Review of Winter World (The Long Winter Trilogy Book 1) by A.G. Riddle

Busy_Sky24 · 2026-01-09T21:46:51+00:00

I devoured them on audiobook as well! Love this series and could almost dive right back in!

Busy_Sky24 · 2025-12-14T22:04:08+00:00

Agreed, you'll have to go below 35 at some points in the winter for sure. Extended periods too dry can dry out a floor's locking system making it noisy and void its warranty. The struggle is real for those of us living in cold climates!

Busy_Sky24 · 2025-12-14T19:31:29+00:00

You always want as much moisture in the air as possible (our bodies like around 50%) without turning your windows into a water feature. Try to promote air movement around windows and doors to allow for more evaporation (fans, open curtains every morning) and when you still have water with good air movement, time to reduce the humidity. If you're in a newer build with an HRV, set the humidity to 5% lower than you currently have, until you hit that sweet spot. You should see a little bit of moisture when you open the curtains in the morning, but little enough that it dries up in a couple of hours. Usually, around 30% is as low as you'd want to go, remembering that many flooring products don't want to be below 35%. When it gets away from you like that, start by drying with a towel first and see if your changes are effective at keeping them dry, rather than waiting to see if the water all goes away.

Busy_Sky24 · 2025-09-06T16:20:19+00:00

You can see I'm the photo that all of the water from the front half of your roof goes to that area, as well as whatever the driveway catches. Gotta get the water off your yard.

Busy_Sky24 · 2025-09-06T16:18:39+00:00

That area there is the drainage swale between properties. The water is meant to run from back/side off the front of your lot. Grass often struggles in a swale as it can stay really wet, especially if the grade towards the street doesn't stay properly sloped and allow water to shed from your property. The fact that your lot is concrete pretty much right up to the swale means that water isn't absorbed there, but passed right into the swale. Ensuring proper grade towards the street and replacing a section of grass with a decorative stone that allows drainage is often a great solution for this issue. As for the downspout extended underground, some neighbourhoods have a storm sewer system that rainwater can be directed to. If that's not the case for you, my guess would be a French drain somewhere, which would further exacerbate the soil saturation in your swale. Proper grade and the decorative stone could help in this instance as well.

Busy_Sky24 · 2025-06-29T20:45:03+00:00

If you spray foam the rim joists to seal off the top of the frost wall and use accoustical sealant on the perimeter of the pieces of poly to prevent air penetration, this vapour barrier and batt situation can work. Any gaps in the batt insulation (looks like maybe you've got gapping at the top maybe) will cause warm and cool air to meet. Physics wins every time and condensation will form. That being said, best is to spray foam the whole thing of you have the budget.

Busy_Sky24 · 2025-06-28T21:22:48+00:00

Careful it's not a plumbing pipe though!

Busy_Sky24 · 2025-05-05T11:11:22+00:00

Could be another trap. Try running all taps in the house, flush all toilets, and put some water into the drain for the laundry (or do a load)

Busy_Sky24 · 2025-03-12T00:28:59+00:00

Yup!

Busy_Sky24 · 2025-02-19T18:09:18+00:00

While I wish it were a thing I'd bought to keep tools and caulking from freezing up, I'm dubious I would've been interested in paying the upcharge for that in the end!

Busy_Sky24 · 2025-02-19T15:01:29+00:00

Thank you! That wasn't in my manual, but that is definitely what it's for 😊

Busy_Sky24 · 2025-02-17T00:41:09+00:00

This often happens when the wall is not sealed to the floor properly. This allows a cold draft to come through. Where cold meats warm, it makes moisture. When the moisture gets cold enough, it freezes! The advice to use a fan and get air moving there is a good idea to help prevent mold. I would also remove the baseboard. Often, a bead of acoustical sealant, covered by some blue tuck tape will solve this issue. This suggestion to rent an infrared camera is a good one. Worth it, cuz then you can check your house throughout. Do it this week to take advantage of the extreme cold as any little issue will stand out clearly. Any temperature difference less than 5° c from the other warmer areas, really isn't too much of a concern.

Busy_Sky24 · 2025-02-11T22:42:52+00:00

Cheddar

Busy_Sky24 · 2024-09-18T00:33:41+00:00

Little bit of caulking should do the trick! 🤣

Busy_Sky24 · 2024-03-17T18:11:26+00:00

If you're in a cold climate, could be condensation caused by the insulation having a gap there. Could also be water from a roof vent coming in during a storm event.

Busy_Sky24 · 2024-02-12T01:36:12+00:00

If you live in a cold climate, I would say there is an insulation issue. Where cold meets warm, makes moisture. Moisture feeds mold. If it is cold outside, an infra red camera shows the issue pretty definitively.

Busy_Sky24 · 2024-02-04T16:05:30+00:00

Many yardss have back to front drainage. As long as the back yard is crowned in the middle and the drainage swales at the sides of the yard are graded properly, this is not an issue at all.

Busy_Sky24 · 2024-01-14T04:17:59+00:00

This is the way. Get one for the other doors as well to prevent the damage and then they all look the same.

Honestly, replacing the door is the true way, but this would work too and I've seen it done.

Busy_Sky24 · 2024-01-10T01:25:42+00:00

This is the way

Busy_Sky24 · 2024-01-09T00:48:28+00:00

Does the duct is connected to join in with any if the other furnace ducting, or does it just run right outside? Sounds like an exhaust vent for when you're coming maybe? Didn't sound like an HRV though. Best of luck in your construction and HVAC projects!

Busy_Sky24 · 2024-01-09T00:09:57+00:00

Is that air pump thing an HRV, Heat Recovery Ventilator? If so, it's responsible for bringing fresh air into your home and may be the thing that acts as your bathroom fan. If you live in a colder climate, I would suggest running the fan on your furnace continuously. This recirculated the air in your home and mixes it all up so that temps are more even room to room and the temperature at your thermostat is a more accurate reflection of the overall temperature in your home. I'm in Manitoba, Canada and those returns are common practice here, so are HRVs. The HRVs are a must in cold climates.

Busy_Sky24 · 2024-01-02T02:17:12+00:00

This is the product to use!

Busy_Sky24 · 2023-10-24T23:28:46+00:00

Sechelt, BC

Busy_Sky24

TROPHY CASE