How to Weatherproof Your Old Home

You can weatherproof your old home to make it more energy effecient.

When cold weather sets in, old houses tend to let you feel it very quickly. These homes often lose heat due a variety of age-related defects. The secret to weatherproofing an old home to make it more energy efficient is to limit heat loss opportunities. The improvements you make to your house before the cold weather sets in will last for many years -- giving you a warmer house and lower heating bills.

Instructions

1. Plug any air gaps visible from inside or outside of the house. Look for spaces around windows and doors where you can see light coming through. Check foundation masonry for cracks, and look for gaps that lead from interior living space to the attic or basement. Use caulk to fill smaller gaps and expanding foam for wider ones.

2. Inspect weather stripping on exterior doors. If there are signs of wear on surface seals or sweeps that run along bottom of the door.

3. Replace any single-pane windows with insulated windows that have an efficiency rating of at least R-3. If you cannot install new windows, install removable storm windows for use during winter months.

4. Install or add new insulation in the attic and crawl space. Use insulation with a minimum of R-38 efficiency value.

5. Keep your fireplace or wood stove damper closed when not in use, or install a new one if the there is no damper or damage to the existing one.

Tips & Warnings

• Call the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy clearinghouse at [phone] to get insulation recommendations for your area.

• When installing new insulation, check to make sure you have not covered the soffit or gable vents.

References

• "TIME"; Weatherproof Your Home; Bryan Walsh; December 1, 2008
• North Carolina State University; Weatherize Your Home
• "Old House Journal"; Embracing Energy Efficiency; Noelle Lord