Hi. My name is Michael Grove, but you can call me Max. I’m a lover of fitness, dogs, burgers, IPAs and riding bikes and motorcycles. I live in Capital Hill with my wife in an old row house we’re renovating together. I’ve renovated and flipped houses in Chicago, Texas and DC, so we knew what we were getting ourselves into.
One of the things I’ve learned about old DC houses is how poorly insulated they are. If you’ve ever wondered why your energy bills skyrocket in the winter, your home probably falls into that category. As an insulation guy and a renovator, I’ve learned some tips along the way to help keep your bills down and make your home more environmentally friendly.
Tip 1: Plug the Holes | Difficulty: Easy to Medium
If your plumbing leaks, you immediately repair the hole. The same should be true of your conditioned air. What’s the point of heating your home if the warm air is just going to make its way outside? There are three main places you should check for air leaks in your home.
- Doors and windows provide the perfect opportunity for air to leak around the edges. The fix is simple: add caulking or weather stripping around the edges to seal the cracks.
- Joints and junctions are the places in your home where something from the outside enters the structure: pipes, electrical wires, ventilation, etc. You may need to add caulking at those junctions, too, in order to keep the warm air inside and the cold air outside.
- Air ducts are a bit more complicated to seal. Ductwork is the circulatory system of your home. To maximize the efficiency of your heating system, you want the warm air to go directly to the rooms where you and your family live. If there are cracks or gaps in the air ducts, conditioned air escapes into the attic or the crawl space. Seal cracks with silicon and close gaps with duct tape.
For a more detailed tutorial, check out our DIY Air Sealing post.
Tip 2: Add Insulation | Difficulty: Medium to Hard
Insulation recommendations have changed over the years. To find out if your home needs more, check the government recommendation levels at the Energy Star website. Insulation reduces the escape of radiant heat, keeping the conditioned air where you want it to be: in your living areas. Depending on your specific needs, you can add rolls, batts, spray foam or blown-in insulation (which is great for insulating your attic). You can usually find the equipment you need at a local home improvement store. Just remember to wear protective clothing; fiberglass can cause skin irritation.
Tip 3: Update your Appliances | Difficulty: Easy
Furnaces, hot water heaters, dryers and ovens have all been made more efficient in recent years. Upgrading to an Energy Star appliance will save energy costs in the long run.
Now you know how to winterize your old DC house. If it seems too difficult, call me. At Max Insulation, we eat/sleep/breathe this stuff!
