Insulation and Light

It was one busy weekend again. The weather was beautiful, probably one of the last warm weather weekends we are going to get this year and I had the unfortunate task of having to spend it working hard on finishing up some loose ends on the trailer in preparation for winter. The first order of business was going to Menard's and purchasing insulation and vapor barrier for under the trailer. The insulation was relatively cheap having decided to go with unfaced batts. Not only that, but currently there is some hefty rebates to be had for home heating improvements. What did cost a bundle though was the roll of 6mm black plastic I got for the vapor barrier. That itself cost $40 for a 8x80 foot roll! I know that this is not the best way to insulate, many trailer enthusiasts calling for actual mobile home under wrap, but money is important and as I have said in many posts, this home is temporary and so good enough fits the bill.

After purchasing the right material, it was then a matter of suiting up and putting it in which was not fun. I put on a pair of mechanic's coveralls (I once owned a Heavy Diesel shop) and a dust mask and proceeded to crawl under the whole house putting up batt after batt, enjoying the itchiness and dust and mouse nests. After a few hours I was done and was very dirty but happy with how easy it really was (up until suiting up I had been dreading the time it would take). Once the insulation was in place, I then proceeded to pull out the length of plastic I would need on the roll and pulled that under and pulled it into place and stapled it up. That whole process did not go to bad either. Once I was done I went and cleaned up which felt good but was not the signal for the end of the work day.

Next on the list was to skirt in that forth side that I had previously left open so I could have easier access to the underside for insulating. This took a few hours: digging trench, laying out 2x4's and cutting and screwing the skirt sheets in place and then laying pea rock in the trench to finish off the perimeter. The last thing I did was leave an access opening that I cut a piece of plywood to cover. Overall, the effect of having insulation was felt immediately that night, the temperature remaining warmer than it had been on previous nights.

Last on the list was digging a three foot deep hole at the top of the driveway and putting up a 16 foot tamarack pole that had been drying for a few months. On the top of this pole I mounted an outdoor floodlight that my cousin had given to me. I have not dug the wire in for it, but I did hook it up to an extension cord and tested it once it got dark and wow, it was like a mini sun was lighting up the yard and driveway. It will be hooked up on a switch in the house, that way it can be put on only when I want it on. It will be nice though to have if a person wants to work on a car after dark or do something in the yard.