(But you don’t have to have chronic illness for this to be a good method for you!)
It’s called Loop Scheduling! WOW, I love it.
You can learn more here and in Tauna’s other posts about this.
Many with chronic illness face limited energy and even harder to deal with for planning–unpredictable energy. Many of us never know whether we will be able to accomplish hours worth of things in a day or nearly nothing. Though I am healing tremendously, I still face days where my body just has to catch up with rest, make up for a bad night’s sleep, or make it through a simple virus which knocks me flat rather than just giving me a runny nose.
Loop scheduling allows one to save energy by not constantly re-writing things that didn’t get done on the next day’s list. It also helps save over-analyzing what to do next. This is extremely helpful on brain-foggy days.
The short explanation on Loop scheduling is this: Have several lists (Daily Dos, Weekly Loop de Loos, Monthly Loop de Loos). Do your daily list, then go to the top of each other list in turn. When the top thing is done, do the next one (no matter how many days or hours in between). When you get through a Loop de Loo list, start over!
If you find you are not getting through your Weekly Dos (for instance) in only a week, then either call it your Bi-Weekly Dos 🙂 or take some things off the list or re-prioritize knowing you could skip the last few things on the list if you need to.
I adapted the concept in several other ways also.
First, I react to printer ink & paper, so I put mine on my laptop. For each list, I have a different digital “sticky note.” I put everything needing to be done in bold and change to regular font when done. Every day, my Daily List gets to regular font. The bold on my other lists tells me where to start that day (since I changed the day-before’s accomplishments to regular font).
I put ALL my Daily Dos, Weekly Dos, etc. on each list, without separating out a separate Weekly Do list for the house, school, blogging. With limited energy, this works very well for me.
So my Daily List includes such tasks as school with each child using their lesson plans, wiping out bathroom sink, taking a walk (or sweeping etc. for exercise inside if cold outside), and possibly doing some mending (patching quilts or whatever).
My Weekly Loop de Loo Do List includes clean bathroom (twice), write blog post, clean out e-mail, plan school, listen to sermon with Alyssa.
My Monthly Loop de Loo List includes Black Hills Picture Books finances, some monthly cooking (stuff the kids like to have stocked in the freezer), and deep cleaning like the stove.
I also added another list called “One Time Tasks.” This is for things such as thank-you notes or projects. I do one a day or one every few days, whatever. If there is an urgency to the top few tasks, I might type the “due date” beside it.
I am so excited–I love this system. It is really helping me save time, energy, and frustration. I’m so glad Tauna posted about this! 🙂
So now, with a few exceptions (chocolate & rice crispy treats 🙂 ), sugar just doesn’t sound good to me anymore. Even my favorite orange chicken recipe sounds too sweet to me now, and even ice cream doesn’t sound good!!!
Wow, what happened?
It wasn’t by avoiding sugar like crazy, because I didn’t do that. I still have chocolate a lot because I can’t drink coffee, don’t like soda pop, and want the caffeine boost.
I think it was the sour power.
I have been eating sour probiotic foods (Bubbies pickles, for instance) every day for about 8 years. That probably helps, and of course that helps digestion. But it wasn’t until recently that I experienced this feeling of REALLY NOT wanting the processed sugar….
Well, six months ago I began drinking lemon water all day. (Just fresh lemon juice and local spring water.) I love it, and sometimes I put a LOT of lemon in. 🙂 I don’t like to waste anything, and things can go moldy in the fridge in a few days. So we keep lemons in the freezer, thaw out one at a time, and use up before the 3- day mark.
Someone told me lemon or something like that in the water helps the small intestine absorb the water. Laura Ingalls Wilder books mention something similar–something in the water (like for them–ginger, sugar, and vinegar) helps the body use it. Probably it is a similar concept to Gatorade. I DID feel better in the summer heat with the lemon!!!
Lately I’ve also been eating cranberry sauce for health reasons. It has sugar in it of course, but it still tastes mouth-puckeringly sour.
Sour–that’s the only thing I can think that has brought this on.
It’s effortless now, since protein, veggies, fruit, etc. sound much better to me than cookies, pies, or ice cream. In fact, right now I am craving protein like crazy. (I think because my body is rebuilding 12 years worth of ravages.) I couldn’t be happier!!!
It might take 6 months of significant sour drinks/foods every day, but if anyone else tries this, I’d love to know if it worked for you.
Christa Upton Black Hills Picture Books Edgemont, SD 57735
I am so thankful for two sets of wonderful grandparents. Some people don’t even have one. 🙁 For those, I hope they find neighbors or friends to “adopt” as grandparents.
“Grandma & Grandpa’s House, 2”
The sunlight makes a patch of brightness on the front porch. I climb the stone steps, past the little spruce that smells so good in the warmth and the honeysuckle bushes with bright, red berries.
The old, screen door squeaks a familiar welcome, and Mom knocks on the door. Grandma’s delightful laugh rings out as she and Grandpa usher us in with warm hugs.
I take a deep breath. Cantaloupe, old wood, and geraniums—a lovely perfume.
Grandma brings out newspaper clippings she has been saving: articles for each of us that we will enjoy. Grandpa laughs and jokes with Dad.
Then my sister and I go to explore all our favorite places: the secret place where Mom carved her name years & years & years ago, the fascinating library cove full of interesting things, the dormer window bed where Mom slept as a child, the special drawer full of toys Grandma and Grandpa have collected for us. Then the attic, hot and dusty and amazing.
After that, we go back downstairs to check out my favorite of all—the greenhouse. I love the greenhouse. There are no plants anymore, but I imagine them lining the long rows of shelves. I run along the paths in each building.
On the way back we go through the garage-like space that used to display the flowers for sale. It is the perfect backdrop for our annual plays we do for the adults. We remember the wonderful boxes of dress-up clothes in the basement. “Diamond”-studded blue velvet dress—always what the heroine wears, of course. A funny black-and-white striped jailbird outfit, vests, pants, old hats. We begin planning this year’s play. Maybe our brother will even come up with some sound effects for us.
We check out the rest of the yard and a little space between the garages/greenhouses and the house. Just enough room in one place for a kid to climb through makes this a mysterious place, fun to hide from brothers and other dangerous things.
As we enter the sunny living room again, we smell roasting turkey. We help Grandma set the table with beautiful, pink rose-patterned china. We all sit, happy to be together. After a prayer, Grandpa takes the platter of turkey.
“Well, here’s mine, where’s everyone else’s?”
Everyone laughs.
Grandma begins to share interesting stories about town, her friends, their life. I eat slowly, savoring the delicious meal.
After cleaning up, someone asks about a walk. We all join eagerly. We walk down to Butler Park, enjoying the near-perfect weather and chatting.
Later, my sister and I ask if we can sleep on the porch. We’re so excited Grandma says yes. We gather sleeping bags and pillows. We whisper and giggle as darkness falls. The church bell chimes. Crickets begin to sing, and we fall asleep, happy and safe and loved.
This is a two-part series—one post for each set of my grandparents. They all lived here in the Black Hills. That’s how we knew about the semi-arid climate & fresh air so could put this place on our list of “could live here” after leaving the mold house. I’m so glad it worked out for us to live here. The Black Hills hold many precious memories for me.
“Grandma & Grandpa’s House”
I hear gravel crunching under the car tires as we turn off the highway & circle the pretty drive. I see the river, pine trees, grassy areas full of sun, and grandma’s large, tiered flower beds. Pink, purple, crimson, golden. To this day, the scent of petunias takes me back here. I see the deep green, glass lantern hanging where my father hung it years ago.
And then—Grandma and Grandpa’s smiling faces. They come down the front steps of their beautiful home, exclaiming and welcoming us. Hugs. Warmth. Love.
We stand near the whitewashed, cement block walls, me taking deep breaths of pine-scented, fresh air. Grandma & Grandpa’s Hungarian accents are like music to my ears.
We enter through the sunny garage and head up the stairs. It smells like onions sautéed in butter. Ahhh, the scent of comfort and adventure all at once.
My sister and I head with our things to the pink room. We love the pink room. Spacious, airy, with deep red carpet, pink walls, pink bedspreads, and a large window opening to the front yard.
Later we explore, re-examining Grandma’s beautiful Hungarian knick-knacks and colorful fabric dolls. We can hear Grandma humming to herself as she cooks supper in the large, sunny kitchen. Delicious smells come from her pots. We ask if we can help; we set the table.
5:00—Happy Hour. Grandma brings out baskets of chips, pretzels, and Grandpa’s favorite: Matzo. We gather with lawn chairs on the shaded patio, holding glasses of “Shirley Temple” drinks (“Roy Rogers” for my brother). I save my maraschino cherry for last, after I have sipped all the 7-up. Mom & Dad, Grandma & Grandpa all chat. I am shy, so I don’t say much. But I listen with rapt attention to Grandma & Grandpa’s wonderful stories about life long ago in Hungary. Dad and Grandpa chat politics. Grandpa says how he loves President Reagan because he stands for freedom.
Dinner is ready. We sit down to eat Chicken Paprikash at the stately but cozy dining room table. We exclaim how much we love it. Grandma laughs and says it’s only a peasant dish. I think we must be peasants.
As we clear up and wash dishes, we hear Dad tuning up his violin and Grandpa his viola. Then comes the music—Bach, Beethoven, Mozart. The music flows from their hands like ribbons of the sweetest candy. Dad talks me into playing, so I approach the old, tall piano. We play together. Then I go back to my cozy spot on the bearskin rug near the fireplace and take up my book. It’s summer so the fireplace is not burning, but I like to sit there anyway.
Tomorrow we will enjoy an adventure. Maybe we will go to Angostura Reservoir or Evans Plunge. Maybe we will explore the river and play in the yard.
But for now, I slip into the pink room and lie down, happy. I hear the adults watching the news. The grandfather clock chimes. I smell pines and cool air through the window. So peaceful. I feel so loved.
Christa Upton Black Hills Picture Books Edgemont, SD 57735
Last night I approved the proof of our book in print, and it is available on CreateSpace & Amazon! To purchase, go to the link and fill out your information, and they will send the book directly to you. https://www.createspace.com/6719437?ref=1147694&utm_id=6026
It is really fun seeing the book in print.
And OH–the house!!! It has been such an unbelievable blessing for us. For the first time in many years–well, my whole life really, I have been able to breathe in fresh, clean air day and night for weeks and weeks.
A couple times I had clean air camping for a month or two, but for a number of reasons, we could not “sustain” this. One of the main reasons is that I was, unlike some people, very reactive to campfire smoke. This made otherwise-good campgrounds very difficult. Another reason is that my MCS was off the charts–I was just plain sicker from, & more sensitive to, more chemicals than most people with MCS. Without total control of a large area, such as our 6 1/2 acres with buffers (canyon, etc.), we ran into problems over & over again because of the severity of my MCS. A third reason is that with a special-needs child in the mix, it is impossible to pick up & move to a different state when something like wildfire smoke comes through or just to find good, warm places to camp.
Anyhow, the house is phenomenal. I was able to move in the day after Steve finished the plastering. The caulk affected me a little but nothing like living in town pollution affected me.
I am better than I have been in 8+ years, when I first succumbed to the mold in the mold house.
I hope our book will help others who are considering building think through the issues of a low-tox house and mold prevention.
Christa Upton Black Hills Picture Books Edgemont, SD 57735
As you may know, it’s been made into a movie. The movie was quite good, too, IMHO.
I’m not usually drawn to fiction “because it teaches a lesson,” yet many of the most powerful fiction books do draw from reality, do lift us to higher goals, do “teach lessons.”
Here are some “lessons” I see in the book City of Ember:
Being grateful for what you have
Loving family & friends
Resisting greed/dealing with wanting something so badly you lose perspective
Courage
Creativity
The dangers of uncontrolled anger
Thinking in a new way about words
Thinking in a new way about our world
Industriousness
I’m not sure why I’m SO drawn to this book, but without including spoilers, the “surprising” scene near the end fascinates me. The characters are interesting, dialogue believable, premise (of the whole city) remarkable.
How about you? Have you read City of Ember? What have you enjoyed about it?
Christa Upton Black Hills Picture Books Edgemont, SD 57735
Thursday it was approximately -1 degree Fahrenheit outside (with bad wind chill). COLD!!! We didn’t do the whole measuring thing (temps & humidity), but Steve did reach his hand through the wall insulation to feel the siding.
He found one tiny (less than 1 inch square) spot of condensation (frost) on the interior surface of the metal siding. It is not enough to cause damage, but why was it there?
After inspecting closely, Steve realized the insulation where he has been reaching through to test was only 3 – 4 inches thick instead of 6 inches. He had disturbed the loose-fill insulation enough, reaching through with these tests, to decrease the insulation thickness by 30 – 50%. That’s a significant decrease in insulation.
All evidence points to this decrease in insulation as what caused the tiny problem.
I think one could think of this (decreased insulation thickness) as maybe a type of “partial” thermal bridge. It was letting out heat at a much more rapid rate.
It’s also well-known that insufficient insulation can cause condensation problems. I have never read an explanation for why this happens, but I would guess that too much heat escapes, bringing vapor with it. With less heat escaping (when insulation is sufficient), apparently less vapor goes to the cold surface of insulation. Or maybe it’s as simple as less insulation means less air barrier? Either way, all the places where our insulation is good (6 inches of loose-fill sheep’s wool insulation, R value of at least R-19) has been dry.
I used to think that the insulation would keep the interior surface of the siding warm. This has not been shown to be true at all, but rather the vapor is just not (usually) getting to the cold surface of the siding. It again seems to be proving true the (wonderful) truth that vapor diffusion through walls in cold winter is usually not a concern.
I find it interesting that this remains true even with our plaster walls (which are breathable) even with no paint, wallpaper, vapor barrier, or vapor retarder. However, I must point out that it could be our wool insulation helping out. I do NOT know if someone would get the same results with metal siding, plaster walls, & our cold temps if they used another type of insulation. I would think maybe so–that they would be fine also, because I keep reading that vapor diffusion through walls in winter is rarely a problem, but I do not know.
Another odd thing happened that day that has not happened before or since: some condensation appeared on the laundry room window from the shower in the next room. It was very windy that day. Maybe this caused greater air flow from the bathroom? We always open the bathroom window and turn on the bathroom fan after showers. IF the wind blew hard enough through the bathroom’s eastern window, it could blow bathroom air into the laundry room, which sits just west of the bathroom with the (usually open) bathroom/laundry door right in the wind path from the window.
However, I still do not think this condensation problem would have happened without the insulation being messed up. This is because the spot was SO tiny, and everything around it was dry, on the siding, insulation, etc. If the extra humidity were really the problem, I figure the condensation (frost) spot would have been a lot bigger. But apparently the vapor could only get through that one, thinner-insulation spot.
PS The most surprising statement I read recently is that double-stud walls, which are twice as thick, can present more of a risk of condensation on the interior surface of the siding or sheathing. So while good insulation minimizes condensation risk, MORE insulation may not be better. This may (I’m not sure) be due to the greater volume of air within the wall cavity. Others say the greater risk is due to colder sheathing in double stud walls. As our metal siding is already extremely cold, and not experiencing problems, this would not seem to me to be a factor for metal siding, all other things being equal. But, I wouldn’t want to try the double-stud system without knowing about the greater volume of air being a risk factor or not. One could consider interior vapor barrier to help, however, the risks of double vapor barrier (with metal siding) or interior solar vapor drive (with reservoir cladding) are still there. So far in my research & thinking, my educated guess would be that ventilated vinyl siding and/or a rainscreen might help, but I don’t know. I still have questions about rainscreens which no one and no article has answered so far. Though from seeing pictures and reading more articles, it does seem rainscreens work better than I have hypothesized.
PPS Interestingly, with metal siding directly touching our insulation, we can find condensation immediately, versus if we had wood sheathing, in which case the condensation could soak into the wood and be difficult to find.
PPPS I am wondering if it truly IS important that our walls are plaster rather than drywall (with the increased condensation risks of metal siding). This is because I am reading about air entering walls through leakage, in cracks around electrical boxes and between drywall and the wall’s bottom plate. There are no cracks with plaster because plaster fills in spaces, sort of like how loose-fill or spray foam insulation fills in spaces compared to batts. The exception with plaster would be if one is installing a flooring which needs room at the bottom to expand and contract. Ours does not, since it is ceramic tile installed on an insulated cement slab.
Wow, just goes to show once again how many variables there are in wall assembly equations!!!! It seems to even include flooring choices.
Are you tired of the science jargon yet? 🙂 Obviously I do not usually talk this much “science,” but for those of us so sick from mold, answers to these moldy building problems need to be found. It is very concerning to me that mold is found in so many NEW constructed houses. This is not good.
At times I’ve felt my head was going to explode from researching, trying to figure this stuff out, and explaining it! LOL But it’s worth it.
Upcoming post: short, sweet, and about one of my favorite children’s books. 😀
Christa Upton Black Hills Picture Books Edgemont, SD 57735
Giving it away 1st this time. 🙂 There is no condensation in our walls nor any mold. Whew. Extremely happy & thankful.
The first test (The Secret Life of Wall Humidity) went well, but the temperature at the siding inside surface was 10 degrees warmer than outside.
So, we decided to wait until the outside was at least 10 degrees below dew point of interior temps to test again. Theoretically, if the temperature at the siding gets cold enough to reach dew point of the interior air, there could be condensation on that surface—the interior surface of the siding inside the wall.
We have found tonight that there is not.
Why is this?
Well, let me give you the stats and then my guesses.
Date: December 5, 2016
Time: 7:40 pm – 8:30 pm (takes a while to get all the measurements)
Indoor temperature: 62 degrees Fahrenheit
Indoor relative humidity: 33%
Outdoor temperature: 20 degrees Fahrenheit
Outdoor relative humidity: 72%
This means that the outdoor temp is 12 degrees below the dew point temp for the indoor air. In other words, air at 62 degrees with a relative humidity of 33% has a dew point of 32 degrees (and 20 degrees is 12 degrees below that).
Siding (interior side, in wall) “temp” (measured with temp/humidity monitor probe touching the siding, but it reads all “around” the probe, so basically measuring the air temp “between” the insulation and the siding): 19 degrees Fahrenheit
Humidity right next to the siding (interior side): 67% relative humidity
Like last time, if the interior of the siding gets colder, or the humidity level goes up inside the house (though not likely to go up much because we are so careful), this will increase risk of condensation on the interior surface of the siding.
However, we have now reached the point that if condensation happens, it will be ice or frost (on the interior side of the steel siding). Of course mold cannot grow on ice.
Mold also cannot grow in temps of 19 degrees, so the outside of the wood framing (where it meets the metal) is safe even though the humidity is “relatively” high at 67%.
But IF we get condensation that is ice, of course at some point it will melt. Will it be enough to cause mold? I doubt it, since the steel itself is a drying plane (moisture can rise up the steel ribs and out the top or run down into the metal flashing at the bottom). Also, as the ice melts, this means the temperature is heating up, which means the air can now hold more moisture, which means it should “grab” some of that frost and turn it to vapor in the heat. Am I missing something? (Serious question.) (Update: very cold weather has not caused any problems.)
Once again, the numbers: The interior air today was at 62 degrees with a relative humidity of 33%. If my calculations are correct, when you take that air and cool it down to 19 degrees (as was in the wall), the humidity “should” be 100% relative humidity (condensation because it has reached dew point).
But the test hole only had a humidity level of 67%, even though the temperature was 19 degrees.
It now seems clear that the total vapor in the house is not diffusing through the insulation. This is what was predicted in various articles. Diffusion is a weak and slow force. Some of these articles are mentioned in our book.
I would love to know how other insulations perform with metal siding and no interior vapor barrier, or even better with metal siding, no vapor barrier, and plaster interior walls.
Christa Upton Black Hills Picture Books Edgemont, SD 57735
MCS can be so confusing, especially if one also has biotoxin illness &/or Lyme.
An MCS reaction to perfumes or pesticides is usually immediate and easy to figure out. Other chemicals can be more tricky. For one reason, they may not have nearly as much scent or smell.
Also, because of something called TILT, someone can be okay with a substance & then “suddenly” become very sick from it.
The most “dramatic” example that happened to me was plastic vinegar jugs. For several years, Steve gathered spring water for me in empty vinegar jugs. One summer, I grabbed a vinegar jug of water to drink. The jug was hot. I poured the glass and downed half of it when I realized it seriously tasted like plastic. Foolishly, I drank the rest of the glass. After that I could no longer tolerate water even from not-hot vinegar jugs. We switched to glass jugs.
Likely, the plastic from the vinegar jugs was affecting me “a little” all along. But in comparison to other factors which affected me fast and hard (oil refinery, leftover scents in rentals, carpets, localized mold in rentals), it was not that much. But when I “dosed” myself with a larger amount of plastic molecules, my body broke down in the face of that particular toxin.
I can still handle vinegar jugs, pour vinegar into my washing machine, etc., but I can’t drink water from them.
But tracking these things down (what’s causing reactions) can be hair-pullingly frustrating.
5 Ideas:
Suspect man-made things first, especially those related to petrochemicals. Eliminate all you can, even if you don’t “notice” a reaction.
Hunt down flame retardants and antimicrobials–2 chemicals that may not smell much but can be devastating to the body. They can be in furniture, carpet, building materials, fabric, and more. New cleaning products and items for the kitchen and even floor tiles are now being touted as “wonderful” because they contain antimicrobial chemicals. 🙁 Read labels carefully, call manufacturers, and even experiment with what you have–cover a chair with cotton barrier cloth & see if that helps.
Don’t forget propane and natural gas. If they are working properly, you shouldn’t smell much, but they can still greatly affect a person for worse. My energy increased quite a bit at one decent rental when we turned all the propane off.
Frog-in-a-pot (getting used to your environment) can “turn off” your ability to sense something that may be affecting you over time.
Read labels of your foods and supplements. Even supplements can contain petrochemicals. Personally, I have found also that my body does not respond well to synthetic vitamins (sometimes) and additives which are supposed to be inert. I hope my body improves in this regard as my gut heals.
A “bonus”–don’t forget to wash after returning from a “scented” place–wash hair several times (depending on how bad the environment was & how long you were there), clothes (put in clean metal trash can until you can wash), glasses, watch, everything. (We keep separate shoes & watches for out and for home.)
MCS pretty much is a constant battle in today’s world. It’s hard to persevere. Hoping the best for all of you who have to struggle with this.
Christa Upton Black Hills Picture Books Edgemont, SD 57735
Not to KEEP bringing it up, but if you’ve new to my site, this is regarding “the controversy.” (You can read other people’s comments and my comments below her review.)
It IS good that I learned some risks so that we can check this out and not have something bad (mold) develop without my noticing.
Today’s Stats
Date: November 17, 2016
Time: 2:45 pm – 3:30 pm (takes a while to get ALL the measurements)
Indoor temperature: 64 degrees Fahrenheit
Indoor relative humidity: 33% relative humidity
Outdoor relative humidity (not that it matters for our purposes, but to be thorough): 94% relative humidity (It’s snowing.)
Outdoor temperature: 31 degrees Fahrenheit
This means that the dew point temp for the indoor air has been reached by the outdoor temperature. In other words, air at 64 degrees with a relative humidity of 33% has a dew point of 34 degrees.
Anything 34 degrees or below should cause the water vapor in the indoor air to condense (if the indoor air and complete load of vapor is reaching that surface).
So, if the siding is 34 degrees or colder on the interior side in the wall, then there is risk of condensation on the siding in the wall.
Insulation temp (in the “middle” of it, with no plaster over, where we are checking): 58 degrees Fahrenheit
Insulation humidity (in the “middle” of it): 30% relative humidity
Siding (interior side, in wall) “temp” (measured with temp/humidity monitor probe touching the siding, but it reads all “around” the probe, so basically measuring the air temp “between” the insulation and the siding): 41 degrees Fahrenheit
Humidity right next to the siding (interior side): 55% relative humidity
So then Steve reached his hand through the insulation to the siding to see if he could detect any moisture or condensation at all.
Drum roll please…………
DRY. Cold, but dry.
Insulation there probably isn’t as good as most places, because the hole where he was checking is a hole for the water pipe bringing water into the house. Since it is loose fill, and this section is open with no lath or plaster to hold it in place, it’s probably not as well-packed or thick. (We cover it with a bit of foil when not measuring or feeling behind for condensation.)
But this was with the outdoors “barely” at dew point temp for indoor air, so we will need to keep checking as it gets colder.
If the interior of the siding gets colder, or the humidity level goes up inside the house (though not likely to go up much because we are so careful), this will increase risk of condensation on the interior surface of the siding.
If the insulation keeps the siding only 10 degrees warmer than outside (and I have no idea if this will turn out to be true or not), the “next level” where risk would be reached is outdoor temp 10 degrees below dew point. That would make the interior surface of the siding AT dew point if all the interior vapor load gets to that interior surface.
So, assuming we stay around 64 degrees and 33% relative humidity inside, that means the next major time to try this experiment is when the outdoor temperature is 26 degrees or lower outside.
Other thoughts—
Thermal Bridging: As Steve was disturbing the insulation, he probably created somewhat of a thermal bridge (letting heat and vapor through), so this probably makes things worse at that spot temporarily. And as such, we are not going to do these tests too often because that in itself could cause risk of mold. We are considering an infrared monitor to be able to gather some data without disturbing the walls. An area of cold (which the infrared monitor should show) would show an area of thermal bridging, which means much higher risk of condensation.
Diffusion through walls: The place where Steve tested and another secondary test (near the washer)—neither place has plaster over top. This likely increases diffusion. In other words, the plaster on the rest of the walls probably decreases diffusion of air and vapor through the wall, decreasing the humidity and condensation risk inside walls. This is one drawback of an infrared monitor, because even a cold area has to have enough vapor coming through to condense, so finding cold areas doesn’t necessarily mean mold. Knowing “how cold” an area makes it risky is tricky, and opening up a wall (at least while its cold outside) has risks in itself! I wish there were a way to measure humidity inside a wall without letting humidity in the wall! 😀
EVEN MORE thoughts for those of you who are still with me. 😀 As long as the walls remain dry, this stuff is “kinda” theoretical, but my main goal is to understand all this so that people can begin to make more of the science of building and build many great houses with little mold risk. And so I will know what to do if my walls begin to get condensation.
The numbers: The interior air was at 64 degrees with a relative humidity of 33%. If my calculations are correct (ha! I sound like some kind of scientist), when you take that air and cool it down to 41 degrees (as was in the wall), the humidity “should” be 76% relative humidity.
But the water pipe hole only had a humidity level of 55%, even though the temperature was 41 degrees.
The hole by the washer was even colder (36 degrees) but still had a humidity level of only 55%.
This seems then, that one or more things are happening.
The total vapor in the house is not diffusing through the insulation. I do not know if this is because of insulation period or THIS insulation (wool) in particular. I think both probably play a part, because of what I’ve read in the articles I mention in our book.
More vapor was diffusing through at the water pipe hole than the washer hole. Could it be because at the water pipe hole, Steve sat down there with the monitor breathing hot, humid air near it? Probably. Like one might fog up a cold window. At the washer hole, he found a way to let the humidity monitor sit by itself while it re-adjusted to the siding temp/humidity.
The amount of variables is so high, and without a lab, I can’t really do a “control” for this experiment. I’m also not going to raise humidity (risking my walls) to see what happens. 😀 I feel there are probably also other things I’m not taking into consideration, but I don’t know.
I think this is the longest post I’ve ever written.
So will we end up with condensation as the weather hits lower temperatures?!? Stay tuned and find out! 🙂
Christa Upton Black Hills Picture Books Edgemont, SD 57735
From 2007 to 2010, I suffered accidental Toxic Injury (also called Multiple Chemical Sensitivity or Environmental Illness). But, the forced time in bed has given me time to write. It has been such a blessing to work on my children's books and stories!
I love: God, family & friends, outdoors, gardening, animals, writing, reading, photography, cooking, music, dance, bare feet, long skirts, lavender & yellow, and chocolate.
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