I get the whole “let it breathe” thing, but I’ve had the opposite issue in my 1940s place. Once I stopped the drafts, the heating bills dropped and I didn’t see any new rot—just had to add a couple of trickle vents for airflow. Maybe it depends on how damp your climate is? Coastal air’s brutal, but sometimes a good seal plus controlled ventilation works better than just letting the wind do its thing.
Totally get what you mean—my place is a 1950s bungalow, and once I sealed up the gaps, it was like living in a thermos. Trick is, you’ve gotta balance the airflow or you’re just trading drafts for condensation. Salt air doesn’t play nice, either... found out the hard way that even “stainless” screws can rust if you blink at ’em wrong. Sometimes feels like coastal homes are just slowly dissolving, one salty breeze at a time.
Yeah, sealing up a place tight is a double-edged sword—suddenly you’re fighting mold instead of drafts. On the rust front, I’ve had better luck with silicon bronze screws for exterior stuff, though they’re pricier. For anything structural, I stick to hot-dipped galvanized hardware—cheaper than marine-grade stainless and holds up decently if you rinse it off now and then. Not perfect, but my wallet can’t handle titanium everything...
Titanium everything would be a dream, right? My bank account laughs at the idea. I’ve had mixed results with hot-dipped galvanized—works fine until you get that one spot where water just sits and then, boom, rust city. I tried stainless once for deck railings, but the salt air still got to it after a few years. Maybe I’m cursed or just unlucky with microclimates. Anyone ever try those ceramic-coated fasteners? I keep seeing them at the hardware store but haven’t pulled the trigger yet...
Titanium would be nice, but yeah, not exactly budget-friendly. I’ve had similar headaches with hot-dipped galvanized—once that coating gets breached, it’s game over. Stainless is supposed to be the answer, but coastal air just eats it up over time, especially if you get any 304 mixed in with your 316. Ceramic-coated fasteners are decent for decks and fences, but I’ve seen the coating chip during install if you’re not careful. Have you looked into silicon bronze? It’s pricey, but I’ve had good luck with it on waterfront jobs. Curious if anyone’s tried powder-coated hardware for exterior stuff—does it actually hold up in salty air?
