Move over “man cave.”
And make way for a new trend that is gaining steam across the world. While men have their “man caves,” women are now rehabbing their old exterior buildings into their own private retreats from the world, making it official. The “she shed” movement has arrived. Whether it be an old outdoor playhouse, a woodshed, a vacant garage, or even a brand new creation, women across the nation are claiming and transforming their own backyard havens for women alone. Some are decorated rather simply, with perhaps some chairs, some books or a sofa, and some are quite elaborate and have bathrooms and beds. Regardless of your style and structure, if you have a she shed and want to keep it cozy this winter, you’ll want to take a few simple measures that we at Hilliard-Dublin Heating and Air compiled to help you stay warm in your outdoor sanctuary this winter.
A SOURCE OF HEAT WITH WOODEN FLOORS
Any time you spend out in your haven this winter is probably going to require a safe and reliable source of heat. Perhaps a space heater, or an outdoor stove. Whatever the case, you definitely don’t want that precious heat going out the door, or through the floor. While it is true that heat rises, most people don’t know that you can lose a massive amount of heat through your floor as well. If you don’t insulate your “she shed” properly, the warmth that’s coming out of your heater gets chilled quickly by the wind flowing under the building and along the thin and bare floor.
For this problem, there are a few different solutions. We recommend getting some cheap carpeting. It need not be the prettiest, and it will require some maintenance from time to time. But if you can find some old carpetting and cut it to the correct size, it’ll go a long way in keeping your “she shed” cozy when the weather turns super cold. To take this suggestion further, we also recommend finding cheap cloth, like cotton or felt, and laying it down first, on the bare floor. Once it’s down, kick it into place. You mustn’t leave the borders with much room. Make it really snug to the edges and then put down that carpeting on top. You need not nail or tack or penetrate the carpet. Instead, use items in the shed, like tables or chairs or bookshelves, to hold it in place. Once you’ve done this, check the edges and around the room to make sure no moisture can get in.
INSULATION
Now that you’ve got the floors covered, literally, the next thing you’ll want to do to put some sort of padding on the walls. To do this affordably, some experts suggest using bubble wrap. Yes, that’s right, we said bubble wrap.
All you do is start by measuring the bare areas you want to cover and cut the sheets to fit it snuggly. You can staple or nail these into position, and lastly, you can get some fiberboard or plywood to cover each space. Once you have your sheets of wood to size, which might involve a little work, you merely screw it or nail it into position. You won’t find a cheaper solution to insulating your walls.
WINDOWS, DOORS AND MORE
You are liable to waste a lot of expensive heat in these key places, so consider a few tips and utilize them properly. They will save you a chunk of money on heating:
- Use some sort of spray foam insulate found at your local hardware store to protect the interior perimeter of each window. If you find this solution to be unsightly or ugly, you can always smooth it down with a file.
- Invest in a door sweep or use a makeshift slider cloth for the bottoms of your doors. Utilize weather stripping. This goes a good way in keeping the warm air in and the cold air out.
- Utilize the shutters on the exterior of your windows. It won’t hold a lot of actual heat in, but it will help the windowpanes remain warm.
- Hang up some drapes inside, thick curtains, or a blanket for added window protection from the wind.
- Get rid of any debris lying around the exterior and clean the place up.
- Lastly, use a candle to locate any additional drafts that might be penetrating your cozy winter getaway. Simply turn off any fans or space heaters that might be moving the air inside so that is very still. Light the candle and go around your windows and doors or any other penetrations of the structure. If the candle flickers, you have found a draft that will need sealing. You can use spray foam, caulk, or any insulation sold at your local hardware stores.
For more information or further assistance in keeping your special she shed sanctuary warm through another frigid Ohio winter, give us a call at Hilliard-Dublin Heating & Air today at 614-490-7520, or schedule an appointment now at www.hilliarddublinheatingandair.com/schedule-now/.
