the maywood project: Insulation, Poo, & Progress!

After Brian had rewired the house (a HUGE project), we were able to start stuffing the insulation. While this was an awful job, it was so exciting to actually have insulation. The house was starting to feel closed up from the outside world. A new roof was on, so we have no more leaks when it rains. With the new windows and insulation, we no longer feel the breeze in the house. Yes, on really windy days it was not only colder in the house, but we could also literally feel the breeze even if the windows and doors were all closed. The curtains blew away from the windows on windy days whether or not windows were open. Honestly though, the windows were always closed because none of them had screens. Since the wild animals (raccoons, possums, and who knows what else) were already taking up residence under the house and in the walls/ceilings of the house we felt that having open windows sans screens would only be inviting more in. Not necessary. Oh, and the house no longer whistles that high pitched whistle it used to on windy days. Hell yes--progress! I should probably also let you all know that when all the old, weird, useless pebble insulation (vermiculite) was removed we found a bunch of claw scratches on the studs and raccoon poo in the ceilings. Nastiness. Thank goodness those days are gone. I swear one night this summer Michael and I heard a raccoon in the house. He was literally wandering around in his pj's with a crowbar trying to find it while I was in my pj's and tennis shoes at the top of the stairs ready to make a run for it. We slept with the crowbar under the bed that night. Looking back on it, the animal probably did get in the ceiling, and the image of this night and our response is a little hysterical.
Back to the task at hand. At night Michael and I went to the house and stuffed insulation so that we could get the sheet rockers in asap. It was a first for me. We also had the crawl space under the house spray foamed for insulation. It is awesome! The crawl space is now warm, not scary, and poop free!!!