How can we lower the energy bill in old home?
Monday, September 6th, 2010 at
6:25 pm
My husband and I are considering buying an old 3200sq ft. brick craftsman home built in 1925. We called the electric company and the gas and electric bills are, of course, very high. The attic is already insulated. The windows are original and we would not consider replacing them as it would take away from the character of the home. What else could we do to help with the heating/air conditioning? Plastic the windows in the winter? Thanks!
Filed under: Wind Power
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Check your hot water tank. I moved into an apartment once and I got the first bill and was flabbergasted!! it was like $180.00!!
I called the electric company and they said it was the average for the apartment, but I have lived in other ones and had bills around th $70 range. So I said to her that cannot be right and she suggested I check the hot water tank.
I did and it was cranked all the way up!! The people there before me were basically throwing money out the door!!
Check your hot water tank!!
You can find windows that will only add to the character of the home. That is where all of your money is going!!
have the house sealed. buy a programmable thermostat,have insulation blown into the walls will help a lot,caulk the windows and doors
Install solar panels.
Actually with the new windows that are made to mimic antique you should reconsider replacing them – that being said the attic may be insulated but are the walls? Consider upgrading the lighting as well. When purchasing Appliances make sure they are energy star compliant and consider having the heating system replaced with an energy efficient model (I would bet the heating unit is due to be replaced anyway). You could also ask the local electric company to come out and do an energy audit and provide recommendations – you would be surprised at how detailed the report is and how much it will save you in the long term. Good Luck!
Replace the incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent bulbs.
Plastic on the windows during the winter.
Caulk or seal the window frames.
Seal the electrical outlets on the outside walls. A lot of cold air can come in through the electrical outlets. You can find seals for the outlet covers at the major home improvement stores.
Use a timer style thermostat to adjust the heating and cooling while you are away. Don’t go too crazy with the settings. In the winter, if you allow the house to cool too much while you are away, you will use up as much fuel as you saved bringing it back to normal temperature.
Get used to closing off as much as possible and living in the kitchen. Sleep under lots of blankets in cold rooms.
The price of energy is going to get a LOT higher. Do you really want to buy some house that was built when oil was 10 dollars a barrel and try to heat it with oil at 200 dollars? Think about it.
I have an old farmhouse and I am tempted to tear it down and build an earth-sheltered home instead. The future isn’t bright unless you are getting government grants to develop solar power. You will be better off living in the barn where the animals can keep you warm.
There are several good ideas in this article below. I know they really helped me, especially the radiant barrier treatment. That one thing lowered my bill about 25%.
There is an insulation that can be blown into small holes, even on siding, to insulate between the walls. I would make some calls to find out about this.
We didn’t have air conditioning in 1925. And there is a good chance we won’t have it in 2025. Most of the super insulated boxes with the tight double glazed windows that we live in now may not be functional when there is no more grid. You may be better off in a older masonry veneered craftsman style house that was designed for cross ventilation prior to these days of massive energy consumption.
More of an opinion than an answer. Good luch with making the right choice.
If there is a basement look into putting in a wood burning stove. I heat with wood in the winter. My home is all electric and I have not had a high electric bill since using the stove.