Hello readers!

I'm excited to see you all in this month of love. February is a month when many of us write awkward poetry to those we care most about, buy candies at inflated prices for one another, and profess our undying devotion to our special someones. In that spirit, I'd like to share with you one of the true passions of my life. I will say it loud, I will say it proud:

I love caulk.

You didn't misread that; just thinking about caulk is enough to get me more than a little excited. When I see a hole that needs filling, my first thought is of caulk. When I see a gap between a wall and a window, my mind goes instantly to thoughts of caulk. 

But let's begin with a dash of history. How can we properly appreciate the caulk we have, if we do not remember caulks that have come before?

Caulk began in ship building yards, where seams between wooden beams needed to be sealed against letting water on the ship and making it... well, less a ship and more an underwater wreck. They would form the caulk by mixing fibrous materials (cotton, hemp, etc) with tar. They would then hammer their caulk in, and after drying the caulk would get hard and seal the gaps.

These days, of course, we don't have to hire some caulk specialist to give it to us; a trip to the local hardware store lets us choose from all of the many caulks we can find within, in a number of different colors and compositions to suit our preferences. You will want to be selective; no reason to grab a great big tube when all you need is a quick squirt of the stuff for a small hole or seam.

Modern caulks are also much more sophisticated than their predecessors: we have acrylic-latex, or general purpose caulk; this is one you want to use on your everyday caulk jobs, ones that don't need to be too waterproof. Then there's siliconized acrylic-latex caulk, which combines the ease of use of general purpose with the waterproofing qualities of a silicon sealant. If durability is a major concern, like in cases of ductwork or construction, then polyurethane caulk is your answer. And finally, if you are in need of flexibility and water-proofing, then silicone may be just what you are looking for; though this isn't a real caulk, just sealant. There is a distinction between caulk and simple sealant; caulk gets hard, while sealant can remain elastic when dry. Which doesn't mean sealant doesn't have its uses; despite what you may think, you do not want to use any caulk in the shower. Stick with a sealant for that.

And that's pretty much all there is to it! Caulk may be a simple thing, but it has led to massive improvements in almost every aspect of housing. This includes, as always, a reduction in your heating bill, allowing your home to be energy efficient! Savings for the planet, and for your pocketbook. 

I do so love a win-win scenario.

And of course, if you have any caulking needs, please do give us at Bright Star Handyman a call; we handle caulk so well, you'd think we were born with it in our hands!

Hmm... energy efficiency has been a running theme for the past few months now. Reducing our carbon footprints, making sure our collective home, our planet, is kept livable for generations to come. This gives me an idea...