Staying Warm and Cozy in Your Old House

Old houses sometimes have a bad reputation for being cold and drafty.

The reputation is undeserved.

Regardless of age, any house can be chilly if it has not been built well or maintained. 

Make sure your furnace is clean and working properly.  I have found it well worth the expense to have a gas contractor check mine each year.

Close the drapes and pull shades down before the sun sets.  Make sure they completely cover the windows. Before going to bed, turn down the thermometer and push a rug or a draft stopper over the entrance to all outside doors.   

Make sure your attic has enough insulation and adequate ventilation.  Many old houses have no or little insulation.  Before insulation is added, make sure all holes are sealed.  Add ventilators on the roof near the ridge line or roof peak and in the eaves or soffits.  This protects the insulation from built up moisture which can cause cement to crack and wood beams to rot. 

Many old houses have little or no foundation insulation. It can be added either inside or outside of the house.  If it is added to the outside, make sure the foundation is dry and any drainage problems are corrected. Lovely old sun rooms often were built without a foundation or were built over a crawl space.   It is possible to insulate them by putting insulation below the floor.  It is important that the sun room be vented so that moisture does not collect and cause harm.

I feel so sorry for old windows.  They get such a bum rap these days.  Before investing thousands of dollars into new windows, spend time on routine maintenance.  This includes caulking, adding weather stripping, and painting.   If the wood is in bad shape, consider contacting a window contractor that specializes in RESTORATION of old windows.  This will be less costly than most new windows, will last longer, and your old house will look better.

If you are lucky to still have your old house’s storm windows, don’t forget to hang them and to maintain them. If you don’t, consider inside storm windows.  They are easy to hang and don’t impact the beauty of your home from the outside.

 Close registers in rooms that you are not in.  If you are not using the fireplace, close the damper.  If your fireplace does not have a damper, consider covering the firebox with a rug after you are sure all of the embers are out.

A warm cup of tea does wonders and so does the admonishment of my mother, Rosie, “put a sweater on.”