Insulating an older house

18 years ago

Okay, my house isn't that old, but I figure that this is something that some of you have dealt with at some point.

I live in a 1950's SoCal bungalow. I gather back in the day that they didn't insulate the outer walls of houses -- maybe they thought it wasn't necessary in the milder climate? And sure, we're not going to freeze to death without it...but when it comes to energy costs, especially during the summer, I can't help wondering if the lack of insulation is hurting us. Our energy bill increases by more than double in summer, as our air conditioner tries to keep the house cool (and we only run it when we're home).

We're planning on getting an energy audit done at some point -- if it points to the lack of insulation as a major factor, then we'll seriously consider adding it. Has anyone here added insulation to an older home? How costly was it? How exactly was it done? And did you notice a difference in your energy bills?

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Comments (5)

housekeeping
18 years ago
An energy audit is the place to start.

I can't offer too much help as I live in 160+ y.o. house in northern NY, so my situation is considerably different from yours.

However, for what it's worth here the first thing you would do is install attic insulation, then concentrate on caulking to prevent infiltration (that might not be in your second step). And only then, would the upheaval and potential damage to antique-/historic walls be worth taking to install in wall insulation. This depends a lot on what your interior walls are made of; in my case I have intact historic plaster and almost no cavity space, so I've opted for no insulation in the walls. Other people nearby who have damaged or modern walls in their old houses are willing to remove the interior walls to access the wall cavities for insulation. Because of the extremely cold weather here, we have unique issues relating to condensation within wall insulation that I doubt are concerns for you (lucky you!)

A thing you might find particulary useful in your climate (since cooling, not heating is your main energy user) is concentrating on increasing shade on your roof through trees or vines and installing awnings on your windows to decrease heat build-up.

I am sure your state (or energy supplier) has detailed info that is appropriate for your climate about which steps to take, and in what order.

I wish I could add more info, but I hope this helps, a bit.

Molly~
lucy
18 years ago
But only put in attic insulation if there is also some kind of ventilation up there to begin with, gable end vents, or a peak vent.
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vano
18 years ago
I think my plaster and lath is applied directly over brick. If there is any gap, i do not believe it is big enough to blow in a significant amount of insulation. i have modern crawlspace and attic insulation but my walls are chilly. Any ideas?

Can I add a layer of insulation inside and resurface over it without removing the old wall if i am willing to give up space for it in every room?
allison1888
18 years ago
We had blown in insulation done in a previous house -- built in 1918 -- and it worked great. Not fun to fix all the holes left behind, but that's another story. Shop around and talk to several companies so you get a good idea of where to go with it.
allison1888
18 years ago
Just found this overview of insulation types -- might be helpful. Good luck!

http://www.oldhouseweb.com/stories/Detailed/10169.shtml

Here is a link that might be useful: insulation