Move aside, “man cave.” A new trend is underway.
While men have enjoyed their “man caves” for years, women are now creating their own exclusive retreats from the daily grind.
It’s official: The “she shed” movement is here.
Whether it be an old playhouse, a woodshed, a vacant garage, or even a brand new construction, women across the nation are claiming and transforming their own backyard havens for women exclusively.
Some are finished rather simply, with maybe some chairs, some books or a sofa, and some are quite intricate and have bathrooms and beds, televisions and more.
Regardless of the fashion of your “she shed,” if you hope to keep it cozy this winter, you’ll need to take a few simple actions that we at Delaware Heating and Air organized to help you stay warm in your outdoor sanctuary this winter.
FLOORING
Whatever time you savor in your “she shed” this winter is going to demand a safe and dependable source of heat. Conceivably a space heater. Perhaps an outdoor stove. Whatever the case, you don’t want that precious heat going out the door, or through the floor. Most people don’t realize that you can lose a lot of heat through your floor because of the wind blowing underneath your bare and thin floorboards.
To preserve the heat, we prescribe some cheap carpeting. It need not be the prettiest, and it will call for some maintenance from time to time. But if you can find some old carpeting and cut it to the exact size, it’ll go a long way in keeping your “she shed” warm when the temperatures plummet. Additionally, we suggest finding cheap cloth, like cotton or felt or even plastic, and laying it down first, on the bare floor. Once it’s down, thrust it into place. You mustn’t leave the edges with much room. Make it especially snug to the sides and then lay down that carpeting over it. To hold it in place, use items in the shed, like tables or chairs or bookshelves for weight. Once you’ve done this, check the edges and around the room to make sure no moisture can sneak in.
WALLS
The next thing you’ll want to do to put some padding on the walls.
To do this on a budget, some experts suggest using bubble wrap.
Begin by measuring the exposed areas you want to insulate and cut the sheets to fit tightly. You can staple these into place. Finally, get some fiberboard or plywood to satisfy each space. Once you have your pieces of wood to size, which might involve some handy work, you screw it or nail it down. You won’t find a cheaper way to insulate your walls.
ADDITIONAL DRAFTS
Avoid wasting a lot of precious heat in these key places, with a few more ideas:
- Utilize some spray foam insulation located at your local hardware store to guard the interior perimeter of each window.
- Invest in a door sweep or use a makeshift slider cloth for the bottoms of your doors. Utilize weather stripping.
- Utilize the shutters on the exterior of your windows.
- 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. 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 Delaware Heating & Air today at 740-227-8302 or schedule an appointment online now at https://www.delawareairandheat.com/schedule-now/.
