Insulation Evaluation?

[fritz1255]

We recently inherited a 19th-century farmhouse from my dad. It is in New Hampshire, so it is in a cold climate, and the winter heating bills are horrendous ($hundreds/month). I don't think it is insulated at all, but I have no way to tell for sure. Is there some way to determine the effective insulation coefficient? Is this something we could do ourselves or pay a contractor to do?

[David]

Welcome to the forum Fritz.

#1 - 19th century? This house is 106+ years old? You can 'bet the farm' it's not well insulated. When was it last remodeled (if ever)? You probably have old wiring in the house (perhaps aluminum wiring), to which I am not familiar. If you care, you should be able to pull out an electrical outlet on an exterior wall and find insulation, or lack thereof. You may want to hear from users Giddonah and/or Sparks before pulling out an outlet with aluminum wires.

#2 - Energy/Heat loss has as much to do with sealing the air as it does insulation. You can insulate your walls to the hilt, but you'll still have air loss/leaks around the windows, thru walls into the attic, thru the hvac ducting leaking air into the basement and/or attic. In addition to that, you'll loose heat right thru older windows.

#3 - Yes, you can hire someone to come do an analysis. They can take (some kind of) thermal imaging photos and see the 'cold spots' in winter. But, you can give us the floorplan/photos, and we can guide you further if you wish to DIY. It could end up an extensive (and expensive) overhaul. Insulation, windows, air sealing, and perhaps appliances.

[CThomp]

If you have aluminum wiring you may want to strongly consider having the place re-wired.

[fritz1255]

Wiring is all copper, athough some of it dates back to the early 20th century. My dad had the main panel box redone and the entire system evaluated a number of years ago.

[TnAndy]

Before I even got to the bottom post, I was thinking "Yeah....aluminum wiring would probably have been an update from knob and tube !".....and then fritz confirmed knob and tube by saying "some of it dates back to the early 20th century".

I've done remodels on these type houses, and they are a moneypit from the git-go IF you do it right......so the first thing you need to decide is "Does this have some significant family sentiment value, or some real charm in the way of design or workmanship ?"......because to get something like this up to where it ISN'T an energy hog is going to require a LOT of work. IF it doesn't meet that test of value to you, you might want to pass it on and let it be somebody else's moneypit.

[Vector]

I've done remodels on these type houses, and they are a moneypit from the git-go IF you do it right......so the first thing you need to decide is "Does this have some significant family sentiment value, or some real charm in the way of design or workmanship ?"......because to get something like this up to where it ISN'T an energy hog is going to require a LOT of work. IF it doesn't meet that test of value to you, you might want to pass it on and let it be somebody else's moneypit.


So true, so true.

i'm sitting in an 1890's colonial right now that we gutted and added onto. I'ts a great house, and we're loving it. But it took three years (!) of my time, and a ton of money. Still worth more than we have into it, but that's because of location, not because of the house itself.

[giddonah]

Mine is also 100+ yrs old. They build this thing like a bomb shelter though. They skipped right over k&t and went right to bx. I can testify to the time investment, but I can also tell you that I've never seen a house so solidly built. It seems I'm fortunate in that it was insulated, but I would like to add to it with some insulated vinyl siding and new windows. Our bills are outrageous too, but at 4,000 sq ft, it's kind of big, but the windows sure would help.

When they're this old, you never know what you'll find. I pulled up a floor of a bathroom to find that they cut 7/8ths of a joist to put in a drain. The floor was so over built that it didn't make a difference.

[CThomp]

Mine is a 1950 post WWII ranch style. It's built like sh!t. But the wood is really hard so that helps.

[David]

Mine...It's built like sh!t.

Dude, it's like we have the same house. Only mine was built last year.;)

[CThomp]

That was awesome :lol: