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Insulating attic, sealing air leaks and upgrading heating system can cut bills, experts say
By Mary Beth Breckenridge
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Sunday, Sep 21, 2008
We used to worry about catching a cold from an old house's drafts.
Now we worry about losing our shirts.
Part of our country's housing stock was built when heating fuel was cheap and insulation unheard of. So present-day folk who assume ownership of older houses often face a huge task in improving their homes' energy efficiency.
It's possible to button up a house without sacrificing its character, say two preservation experts, Dave Mertz of the Building Preservation Technology Program at Belmont Technical College in St. Clairsville and Noelle Lord of Old House CPR in Limington, Maine (http://www.oldhousecpr.com). Mertz's program focuses on developing the hands-on and analytic skills needed for preserving historical buildings; Lord's company provides assistance and consultation to people who restore old homes. She's also a contributing editor for Old House Journal and is writing The Old House Handbook, due out in 2010 from Taunton Press.
Lord can attest to the possible savings. Her own house in Maine is 238 years old, but she said her annual heating oil bill has been a manageable $800 to $1,300 in recent years.
The key is to avoid feeling overwhelmed, she said. Take things in steps, perhaps addressing the biggest problem areas first.
Keep in mind that every improvement reduces your energy bill to some degree and that even little steps add up, she said. ''It doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing thing.''
Here's what Lord and Mertz recommend:
Insulate the attic
This chore is high on both Lord's and Mertz's lists. ''The more you can fit, the better,'' Lord said, but realize that space limitations and construction quirks may prevent you from achieving the same R-value in an older home that you can in a new one. (R-value measures the ability of insulation to resist heat flow.)
Be sure to seal and insulate your attic access, too, Lord recommends.
Neither is a big fan of adding blown-in insulation to old walls, however. Nonstandard framing and old construction methods can create blockages and make it hard to put the insulation where it needs to be, Lord said.
Loose insulation also can settle and leave gaps at the tops of walls, which is exactly where it's needed to stop the loss of warm air as it rises, Mertz said. What's more, it lacks a vapor barrier, which he said can cause moisture to collect inside the wall and cause problems from peeling paint to rotting wood.
If you need to open up a wall, that's a good opportunity to add insulation such as rigid foam, Lord said.
Seal air leaks
Another priority for both Mertz and Lord is sealing air gaps with caulk or spray foam and weatherstripping doors and windows.
Old houses are notoriously leaky, and plugging those gaps is a cost-effective way to bring energy costs down. And there's a bonus for people who cringe at the thought of disturbing an old home's integrity: ''It doesn't hurt anything,'' Mertz said.
Lord recommends investing in good weatherstripping, such as spring-action types. But even inexpensive foam weatherstripping works fine, she said. It just won't last as long.
Address windows
Old, single-pane windows are notorious energy wasters, but original windows are also central to an older home's charm.
Both Mertz and Lord recommend storm windows as an economical way to preserve those old windows and improve their efficiency. Storm windows help block air flow, and the air gap they create has an insulating effect.
They prefer exterior storms, because interior ones are prone to condensation that can rot window sills.
Can't afford storms for all your windows right away? Clear plastic window insulation is a cheap, temporary alternative, Lord said. Or take Mertz's suggestion and install insulated thermal window shades.
Lord thinks a major reconstructive effort should be a last resort. But should you decide to replace your windows, Mertz suggests selecting a company that specializes in custom windows. It can match the size, shape and architectural details of the original windows, and it will probably charge less than a company that makes stock windows primarily but also does some custom work, he said.
Upgrade the heating
Heating systems have come a long way in terms of efficiency. A system installed in the 1950s or '60s is probably 50 to 60 percent efficient, whereas 90 to 95 percent is common today, Mertz said.
''There can be a tremendous amount of saving by just replacing that,'' he said.
Even if you aren't ready to upgrade the whole system, it's wise to install a programmable thermostat, Lord said. It automatically adjusts the heat or air conditioning at night or when the house is empty, making it easy to save heating and cooling dollars.
Other changes
When it comes time to replace appliances, look for energy-efficient models, Mertz recommended. Refrigerators and clothes washers have made especially big strides in efficiency, but any energy savings add up.
If you need to replace a water heater, Lord recommends looking into a tankless model. It heats water on demand rather than holding heated water in a tank until it's needed, resulting in significant energy savings, she said.
Tankless heaters cost up to twice as much as conventional water heaters and must be professionally installed, but you should see a return on your investment in just two or three years, she said. What's more, she said they have an average life span of 25 years as opposed to seven to 10 for a tank-style heater.
Buy one from an experienced contractor who can calculate the proper size for your household and order a professional-grade model, she recommends.
Mary Beth Breckenridge is the Beacon Journal home writer. She can be reached at 330-996-3756, or at mbrecken@thebeaconjournal.com via e-mail.
We used to worry about catching a cold from an old house's drafts.
Now we worry about losing our shirts.
Part of our country's housing stock was built when heating fuel was cheap and insulation unheard of. So present-day folk who assume ownership of older houses often face a huge task in improving their homes' energy efficiency.
It's possible to button up a house without sacrificing its character, say two preservation experts, Dave Mertz of the Building Preservation Technology Program at Belmont Technical College in St. Clairsville and Noelle Lord of Old House CPR in Limington, Maine (http://www.oldhousecpr.com). Mertz's program focuses on developing the hands-on and analytic skills needed for preserving historical buildings; Lord's company provides assistance and consultation to people who restore old homes. She's also a contributing editor for Old House Journal and is writing The Old House Handbook, due out in 2010 from Taunton Press.
Lord can attest to the possible savings. Her own house in Maine is 238 years old, but she said her annual heating oil bill has been a manageable $800 to $1,300 in recent years.
The key is to avoid feeling overwhelmed, she said. Take things in steps, perhaps addressing the biggest problem areas first.
Keep in mind that every improvement reduces your energy bill to some degree and that even little steps add up, she said. ''It doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing thing.''
Here's what Lord and Mertz recommend:
Insulate the attic
This chore is high on both Lord's and Mertz's lists. ''The more you can fit, the better,'' Lord said, but realize that space limitations and construction quirks may prevent you from achieving the same R-value in an older home that you can in a new one. (R-value measures the ability of insulation to resist heat flow.)
Be sure to seal and insulate your attic access, too, Lord recommends.
Neither is a big fan of adding blown-in insulation to old walls, however. Nonstandard framing and old construction methods can create blockages and make it hard to put the insulation where it needs to be, Lord said.
Loose insulation also can settle and leave gaps at the tops of walls, which is exactly where it's needed to stop the loss of warm air as it rises, Mertz said. What's more, it lacks a vapor barrier, which he said can cause moisture to collect inside the wall and cause problems from peeling paint to rotting wood.
If you need to open up a wall, that's a good opportunity to add insulation such as rigid foam, Lord said.
Seal air leaks
Another priority for both Mertz and Lord is sealing air gaps with caulk or spray foam and weatherstripping doors and windows.
Old houses are notoriously leaky, and plugging those gaps is a cost-effective way to bring energy costs down. And there's a bonus for people who cringe at the thought of disturbing an old home's integrity: ''It doesn't hurt anything,'' Mertz said.
Lord recommends investing in good weatherstripping, such as spring-action types. But even inexpensive foam weatherstripping works fine, she said. It just won't last as long.
Address windows
Old, single-pane windows are notorious energy wasters, but original windows are also central to an older home's charm.
Both Mertz and Lord recommend storm windows as an economical way to preserve those old windows and improve their efficiency. Storm windows help block air flow, and the air gap they create has an insulating effect.
They prefer exterior storms, because interior ones are prone to condensation that can rot window sills.
Can't afford storms for all your windows right away? Clear plastic window insulation is a cheap, temporary alternative, Lord said. Or take Mertz's suggestion and install insulated thermal window shades.
Lord thinks a major reconstructive effort should be a last resort. But should you decide to replace your windows, Mertz suggests selecting a company that specializes in custom windows. It can match the size, shape and architectural details of the original windows, and it will probably charge less than a company that makes stock windows primarily but also does some custom work, he said.
Upgrade the heating
Heating systems have come a long way in terms of efficiency. A system installed in the 1950s or '60s is probably 50 to 60 percent efficient, whereas 90 to 95 percent is common today, Mertz said.
''There can be a tremendous amount of saving by just replacing that,'' he said.
Even if you aren't ready to upgrade the whole system, it's wise to install a programmable thermostat, Lord said. It automatically adjusts the heat or air conditioning at night or when the house is empty, making it easy to save heating and cooling dollars.
Other changes
When it comes time to replace appliances, look for energy-efficient models, Mertz recommended. Refrigerators and clothes washers have made especially big strides in efficiency, but any energy savings add up.
If you need to replace a water heater, Lord recommends looking into a tankless model. It heats water on demand rather than holding heated water in a tank until it's needed, resulting in significant energy savings, she said.
Tankless heaters cost up to twice as much as conventional water heaters and must be professionally installed, but you should see a return on your investment in just two or three years, she said. What's more, she said they have an average life span of 25 years as opposed to seven to 10 for a tank-style heater.
Buy one from an experienced contractor who can calculate the proper size for your household and order a professional-grade model, she recommends.
Mary Beth Breckenridge is the Beacon Journal home writer. She can be reached at 330-996-3756, or at mbrecken@thebeaconjournal.com via e-mail.
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