Whats the best way to “winterize” my home?
The most destructive element to a home’s structural health is moisture infiltration through openings in the building envelope. Water is insidious in its efforts to find even the smallest crack and attack any and all cellulose materials, which includes the both exterior and interior coverings including the structural framing members – often resulting in “dry rot” (a misleading term because continual moisture contact with wood usually results in “wet rot” which is the breakdown of cellulose materials). Another area of concern when dealing with moisture infiltration is pest infestation – the invasion of wood destroying insects, carpenter ants and wood eating beetles that thrive on cellulose materials. And of course, moisture problems can also lead to mold. If your home has inadequate grade slope away from the perimeter foundation, there may be the possibility of water intrusion into the foundation’s crawl space area, which can be compounded if the home contains below grade rooms and stora
