Most solutions are simple.

 

You know how it's said that most solutions are simple. Today I've proved it to be right again. I've been having an issue with the back of the house being too cold over this cold snap. I had been talking to friends about all kinds of solutions, insulation, fixing the heater, cement for the foundation (house was built in 1895). I never thought it was this simple.

So this morning why I was bleeding the furnace (I have a steam furnace + radiators) I was thinking why is it so cold back here? I'm walking around the basement checking where the draft is coming from. One part of the basement was like a shotgun of cold air. So I'm dumping out the water in the sink. I'm looking at that wall and saw where I put this metal plate. Then I started to wonder.

Let me give you the back story. Years ago we had a gas dryer that suddenly stopped working. Like most work done in this house we had a handiman come over and remove it from the gas and move it to another part of the basement. So the one thing that's left is the exhaust that takes the air out of the house. That's what I covered with the metal sheet. Since the time this happened 8029 Muskegon was torn down. Now there is a vacant lot. So With that all happening. The cold air was coming in the exhaust. DUH. 

So I stuffed the exhaust with some old used towels for now just to stop the flow until I can come up with a better solution which may include just getting another gas dryer and using that exhaust for what it was meant for. 

Now that I've done it the back of the house is warmer. DAMN! the smallest detail causes the biggest issues. On top of that it could be the solution to my how do the mice get in my house too. DAMN!