Insulation

Drafty doesn't cover the Apple House.  When we first moved in you could see sunlight through the cracks between the logs.  We have gone to pretty extreme lengths to try to increase the efficiency of this house.  Other than when the contractor literally covered the house in caulk before painting it, the biggest thing we have done is add insulation to the attic.

One day Link decided to have a look at the attic.  This is how you have to get there.  Scary, huh?

When he got up there this is what he found.  Scary, huh?

That is part of of a pretty big subdivision of woodpecker houses.  Here's a different view for better perspective.  Scary, huh?

So, Link shoveled the nests out of the door.  (The attic had all ready been sealed by this time, so there were no longer any birds in the nests.  They are pretty mad about it, though.  We saw one working away on the wood a few days ago.  Watch for a spring project that will hopefully prevent their return.)

Here is what the rest of the attic looked like.  Notice the lack of insulation in much of it and how poorly it is installed on the parts that had it.  (Scary, huh?)

Link may claim that this was a big pain in the @**, but you take a look at the following pictures and tell me if this looks like they might have been having more fun than they let on.

Here is S. (one of the men who our land lord has hired to help fix this place up) taking his turn at blowing in the insulation.

 Filler 'er up boys!

 Turns out there was quite a bit extra. . .

 So they just kept going and going.  You are looking at a space that Lincoln could stand in before all this was blown in.  The word "overkill" comes to mind, but then, after you've lived in a poorly headed house in sub zero temperatures, it doesn't seem like you could have too much insulation!

The apple house is now insulated to the gills (at least in the attic.)  We'll continue to share the other crazy things we've done to try to keep the heat in this house.