Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Cash for Caulk and Tire Inflation

Barack Obama wants to provide government incentives for caulk and other weatherizing materials.

Mr. President, my windows don't need caulking. I'll wager that most windows don't need caulking. But if they do, caulk is really, really cheap in the amounts that would be required to seal leaks. I would hope that this program extends to insulation (there are already programs in place for that, I think). I could save energy if I were to insulate the floors in my crawlspace. Some older homes might benefit from insulation blown into walls and attic space. But caulking?

That's like proper tire inflation. If your tires aren't properly inflated, you'll waste energy, wear your tires, and compromise vehicle handling. But if your tires are properly inflated, there's nothing to do. It isn't as if the energy crisis will be averted by everyone adding 10 PSI to their tires. We're not going to stop global warming by sealing all the non-existent cracks around my windows (particularly, as I believe, if humans aren't responsible for climate change in the first place).

2 comments :

  1. Don't forget that a tighter home means a higher risk of radon exposure. Does the government then have to provide expensive air/heat exchangers to vent the radon?

    ReplyDelete
  2. So I was in the hardware store and there was this ah.....person with a hope and change sweatshirt asking the clerk how they were supposed to pump the caulk into the tire.

    I ran over and said you need to get a valve stem tool to remove the valve from the stem first and then you can pump it right on in there with a caulking gun but just barely trim the end off the caulking tube.

    ReplyDelete

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