Weatherizing an OLD house

**jlxian** · 10-13-2005, 10:48 AM

I plan to start weatherizing our house this weekend and want to begin on our basement. Two years ago we put insulation on the basement ceiling hoping it would make our floors warmer, and it helped only minimally. So I'm thinking I've got some major holes/gaps in and around the foundation of our very old house that I need to take care of.

My plan is to take the spray in foam and fill large gaps and holes and also use some insulation batts to stuff where its impractical to use the foam.

Also I want DH to close up the bulkhead access door to the basement and insulate this area. I'm sure we get a lot of cold air that comes in here.

After I've done what I can do to the basement, we will put the clear plastic on the windows in our living areas upstairs, and I am going to try AGAIN to weatherstrip the doors. Every attempt I have made to weatherstrip our doors has been a disaster --- usually I can't get the door closed afterwards so have had to tear off all the weatherstripping. Very frustrating.

And I will caulk all cracks on the outside and stuff polyfill or something else into the cracks around the windows inside.

Have any of you successfully weatherized an OLD house? If so, what did you do? Short of residing the place and getting all new windows, what steps have you taken on weatherizing your old house?

**canadian gardener** · 10-13-2005, 11:41 AM

Your plan of action is terrific.

I did the same as you one year about the weatherstripping. I can't remember what the fix was, but it was something simple, I stuck it in the wrong spot or something.

I followed the directions on the box, but had to remove it.

Try one of the online handyman sites for online video "how to weatherstrip" advice. Home Depot might have one, and Better Homes and Gdns used to, Home Hardware, REVY stores, or Irly Bird, one of those type places.

Drafts first, then insulate, and heat rises so do ceilings, then walls, and then floors in that order so you get the most bang for your buck.

If you run out of money, the attics, or ceilings should be right after sealing up windows, and dealing with cracks, and weatherstripping. Most of the heat loss is thru the roof, or thru drafty windows and doors.

I roll up towels and stuff them at the base of the doors. Stops drafts, easy to wash, and handy for wiping up melting ice and snow or mud.

**jlxian** · 10-13-2005, 12:06 PM

Thanks Margery! We've put lots of insulation in our attic, but there may be some gaps there we've missed. I know that I've had what seems like a gale blowing around my head when I lie in bed in the winter so there are holes somewhere!

**canadian gardener** · 10-13-2005, 12:51 PM

yup, probably filling the gaps in around windows, doors, switchplates etc.

My sister's technique of using a roll of cheap builders plastic and whatever tape works (I think, but I won't swear to it, that it was masking tape) to stick it up over all the windows that you don't want to be able to open all winter works well for a lot less than the kits.

But the down side, you can't see thru the windows, just blurry light comes in.

She used a hair blow dryer to shrink it up a bit, but she warned me if I ever do it, NOT to let it blow too long, as that plastic melts rather fast. UNLIKE the window kits.

and the other down side, I know the kits come with an adhesive tape that won't damage the paint.

**PrairieRose** · 10-13-2005, 12:54 PM

We're gonna be doing all the above (well not adding insulation just yet) but doing the obvious, easier things this weekend. I hope to get most of that stuff taken care of. Sounds like you're on the right track Jean.

**canadian gardener** · 10-13-2005, 12:55 PM

oh and friends of ours in Prince George (very cold winters) found out there was NO insulation in a part of their 80's built home, when a house fire happened.

Turns out the builder was cheaping out, and either never put it in, and never got caught on inspection or put it in for inspection and took it right back out. (don't anybody tell me that can't happen, there were a bunch of crooked builders who did whole rows of houses up in the northern BC towns who practiced that trick!)

They used to have ice and mold forming on that corner in the living room on the inside.

Anyways, if you do some work ever, and get a chance to inspect the stuff under the plaster or gyproc, you might find that your wind blowing around, is a draft coming off the un insulated wall.

Houses with that problem can be done by having the insulation people come, and they make little holes in the siding, blow the stuff in, then plug it up and paint to match.

**graci42** · 10-13-2005, 01:45 PM

If you have an older home...house inspector (when we bought) said do not have insulation blown in unless you've had ALL the old wiring redone as the insulation settles and may cause a fire hazard.

Best to check!
Graci

**canadian gardener** · 10-13-2005, 03:39 PM

oooh, GOOD POINT Graci!!!!!

**homesteadmamma** · 10-13-2005, 04:27 PM

Also having insulation blown in doesn't always cover the whole wall. If you have cross bars as we did in every room, only 1/2 the wall would have been insulated. The cross bars were in "v" shapes.

Although a lot of work, the best thing to do is re-insulate or insulate from inside. However, replacing old windows and doors comes right after insulating your attic.

We replaced all our old doors and every window but 3 and cut our heating bill in half. We then insulated every room except the m/bedroom and again cut our heat in half. We were not going to insulate our m/bedroom, however with the cost of heat rising as fast as it is, we will be doing it in Nov. (There goes all my pretty wallpaper, however the savings is justified.

**jlxian** · 10-13-2005, 05:25 PM

Given a choice, I'd rather insulate and re-side the house all at the same time, but that will be SOOOOOOO expensive. The alternative is to put up new stud walls over the plaster walls and insulate the space between.

And I know we need new windows. We've been in our house 15 years and we just can't seem to actually DO many of our to-do house projects.

**canadian gardener** · 10-13-2005, 05:42 PM

ROFL, your house and mine are related!!!! They always want a bit more to do, than there is money to do it!!!

I feel so wild and spendy just tackling the painting that's been needed since we moved in!

HUGS!!!!

**jlxian** · 10-14-2005, 10:11 AM

Originally posted by canadian gardener
ROFL, your house and mine are related!!!! They always want a bit more to do, than there is money to do it!!!

I feel so wild and spendy just tackling the painting that's been needed since we moved in!

HUGS!!!!

And to you Margery!

**Valerie in WA** · 10-14-2005, 11:35 AM

My aunt spent last winter living in a house trailer (very old 'manufactured' home) in northern Wisconsin. She bought quilts and woolen blankets at thrift stores and hung them on all her walls. It helped a lot! And made for unusual decor.

**canadian gardener** · 10-14-2005, 04:37 PM

Valerie your aunt did something neat, that is a truly ancient and very practical idea from centuries past.

Tapestries were originally used to hang on the stone walls of castles to keep some of the heat in and the chill out.

Ditto bed hangings in those big old four poster beds with the canopies and drapes and all. Like having a tent within a room hung with rugs, and tapestries.

Great idea.

I can just hear the quilt fans approve in a raucous happy chorus of new and more glorious uses for quilts.

**Valerie in WA** · 10-14-2005, 06:18 PM

I will pass your comments on to her Margery. She will be happy to hear them. Unfortunately my aunt didn't get much support from her (adult) children. She had sold her house and wanted to move from city to town, but knew she would be leaving the state this year. Rather than rent an apartment for a year, she found that it would cost less to buy this ramshackle trailer (and pay a small amount for lot rent). The trailer cost her only $1000. She should be able to sell it this year for that same amount. Her children thought it was just 'icky' and 'trashy.' I thought it made a lot of sense. And since she lives alone and it pleased her, why should anyone else worry about it?