DIY Home Weatherization Workshop @ Tum-A-Lum Lumber

Today we offered our 5th workshop in partnership with Tum-A-Lum Lumber. This time we discussed materials and methods for weatherizing your home! We talked about DIY air sealing, door weather-stripping and sweeps, insulation types, R-value, building science and more. Participants left with a better understanding of how to increase their home's comport and energy efficiency as well as a coupon good towards their next purchase of weatherization materials from Tum-A-Lum.

Bat House Workshop @ Tum-A-Lum Lumber

Today we offered our 4th workshop in partnership with Tum-A-Lum Lumber. This time we made bat houses for Halloween on a beautiful fall day! Attendees were a mix of regulars and new faces which was great. See photos below and stay tuned for a DIY How-To Guide coming out this winter!

A few notes on building a successful bat house...

Size: 14" wide by 24" tall is the recommended minimum, depth can vary depending on number of chambers and size of bats that will use the house. The one we built has a single chamber.

Design: Must have an exposed landing pad at the bottom, 3"-6" tall is recommended. Both interior surfaces should be rough so they have something to grab onto. We used wire mesh for this. All seams should be sealed with caulk, especially the roof in order to trap the heat generated by the sun and body heat from the bats. Dark paint is recommended to help absorb heat.

Placement: 15'-20' off of the ground on a pole or south facing building to take advantage of the sun's direct path. Trees should be avoided because they harbor predators and may shade the house.

Check out these links for more information about bats!

Organization for Bat Conservation

Bat Conservation International

Framed Chalkboard Hanger Workshop @ Tum-A-Lum Lumber

Today we offered our 3rd workshop with Tum-A-Lum Lumber in Hood River! This one was open to all ages and most of the attendees were "regulars", having attended all of the workshops thus far. This time we built and painted a framed chalkboard hanger and everyone got creative with orientation, hanger locations and paint! Check out the photos below and our previous tool box, bird house and hanging planter box workshops.

Workshop Kick-Off @ Tum-A-Lum Lumber

Hey everyone, sorry it's been a while since my last post. I've been busy working on starting my own business, enerstructa llc, which offers EPS home verifications, energy consulting and carpentry & home repair workshops. I am partnering with a local business, Tum-A-Lum Lumber in Hood River, OR, to offer monthly workshops which will be held on the last Saturday of each month from 9-11am. Today was their Founders Day event so I was there tabling to kick-off the workshop series. Participants were able to learn more about upcoming workshops as well as build and take home a hanging planter box. It was so much fun teaching people to build, especially the kids as they caught on so quickly! Check out the photos below. I'm excited for the first official workshop in 2 weeks, on July 29th, where parents can bring their kids to build bird houses. Space is limited and sign-ups will be managed by Tum-A-Lum. Once the event is created, I will post a link here to register!