My house was built in 1920. Just a couple years ago I got into one of the walls and I could tell it was at one time insulated with sawdust but it was about 99.5% decomposed and there wasn't much left of it after 100 years
Hey Brad!!!!!! I put shavings from my dust collection in old pillow cases to pack into the medium top insulation boxes. I can reuse them year after year. Might bee a cost savings on wood shavings. Thanks!
I have been using sheep's wool in my winter attics the past few winters with great results. The wool provides approximately R-4 per inch, (much higher than foam or thinsulate) and wool can absorb 8 times it's weight in water, which helps to control humidity. Havelock Wool, and other vendors sell batts of wool that are natural, sustainable, and easy to install, and last for years. A "win-win" for the environment, the beekeeper, and the bees.
Brad, I'm feeling a layer of double bubble foil over the wood chips could possibly add additional 2-3 R value. You'd have the air gap between the double bubble and wood chips, you would then just need a very narrow air gap between the outer cover and the double bubble. Anyhow, I might try the double bubble myself. Your over-winter set up looks good. -Darren
Hello Brad it is good to see your bees coming in the house.A question. Off the top of your head do you remember on your 3 bay sink there on the back wall do you remember what the front height is on your sink or would you change what height you have . I am getting ready to make the legs for my sink just like yours . Thanks for taking us along on your bee work this season. I enjoyed it. Thanks
We woke up to snow here in Missouri this morning! Winter is definitely here. Am always worried I didn't get enough weight on my hives! I'm trying out 10 of the HiveIQ this year to see how they do.
Basic determining of the R-value of insulation. Divide the thickness of the insulation material by its thermal conductivity (the lambda value)or temp flow through. You can also add the R-values of multiple layers of insulation to find the total R-value for a project.
Thanks for the update Brad. I hope your bees do well this winter. As far as R value on snow when blown by a snowblower, I'm sure it is way less than just fallen snow. I'm not sure I would want to cover my hives with it. Not sure?? But i'm sure some Canadian beek has done and knows. I would think that your warming cabinet was osicillating off and on, so if it was it shouldn't take much longer. Have you thought about using reptile bulbs that don't emit light?? Should use less power?
I would agree with you on snow compaction. Compacted snow is certainly lower in R value. I would say though that covering the hives in compacted snow from the snowblower would also give high R value and a windchill block so there's still value there. Naturally fallen snow also compacts over time as well. The cabinet never did get to temperature so the 300 Watts I had working was not enough to raise the temperature to 47c even at a 100% duty cycle. The temperature did come up to 47c in a few hours, about as I had expected. I have thought about those reptile heaters. I know people who use them and I think they would work great. Incandescent bulbs are in fact 100% efficient so there would be no power savings in that regard. The bulbs are nice as they have a natural "pilot" indicator that they are in fact on. I can see that in the vent boots and cracks around the edges. My main concern about the IR units is that they might be a bit too directional and could overheat whatever they are pointed at. Bulbs radiate in almost all directions evenly. The bulbs sit in the airflow so they heat the moving air pretty evenly. All good things to consider! Thanks for watching!
@@ThatBeeMan Good points Brad. May I correct you, incandescent are not 100% efficient in producing heat. Some of the electrical power is used in making light and the heat was a by-product. By not spending energy to make light the reptile heaters should be more efficient. My guess about 25 to 30%. But I like the light letting you know it is running. LOL
@@russellkoopman3004 I don't really agree but It's kind of semantics because nobody would ever measure a difference if there was one. Once again, it comes down to what works for the beekeeper.
I'm curious if the wood chips will wick away too much moisture which will leave the hives thirsty? I have placed my foamy on top of my bees and then insulated on top of that with wood shavings but excess moisture wouldn't be able to wick away and up into the shavings. My bees did well with this but my heat and moisture within the hive didn't have direct contact with the wood chips.
That is an excellent question and my only answer is, I don't know but I do know that I and others have used this method in the past with excellent success. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the Saturday morning routine! Idea, could you use cellulose insulation instead of wood chips? It's cheap, resists mold and insects, and has a higher R value than fiberglass insulation...
I got in touch with a local Hotel, they gave me 20 x 15 Tog duvets they were chucking out. Cut them up into 6 and use for insulation above. Works a treat and easy to store.
That would work too. What's it treated with to resist insects and for fireproofing? I like that I can burn the shavings in my smoker and they are organic when I spill some on the ground. Thanks for watching!
Question, why not use a bat insulation to get a better R value. If remember correctly shaving is about a R 1.5 pre inch of shaving. Bat insulation is about a R19 per 6 inches
According to Google search results, fiberglass bat is typically R2.9 - 3.8/inch while wood shavings are around R2.2/inch. Overall, the 8+ inches of shavings gives me better than R15, which is sufficient for the application. If I just wanted more R per inch, I'd use rigid foam insulation but I'm not looking for simply higher R value, I'm also looking for moisture absorption and modest ventilation, two things that fiberglass bat is not as well suited. Wood shavings are also very cheap, are organic, and can be burned in my smoker or composted on the garden if and when they are not needed any longer. Thanks for watching!
@ must be different search than I see ,mine says 1 inch is R 1.25 . And I’m not in Canada. I’m in Kentucky but the research here says shavings actually can hurt more than it helps because it’s not really soaking up moisture. It’s losing heat which is causing the shavings to get wet from condensation. I hope you have a great week
Thanks Glenn. I recently Googled that myself. I figure, conservatively, I'm looking at about R10 to 12 in that box. Many people use 2" polystyrene which is R10 so it looks like I'm on target. Thanks for watching!
My house was built in 1920. Just a couple years ago I got into one of the walls and I could tell it was at one time insulated with sawdust but it was about 99.5% decomposed and there wasn't much left of it after 100 years
Packing is an issue in buildings for sure. Thanks for watching!
I've switched over to 150W ceramic reptile bulbs. Very easy to get.
Of course Im watching :) and great to see that things are going well for you!
Hey Brad!!!!!! I put shavings from my dust collection in old pillow cases to pack into the medium top insulation boxes. I can reuse them year after year. Might bee a cost savings on wood shavings. Thanks!
Thanks for watching!
I have been using sheep's wool in my winter attics the past few winters with great results. The wool provides approximately R-4 per inch, (much higher than foam or thinsulate) and wool can absorb 8 times it's weight in water, which helps to control humidity. Havelock Wool, and other vendors sell batts of wool that are natural, sustainable, and easy to install, and last for years. A "win-win" for the environment, the beekeeper, and the bees.
That's great! Thanks for sharing and thanks for watching!
How do you control the wool moths?
Brad, I'm feeling a layer of double bubble foil over the wood chips could possibly add additional 2-3 R value. You'd have the air gap between the double bubble and wood chips, you would then just need a very narrow air gap between the outer cover and the double bubble. Anyhow, I might try the double bubble myself. Your over-winter set up looks good. -Darren
The Reflectix inner cover is actually under the migratory cover, as usual. Thanks for watching, Darren!
I don't like working in the cold.....CANADA "HELLO"
It's not America though!
Hello Brad it is good to see your bees coming in the house.A question. Off the top of your head do you remember on your 3 bay sink there on the back wall do you remember what the front height is on your sink or would you change what height you have . I am getting ready to make the legs for my sink just like yours . Thanks for taking us along on your bee work this season. I enjoyed it. Thanks
Hi Kathy. No, I don't remember but if I do remember next time I'm in there I'll measure it for you.
@ Thank you .!!!!
We woke up to snow here in Missouri this morning! Winter is definitely here. Am always worried I didn't get enough weight on my hives! I'm trying out 10 of the HiveIQ this year to see how they do.
Let us know how they do. Thanks for watching!
Happy thanksgiving from the UK.
Basic determining of the R-value of insulation. Divide the thickness of the insulation material by its thermal conductivity (the lambda value)or temp flow through. You can also add the R-values of multiple layers of insulation to find the total R-value for a project.
...or ask Google. Thanks for watching, Mike!
My bees usually when they shut down for winter they will get down to two frames of bees but springtime they will blow up
Great video, Brad! I looks so cold there, I had to go put a hoodie on to finish watching. 😎
LOL I'm glad you made it through!
Thanks for the update Brad. I hope your bees do well this winter.
As far as R value on snow when blown by a snowblower, I'm sure it is way less than just fallen snow. I'm not sure I would want to cover my hives with it. Not sure?? But i'm sure some Canadian beek has done and knows.
I would think that your warming cabinet was osicillating off and on, so if it was it shouldn't take much longer. Have you thought about using reptile bulbs that don't emit light?? Should use less power?
I would agree with you on snow compaction. Compacted snow is certainly lower in R value. I would say though that covering the hives in compacted snow from the snowblower would also give high R value and a windchill block so there's still value there. Naturally fallen snow also compacts over time as well.
The cabinet never did get to temperature so the 300 Watts I had working was not enough to raise the temperature to 47c even at a 100% duty cycle. The temperature did come up to 47c in a few hours, about as I had expected. I have thought about those reptile heaters. I know people who use them and I think they would work great. Incandescent bulbs are in fact 100% efficient so there would be no power savings in that regard. The bulbs are nice as they have a natural "pilot" indicator that they are in fact on. I can see that in the vent boots and cracks around the edges. My main concern about the IR units is that they might be a bit too directional and could overheat whatever they are pointed at. Bulbs radiate in almost all directions evenly. The bulbs sit in the airflow so they heat the moving air pretty evenly. All good things to consider!
Thanks for watching!
@@ThatBeeMan Good points Brad. May I correct you, incandescent are not 100% efficient in producing heat. Some of the electrical power is used in making light and the heat was a by-product. By not spending energy to make light the reptile heaters should be more efficient. My guess about 25 to 30%. But I like the light letting you know it is running. LOL
@@russellkoopman3004 I don't really agree but It's kind of semantics because nobody would ever measure a difference if there was one. Once again, it comes down to what works for the beekeeper.
I'm curious if the wood chips will wick away too much moisture which will leave the hives thirsty? I have placed my foamy on top of my bees and then insulated on top of that with wood shavings but excess moisture wouldn't be able to wick away and up into the shavings. My bees did well with this but my heat and moisture within the hive didn't have direct contact with the wood chips.
That is an excellent question and my only answer is, I don't know but I do know that I and others have used this method in the past with excellent success. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the Saturday morning routine! Idea, could you use cellulose insulation instead of wood chips? It's cheap, resists mold and insects, and has a higher R value than fiberglass insulation...
I got in touch with a local Hotel, they gave me 20 x 15 Tog duvets they were chucking out. Cut them up into 6 and use for insulation above. Works a treat and easy to store.
Thanks for watching!
That would work too. What's it treated with to resist insects and for fireproofing? I like that I can burn the shavings in my smoker and they are organic when I spill some on the ground.
Thanks for watching!
Do you think the first half of winter is harder on the bees or the last part of the winter harder for the bees ?
I would say later on as the bees age but that's just my guess if I had to choose. Thanks for watching!
@ThatBeeMan thanks for making something for me to watch and learn
Question, why not use a bat insulation to get a better R value. If remember correctly shaving is about a R 1.5 pre inch of shaving. Bat insulation is about a R19 per 6 inches
According to Google search results, fiberglass bat is typically R2.9 - 3.8/inch while wood shavings are around R2.2/inch. Overall, the 8+ inches of shavings gives me better than R15, which is sufficient for the application. If I just wanted more R per inch, I'd use rigid foam insulation but I'm not looking for simply higher R value, I'm also looking for moisture absorption and modest ventilation, two things that fiberglass bat is not as well suited. Wood shavings are also very cheap, are organic, and can be burned in my smoker or composted on the garden if and when they are not needed any longer. Thanks for watching!
@ must be different search than I see ,mine says 1 inch is R 1.25 . And I’m not in Canada. I’m in Kentucky but the research here says shavings actually can hurt more than it helps because it’s not really soaking up moisture. It’s losing heat which is causing the shavings to get wet from condensation.
I hope you have a great week
@@handsburyhoneybees893 Ya. It must be a different Google. Experience tells me it works. Have fun!
I think you might have missed an entrance reducer on the second last pallet, middle stack, top row.
I saw that when I was editing. I think I can reach it from the side. Thanks for watching, and REALLY watching!
What do you think was your problem last year? Mites?
Undoubtedly Amitraz resistant mites.
What? No short pants? lol😁🤣😂😝🥸
Bet you almost didn't recognize me!
R value wood shavings 1.8 to 2.2 per inch according to Google AI
Thanks Glenn. I recently Googled that myself. I figure, conservatively, I'm looking at about R10 to 12 in that box. Many people use 2" polystyrene which is R10 so it looks like I'm on target. Thanks for watching!
Turn off the fan 13:34 blowing too much cold air down here I'm going to bed last night it was right at 70 it's 20 now.lol