Ready for Fall

As August comes to a close we have been preparing for cooler temperatures that will soon bring freezing weather to our woodland haven.  We have awoken to temperatures in the 40s outside, which leave the inside of the yurt only about 5 degrees warmer.  We have returned the windows onto the screens, which consists of a thick, clear plastic, and wide, ultra-strong velcro around the perimeter.  As Tanner and I tag-teamed the replacement of the windows, we decided that the windows would be the downfall of staying in a yurt long-term.  This summer, we had all of the windows off of the yurt and enjoyed breezes as they came through, but scrambled to get them closed up if a heavy rain came.  The lack of gutters allow for water to come inside, and in between our insulation layers which would lead to problems in the future.  Tanner had an idea of making the outside window flaps into awnings, but in our summer scramble of getting our yurt suitable and continuing progress on the house, it got pushed aside for this summer.  When we returned the windows onto the screens, the powerful velcro proved the task arduous when trying to get it on straight.  Adding to the derailment is the fact that the windows aren't square.    They are 46" wide, and 47" tall, so as you attach the window, thinking it's upright, you realize it's wrong after you've already attached half of it, then have to peel it off again with superman strength, all while standing on a two foot wide platform with no arm rails.  Day to day, I feel like this could get really old.  Therefore, our windows are closed until spring!
Granted, our yurt has ten windows.  When you order from most companies, yurts come with a standard of 2-3 windows, and additional windows can be added at an additional cost.  While we love being able to look outside from all directions, ten windows could be considered excessive.  When trying to arrange furniture around them, in a round room, I have to say that I wasn't disappointed to cover a few of them up, which brings me to my next chore for the yurt.

When we put up the yurt initially, we left plenty of chores, some big and some small, to take care of once we got settled in.  Tanner seems to be getting all of the big chores, and I get all of the little ones.  I don't feel like I'm getting the better end of the bargain in saying this, as the little chores seems to be the most mind-numbing and frustrating, while showing little gratification at the same time.  That being said,  Tanner put in a wood stove, and I got to tape up all of the windows.  Tanner's wood stove is a beauty. 

It started with cutting out a section of lattice in the yurt wall in order to accommodate the stovepipe.

Flashing for the hole

Cutting a square hole in the side of the yurt.

Accessory window?

Attached flashing

lay down some tile...

enlist brother, once again, to move heavy stuff...

Sure looks cute

build, stovepipe tower....

the end result on exterior stovepipe is much taller, just didn't have a picture...

Voila!

Success!!

 So, obviously, Tanner's chore is quite involved, but so rewarding!!  And, if I do say so myself, my husband made it look pretty straight forward.  He sure is handy!
We love our little wood stove.  We chose a Jotul, and we think it suits the yurt perfectly.
www.jotul.com


In the meantime, it took me just a couple of hours to tape the perimeter of 5 windows, and replace insulation in the remaining 5 to close them off for winter.  My chore involved more aluminum foil tape, which is what us girls used to tape insulation panels on the day of the yurt raising.  I'd hoped that I had seen the last of that stuff, but once again...  This time I got to try to get it on straight, but through the lattice wall.   Yep, the only way to do it, is to do the hokey pokey through the lattice that runs flush with the wall.  Then when it came to adding replacement insulation panels for the windows we were closing off for winter, I got to try to figure out how to stuff them through the lattice.

 Frustrating. 

Also, not being a regular tape, it has a backing on it, designed so you can position tape, then peel off the backing, which leaves miles of paper ribbon to trip over, as well as the furniture that I didn't take the time to move in order to get to the window.  The finished result should keep us warmer this winter and looks like a monkey did it, but thankfully the reflection from the tape and insulation blends together nicely.  Eat your heart out Martha Stewart.

Cheers!  to a chilly evening, it's getting balmy in here!