
The old doors were not original: the ones that were installed whe I bought this house were single paned and had flimsy aluminum frames that rattled in the high winds we get here.
The French doors to the basement aren't as insulated as the sliders, but they close and lock, which the old ones didn't since the landslide last summer, and they are very well caulked, which the old doors were not.
I suspect that some of the mice were getting in through the gaps around the old doors. I hope that in addition to being far more weathertight (which should improve heat bills) the basement is also a bit more rodent-proof.
I should probably invest in some carbon monoxide alarms now that the basement is not constantly ventilated, just in case. There have been radio ads saying it is now legally required to have them. I hope the new ones last better than the last time I put a CO alarm in the house. It was more trouble than it was worth.
If they are still offering tax credits for weatherization next year, I may see see about replacing the basement windows with insulated double-paned units.