Hatches, Battened

There's nothing like the threat of winter and an onrushing storm to motivate me to finish a slew of projects. Summer seemed to stretch on forever and our fall was mild until recently. But we've woken to a few dustings of snow lately so I overcame my inertia to finish a few more projects. I've replaced and re-weatherstripped the back door and covered a gaping hole in the wall behind a bathroom vanity. Wow, why did those projects take me so long to finish?

Replacing the back door had been on my project list for quite a while. Thanks to the local Habitat for Humanity Re-Store I found a solid-core, steel-clad door which fit the door frame and my budget. Minor adjustments to the locks and strike plates got everything working smoothly. I added bronze-spring weatherstripping in the door frame and adjusted the exterior weatherstrip to doubly seal the door. Other than needing a matching coat of paint, the door looks good and works even better.

Closing the hole behind the bathroom vanity is much less visible, but may seal the house better than the new door. The hole was left by whomever replaced the sink and vanity before I bought the house. Unfortunately, after installing the sink they left a large hole in the drywall that was open to the crawlspace. This allowed a stream of air to leak from the cold crawlspace making for a cold bathroom. I would comment on the quality of craftsmanship displayed here, but this is a family-friendly blog. It took some time, a cardboard mock-up, plywood, wood screws and caulk to seal up the opening. I can already feel the bathroom is warmer and more comfortable.

Neither of these projects are likely to win me great compliments from admiring neighbors. But there are greater rewards, like a happier and warmer wife. That and a warm bathroom on cold, winter mornings.

More Info:

Habitat for Humanity - ReStore

Santa Fe Habitat for Humanity ReStore