Weatherization Tips and Tricks – Heritage Home Program

Awnings and shutters may be seen as only decorative today, but aluminum awning brought protection from the elements and shade from the sun, helping to cool the home. Functioning shutters can keep the heat in throughout winter and cool the home in the summer, but modern conveniences mean that homeowners keep shutters as decoration and don't need them to help regulate the temperature in the home.

Weatherization is the process of making buildings more energy efficient and saves energy in the home and improves the home as well. Older homes can have small or large changes done to make them more energy efficient and comfortable for any family throughout the year. Today we are used to controlled temperature and humidity throughout our buildings, while homes built before that was common were built in an entirely different way. Putting modern equipment and practices into older homes can be done, but done carefully to ensure that the home retains its features and does not cause more problems in the future.

Older homes were built to work in their environment and so already have a level of energy efficiency that can be utilized by residents. Wall thickness, window shutters, exterior paint, roof pitch, landscaping, etc. all went into creating a home that kept the residents warm in the winter and cool in the summers without central heat and air conditioning.

Something to keep in mind when making changes on your older home is if the changes can be reversed. From the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation: preserve the historic character of the home, the distinctive elements of craftsmanship and construction techniques that characterize the home should be preserved, repair instead of replace when possible, and think to whomever is living in the home in 50, 80, 100 years and if they can remove whatever changes you’ve made and still retain the historic character and integrity of the home.

Quick Tips

Energy Audits

Insulation

Windows and Doors

Maintenance

These tips can be simple and inexpensive ways to keep your house cool in the summer and warm in the winter:

A working fireplace needs a working damper. A properly fitted fireplace damper will prevent air leaks & heat loss, when closed and not in use, and keep smoke moving, when open and a fire is burning.
Establish climate zones by heating or cooling the rooms most in use
Install a programmable thermostat
Clean radiators and registers
Clean and service boiler and furnace once a year
Use shutters & awnings to shade the house from the sun
Maintain plaster walls - they help keep your home at a constant temperature
Maximize your home's engineered cross breeze by utilizing the upper and lower sash windows and screened doors
Be sure your attic is vented properly
Consider a whole house exhaust fan
The incorporation of natural sunlight to light a room is an easy way to help bring warmth inside.
Older buildings also have better thermal inertia, meaning it takes them longer to heat up and to cool down. You can use this to your advantage by letting the sunlight in during the day during cold weather and using heavy curtains at night.
Conversely, keeping the sunlight out in the warm months will help keep the interior cooler. Older homes incorporated porches, pergolas and awnings for this very reason. Planting trees on the south side of your house can also help produce cooling shade in the warm months.
ENERGY STAR qualified appliances are more efficient and use less water than standard models, helping homeowners save money on utility bills.
WaterSense products are 20% more efficient and often rank higher in performance testing than their conventional counterparts. High efficiency toilets (HETs), faucets, showerheads and irrigation related products and services are all incorporated in the WaterSense Program.
Additionally to decrease your home's water usage, consider using: Native/natural landscaping, Rain barrels and/or cisterns, Aerators, and High Efficiency Clothes Washer (HEW).
Insulate pipes and ductwork when possible.
Consider high efficiency HVAC systems including geothermal.

It’s not surprising with increased energy costs that the demand for heat loss inspections and energy audits has grown considerably in recent years. Certified professionals utilize tools and techniques such as infrared scans and blower door tests to pinpoint primary air leakages.

Qualified energy auditors will evaluate the whole house from top to bottom and follow up with a written report. For approximately $300 to $500, the homeowner is provided with a summary that identifies problem areas and provides specifications and resources for remedying them. With this in hand, homeowners are then prepared to make their houses more energy efficient.

Some energy companies have programs that include rebates or discounts for services such as energy audits, like the Dominion East Ohio Home Performance with Energy Star Program.

Proper insulation can abate heat loss, but the homeowner needs to be sensitive to the historic features of their home when choosing where to insulate. Older homes were designed to naturally heat and cool the interior climate by using construction techniques and building materials with inherent sustainable qualities. This balance can be disrupted if insulation is added where it is not needed. An energy audit can help determine the best places to add insulation.

Attics, basement ceilings, foundation sills, and crawl spaces are a good place to start as they often are not used as living spaces. Generally, these areas of the house do not contain historic building materials which may be disrupted by adding insulation.

Use caution when considering insulating the walls in a historic home, as adding insulation in the walls can trap moisture. A vapor barrier, placed on the warm side of the insulation for cold climate homes, will help prevent water vapor from passing through the wall and limit moisture from getting trapped in the insulation. The trapped moisture will cause reduced thermal resistance and moisture damage. Adequate venting is required on the cold side to keep the air flowing, taking any moisture with it. When insulating, make sure not to cover any vents. Insulation around ducts, pipes, and water heaters is a simple solution which can help with heat loss. Poorly installed insulation can create problems that didn't previously exist.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation recommends natural, breathable insulation materials such as wood, plant fiber or wool. Expanding spray is good for filling gaps, but not recommended for use in wall cavity insulation since it is not easily reversible. Spray foam is not advisable as it constricts air flow and may lead to rot. The best insulation has good thermal properties and allows for moisture evaporation.

Tips for You:

Checking your home's insulation is one of the most cost effective ways to reduce energy waste. A good insulating system will protect your home from hot and cold temperatures, protect against air leaks, and control moisture.

First, check the insulation in your attic, ceilings, exterior and basement walls, and crawlspaces. Insulation can be made from a variety of materials but usually comes in four types.

Below are explanations of these four types.

1. Rolls and batts are made with fiberglass and rock wool and come in many different widths suited for standard spacing of wall studs and attic floor joists.

2. Loose-fill insulation is usually made of fiberglass, rock wool, or cellulose. This type of insulation is blown into cavities and attics and is well suited for places where large batts are difficult to use.

3. Rigid foam insulation, though more expensive than fiberglass or cellulose, is effective in buildings with space limitations and where higher R-values are needed.

4. Foam-in-place insulation is blown into walls and is great at reducing air leakage. One thing to note, lycnene foam does not appear to shrink though other types of spray-in foam do shrink between 3-6 inches over time.

The original windows in your home are an important architectural feature. Installing storm windows will improve the energy and efficiency of your original windows without permanently altering the character of your home. Storm windows can be mounted on the exterior or interior of the window.

Exterior storms are recommended; they are cost-effective, reversible and energy efficient. Select a storm window which is sympathetic to the architecture of your home. Frames can be made of wood or aluminum. The National Parks Service warns against using storms with unfinished aluminum frames. Painting the frame to match existing window trim can help reduce the visual impact of the storm window. Make sure any storm window fits securely and properly so as not to damage the existing window.

Interior storms are preferable on buildings where the historic character of the window would be lost or obscured by an exterior storm. Interior storms are often magnetic or mounted with a hook, clip or other fastener which can be removed. It is vital to vent interior storm windows and allow condensation to escape. If moisture is trapped, deterioration of the original window glazing may occur. Also keep in mind interior storms do not protect the prime window from the elements.

Reglazing windows and doors can help to decrease air infiltration into the home. Glazing is the compound which keeps the glass in its frame. It can be oil or water based, but you should never use calk. Care needs to be taken when removing old putty so as not to damage the glass or the frame. Reglazing windows will extend the life of the glass while increasing energy efficiency.

Tips for You:

Historic wood windows are one of the main character defining features of your house.

They help convey architectural style and detail through myriad combinations of muntin patterns, embellished glass, and traditional dimensions.

Original windows should be retained and rehabilitated as much as possible, but not just for the sake of beauty. Windows account for only 20-30% of the heat loss in a home.

Things to remember when addressing windows:

More heat is lost through the roof and uninsulated walls than through windows.
Pre-1945 historic wood sash contain dense heartwood from virgin forests. They are much less susceptible to rot and infestation than the quickly grown, sugar-filled, wide-ringed pine used today.
Installing high efficiency aluminum storms is less expensive than a new window unit.
Wood storms can also be reasonably priced, reduce heat loss, and aesthetically fit your home's style.
Wood windows can be painted in a wide array of colors, while replacements often have a limited palette.
Replacement windows have an average life of 25 years, while a well-maintained wood sash can function for 100+ years. Replacement windows are very expensive and studies have shown that it could take 100 years or more for the windows to pay for themselves in energy savings. (www.historichomeworks.com).
Approximately 30% of the nation's landfills are filled with construction debris - amounting to 124 million tons per year. The "green" thing to do is maintain rather than discard durable wood windows.

Maintaining your home can go a long way in keeping energy costs down and weatherizing your home. Regular checks for cracks, leaks, existing damage, and other hazards in the home can prepare you and your home for any surprises that may come up due to a sudden storm, heat wave, cold snap, or any other issues that may keep you from being comfortable in your home.

EnergyStar.gov has tips for homeowners and suggestions for the best ways to check on your equipment to ensure energy efficiency.

This example Yearly Inspection Checklist from This Old House can be a start for you to find out more about problem areas in your home and help you learn about ways to weatherize your older home.