Watertown Housing Authority:
During our energy performance contract with Ameresco Inc, the housing authority completed over three million dollars in energy upgrades. New boilers, toilets, lighting, thermostats, windows and even cogeneration (heat power) systems for domestic hot water were installed.
One major issue at one of our 31 building – 168 apartment developments was the front door mail slots in existing metal, insulated doors. On days when the outside temperature dropped below 25 degrees the draft created by the mail slots eliminated the efficiencies of the new heating boilers dropping space temperatures in the apartments below the minimum health code requirements. Our options were to increase boiler supply temperatures and sacrifice energy savings or find a solution to the mail slots acceptable to the local post office.
Your insulated mail slot saved the day!! After proper installation by my staff the draft issue was totally eliminated allowing the new high efficiency boilers to do what they were designed to do…provide comfort to our residents at the most cost effective setting.
Thank you for a great product!
Brian Costello
Assistant Director
Watertown Housing Authority
Recommended by Jon Eakes – Host of HGTV Canada & DIY Network’s “Just
Ask Jon Eakes”
“At long last, someone has invented a cold climate mail slot! Now you can have
mail privacy, energy efficiency and the elimination of those uncomfortable cold air drafts!”
Ask Jon Eakes
www.joneakes.com:
A draft free mail slot – a central vac sweep door – a counter top garbage trap: Three of the most useful SLOTS you have ever seen. Slots are simply small passageways through something. In this segment we looked at three very nifty Slots — all completely different.
The counter top …
Central vacuum cleaners …
How about a through door mail slot that does not give you cold drafts? The DraftDodger™ has two gasketed and spring loaded doors, one on each side of the door to really keep out the cold air. It even has brushes to block the cold air if someone left a letter in the middle of the slot rather than pushing it all the way through. And the double doors helps increase security for the door, you can’t reach through from the outside easily. You can purchase this great device from the DHDTV Specialty Hardware Store.
When you are cutting slots there are some tips to make the job easier. Check out the next to last picture above. If your slot will show, that is there is no flange to cover the edges like with the counter top butcher block, you will need to drill your blade holes well inside of the slot outline and then go back with the jig saw and clean out the corners square
after you cut the slot. However, if you have a flange, like on both the Vac Sweep and the DraftDodger™, drill the holes
centred right at the corners of the slot. This will actually give you clearance for the corners of the insert as well as make the cutting job quicker and easier.
When cutting on a surface that you do not want to scratch, cut out a piece of construction paper slightly larger than the slot. Place this over the work and have the jig saw ride on this protective covering. You will have no scratch marks on
that newly painted door.
Jon Eakes – Home Improvement Expert / Lecturer / TV Host
100 DIY Home Projects for Under $100
We’ve rounded up our favorite budget ideas to inspire your next DIY home improvement project.
By
You don’t need a large budget to give your home a noticeable boost. Whether you’re looking for functional fixes, to enhance visual appeal, or just a small refresh—there are a number of ways to update your home cheaply and easily.
The editors of This Old House share their favorite home projects you can do yourself on a budget.
Seal for Delivery
How to do it: Swap in an insulated mail slot to keep out weather and muffle noise.
Estimated cost: Polished aluminum DraftDodger™ insulated mail slot, about $45;
(available at) The Official DraftDodger™ Insulated Mail Slot Store (formerly DHDTV Specialty Hardware)
Featured in the October 2009 issue of This Old House Magazine – “100 DIY
Upgrades for Under $100: Exterior and Entry” and on-line at www.ThisOldHouse.com