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need better insulation in my kitchen/bathroom

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New Earth Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Apr-04-08 04:01 PM
Original message
need better insulation in my kitchen/bathroom
hi. Actually I'm not sure if 'insulation' is the right word.

The apt. I live in, the kitchen and bathroom (which are next to eachother)actually used to be a shed/porch that came off the back of the house. It was converted to a kitchen and bathroom (apparently many years ago) but was never closed off very well. There is a door in the kitchen that goes to the back yard and it has a space like an inch thick (almost) at the bottom where bugs can come in (and do!). Also, around the door is not lined up with the wall, so there are spaces between the side of the door and the wall too :/

As for the bathroom, it is SPIDERVILLE. I don't know where they are coming from, but there are always spiders in there making webs, and other random bugs that come in. It is totally not sealed off properly around the bottom of the wall, and edge of the floor (hope you can picture what I mean).

I know my landlord should be fixing this, but he is not going to, and I do not even want to get into it with him so I just want to do it myself and have it done. I am clueless how to do any thing like that pretty much. So far, all I can think of for the kitchen door is to get a door sweep for the bottom. But i'm not sure about around the sides, or the problem in the bathroom.

Any ideas? It would have to be something cheap and not too difficult for me (just 29 F, totally not inclined in this area lol, but I am creative). Thank you!
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NMDemDist2 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Apr-04-08 04:09 PM
Response to Original message
1. the door sweep is a good place to start, and at the hardware store
Edited on Fri Apr-04-08 04:12 PM by AZDemDist6
they have two products to consider

one is a can of foam stuff that expands for filling any little spots in the walls to stop the spiders, the other is rolls of foam rubber tape stuff that you can stick around the door.




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New Earth Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Apr-04-08 04:11 PM
Response to Reply #1
2. oo good ideas
look pretty inexpensive and easy to do. Thank you! :)
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NMDemDist2 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Apr-04-08 04:13 PM
Response to Reply #2
3. check the edit, I found a pic of the foam rubber stuff. they are already
Edited on Fri Apr-04-08 04:16 PM by AZDemDist6
sticky like tape so they are very easy to install

the foam stuff, you may want to pick up a plastic putty knife to scrape it around or you can cut it after it's dry with a sharp knife or razor
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Wash. state Desk Jet Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Apr-05-08 12:47 AM
Response to Reply #3
4. Kill all the bugs
in the bathroom with raid. Look under your sink where the water and drain lines come threw the wall or floor. See if those holes where the drain and water lines come out of the wall can allow bugs to get in. If so use that spray foam insulation ,one can about 5 dollars. Cover drain in sink and tub with rubber stopper about one dollar each.
Ofcourse when you use sink or tub remove stoppers. But than put the stoppers back.
than let some time pass week so on and check for bugs. If the spiders don.t come back you cured the problem. The tub drain and water lines is a area where bugs may be getting in. Also is there a exust fan?

Measure the gap at the buttom of the door,get exact measurement. Buy the rubber door insulator and put it on. And if your gap enough of a gap to allow a threshold at the buttom complete with rubber stopper than that cost about fifteen dollars total cure.

If the gap is not enough to allow the threshold and you like that idea, talk a neighbor or your landloard into cutting down the buttom of the door a little more.To install that all you so is measure the opening the threshold comes standard at 36 inches . if the measurement of the door from one side of the cassing to the other-the wood on the sides,is say 35 1/2 inches than the threshold is cut to that length. Than just screw it down.

Now once you know that measurement, you should be able to talk someone at the hardware store into cutting it for you for free! Cutting the door down the same ask a neighboor! Creative people like to help creative people. Use your resources!
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