BifrLancastar Fanning, Saturday, February 5,1994
Keep Heating Dollars
UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre
Co.) Air leaking into or out of
your home can bring you higher
heating costs in winter, but there
are inexpensive, do-it-yourself
ways to stop drafts, said a housing
expert in Penn State’s College of
Agricultural Sciences.
“All homes, regardless of age,
design or location, are prone to
uncontrolled air movement, called
infiltration and exfiltration,” said
Dr. Phyllis Adams-Barner, asso
ciate professor of agricultural and
extension education.
“Knpwing where to look for
these air'leaks is the first step,”
she said. “They are most likely to
occur where heated and unheated
areas of the house are joined.”
Common problem areas include
window frames and sills, door
frames, door sill plates and
thresholds and attic entryways.
“You also should check where die
porch meets the house, where fau
cets, pipes or electrical fixtures
penetrate the house shell, and
where chimneys meet sidings,”
Is Winter Weather
Drying Out Your House?
UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre
Co.) Even if there’s snow on
the ground and the weather is frig
id, your home may be drier than a
desert this winter, said a housing
expert in Penn State’s College of
Agricultural Sciences.
“Warm air holds much more
moisture than cold air,” said Dr.
Phyllis Adams-Bamer, associate
professor of agricultural and ex
tension education. “When the out
door temperature drops, so does
the air’s ability to hold moisture.
During the heating season, a
home’s relative humidity can be
15 percent or lower. At this point,
the air in a home is drier than that
in the Sahara Desert.”
Excessive dry air inside your
house can affect your health and
cause a variety of other problems.
“People living in very dry homes
may experience sore and raspy
throats, dry skin and stuffy noses,”
Adams-Bamer said. “They can
feel cold when the temperature in
doors registers 70 degrees.”
A lack of moisture also affects
interior furnishings. “Doors will
warp and wooden panels will
shrink,” she said. “Furniture tends
to dry out, crack and shrink at glue
joints. You’ll receive static elec
tricity shocks when touching met
al after walking across a carpet or
rug. Also, plants wilt and die more
rapidly due to increased evapora
tion from their leaves.”
Relative humidity gauges avail
able in stores will give an accurate
reading to within 10 percent “A
relative humidity level of 30 to SO
percent will provide a comfortable
home environment” Adams-Bar
ner said. “If your home has a low
er relative humidity, consider add
ing small amounts of moisture to
the air.”
Moisture can be added to dry air
in several ways. “Moisture vapor
from a single source travels quick
ly,” Adams-Bamer said. “Boiling
a teakettle of water on the stove,
for instance, will add moisture to
the air throughout your house.”
Moisture accumulation also re
sults from everyday activities such
as bathing, cooking and washing
clothes. “If the humidity in your
house is too low, don’t run an ex
haust fan after each bath or show
er,” Adams-Bamer said.
Special products are available
to put water vapor into the home’s
heating system. “Reducing the in
Adams-Barner said.
Caulking and weatherstripping
are inexpensive and effective
methods of preventing air leaks.
“These strategies have proven to
be more effective in reducing
heating costs than increasing attic
insulation or installing a new heat
ing system,” Adams-Barner said.
“They help eliminate air leaks, re
duce heating bills and make a
home more comfortable. A wide
variety of caulking and weather
stripping materials are available,
each differing in price, perfor
mance and durability.”
Caulking compounds are used
to fill cracks and crevices. “These
compounds are made of latex, sili
cone, butyl or other materials,”
Adams-Barner said. “Each type of
caulk is formulated for a specific
use, and their cost, durability and
case of installation vary. Shop
around to find the product that’s
right for your situation.”
Weatherstripping works on the
same principle as-the seal around a
refrigerator door. “It stops air
door temperature is another way
to increase the relative humidity
and increase your comfort,” she
said. “Portable humidifiers also
can do the job depending on the
size of the home.”
It may be necessary to add
moisture to the air periodically
throughout the heating season.
“Depending on the type of heat
you use, you may need to add
moisture to the air frequently,”
Adams-Bamer said. “But remem
ber, too much moisture also can be
a problem. To be on the safe side,
check the relative humidity level
frequently and make adjustments
as necessary.”
Profit
from winter
lime application
From Disappearing Into Thin Air
leaks through adjacent moving
parts, such as door and window
jambs or the bottom of a garage
door,” Adams-Bamer said. “It’s
available in a variety of materials
and shapes, including felt, foam,
rubber and V-strip. These mater
ials also can be used to fill large
gaps where caulking isn’t suffi
cient.”
Always read and follow manu
facturers’ instructions when in
stalling caulking or weatherstrip
ping. “Many of these materials
Work And Family Newsletter
NEWARK, Del. Delaware
Cooperative Extension is launch
ing a newsletter this month called
Balancing Work and Family. The
12-part series is printed one page,
front and back. Organizations and
businesses are encouraged to du
plicate and distribute the newslet
ter to their members.
“The newsletter, developed by
Ohio State University Extension,
includes basic information that all
families can use.” notes Maria
Pippidis, University of Delaware
Cooperative Extension home eco
nomics agent who adapted the ser
ies for Delaware. “Each issue han
dles a particular topic that is rele
vant to today’s families as they try
to juggle their work and family
roles.”
Each newsletter covers a speci
fic topic. Included are issues on
sharing responsibilities at home,
making the transition from work
to home, family communications,
and avoiding the morning rush.
The Balancing Work and Fami
ly newsletter is one way that Co
operative Extension will celebrate
Delaware’s families during 1994,
which has been designated the In
contain hazardous chemicals,” more uniform temperatures
Adams-Bamer said. “Use gloves, throughout the house and are free
respirators and eye protection from drafts," she said. “But they
when directions indicate a poten- also may need a controlled source
tial hazard. Never lick your finger of ventilation to supply oxygen
and smooth out a caulking surface, and remove moisture and contam
because you could accidentally ih- inants from the air. Heating appli
gest the materials.” ances may require an additional
Adams-Bamer also warns that- air supply to operate properly.”
making changes to the shell of a For more information about
duelling alters the way a house housing ventilation and weather
previously functioned. proofing, contact the Penn State
“Homes that have been caulked Cooperative Extension Office in
and weatherstripped usually have your county.
Extension Launches
temational Year of the Family by
the United Nations.
Businesses, churches, schools
and individuals may order the
newsletter by sending a name, ad
dress and phone number on a post-
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Call your local Martin Limestone
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