I have gradually worked toward tightening up the thermal envelope of my home.
The house was built sometime in the late eighteen hundreds. Most of the renovations made before my family moved in were not handled properly. The former owners definitely prioritized cost savings over quality. The windows they installed were single-paned and no one bothered to properly caulk around them. None of the exterior doors closed tightly. The furnace and air conditioner were never professionally serviced. The attic lacked insulation. Because of the age and size of the house, every project is time-consuming, labor-intensive and expensive. Due to the weather extremes in our area, the cost of heating and cooling adds up to about fifty percent of our household energy usage. There is huge potential to trim expenses. It took me nearly ten years to replace all of the windows with Energy Star rated, low E, triple-pane options. To make the project more affordable, I taught myself how to handle the installation. I was very conscientious about insulating and caulking around them. I spent a very unpleasant weekend installing insulation in the attic. I’ve purchased new front and back doors and added ceiling fans to help with cooling in the summer and to better distribute the heated air in the winter. Along with being conscientious about filter changes for the furnace and air conditioner, I’ve enrolled into a maintenance plan with a local HVAC contractor. I also schedule testing for the ductwork every three years. Because of my efforts, the monthly utility bills are a bit lower and the entire house is far more comfortable. I am still planning to replace the roof and eventually, invest into a higher efficiency heating and cooling system.