I am Generaling my own home in N.E. Ohio. It was started about 3 weeks ago and because of the severe weather recently (Rain , Snow & Cold) the footers and 1 course of block is all that is complete. I was told by a builder that I should cover the footers with straw to insulate them against freezing ( 15-20 degree lows this week).
What, if anything should be done to the footers during winter construction? What kind of problems may I enccounter? Thank you in advance for any advice.
Concerned Ken
Fine Homebuilding Recommended Products
Standard Marking Chalk
We like white chalk because it’s non-permanent and wears off easily — this is especially helpful when marks are exposed and need to disappear.
Milwaukee Cordless Tablesaw (2736)
This tool is compact and portable, features a riving knife lock/release, and boasts a lightweight design.
Handy Heat Gun
This heat gun is great for drying joint compound, primer and paint when patching drywall and plaster walls. Plus it can soften adhesive, get a very cold small engine to start, and shrink heat-shrink tubing.
Drill Driver/Impact Driver
Whether you're pre-drilling holes or driving screws, this Milwaukee® compact cordless driver is the way to go when it comes to building decks.
Great Stuff Foam Cleaner
It’s important to clean and maintain a professional foam-dispensing gun, and this product fits the bill. It has a spray applicator for general cleaning, plus it screws onto the dispensing gun so you can clean the inside.
Replies
One of the reasons for footers is to get below the frost line . I assume since you only have one row of blocks up, the ditch is still open . In elevation we always plan for back fill . Where we live we dig 1 foot footers and plan on 1 foot of back fill , thus giving two feet in insulation to the bottom of the footer. If you dont cover now you are exposing the ground under the footings to freezing at those temps . Frozen ground thawing out is unstable to build on .
Getum covered with straw - code blue ! When you do return the house will be placing " weight" pretty quickly . From our cabin to yours ,
Happy Holidays
Tim Mooney
Straw is a good idea. I'm in a similar situation as you. I've just completed a "winterization" on a newly poured footing for my own project. I placed about 8" of loose straw along the sides of the footing and then covered with poly. There's now about a foot of snow covering the whole thing, and temps here in northern Vermont are around zero degrees at night. The combination of snow and straw I think should provide a good insulating blanket to keep the ground temperature from dropping below freezing. If you don't get alot of snow in your area, I'd consider a thicker covering of straw, then cover that with sheets of 2" ridgid foam insulation (you can then reuse the sheets later for foundation insulation).
An excavation contractor in this area tells me that when he knows he needs to dig in mid-winter, he'll lay down a 6" layer of staw in the fall on the area to be excavated. Come January, he just sweeps the straw aside and digs the soft ground. So he says.....
Good luck.