10 to 12 percent of a home’s heat loss is through its windows.
Up to 35 percent can be the result of uninsulated walls.
10 to 12 percent of a home’s heat loss is through its windows.
Up to 35 percent can be the result of uninsulated walls.
Windows are generally not the main culprit causing energy loss in a home. Blower tests can be done to see where air leaks are located in a building.
Easy fixes to reduce drafts in your historic home:
Effective, but relatively simple, ways to further reduce heat loss:
Spray foam insulation is not good for historic building:
Old cellulose spray-in insulation can be problematic if there is no vapor barrier:
Make sure all insulating measures are reversible.
Each home is unique. Details, features, materials, and alterations in each building aid or hinder its ability to be energy efficient.
“Older and historic buildings are often inherently designed for energy conservation and respond to different regional environments. Overhanging roofs, porches, awnings, and shutters can maximize shade and provide insulation. Thick walls provide thermal mass and buffering. Large, operable windows provide natural light and promote air circulation. All in all, older buildings offer these “built-in” advantages.”1
“Saving Windows, Saving Money: Evaluating the Energy Performance of Window Replacement and Retrofit”—Study by Preservation Green Lab
http://www.preservationnation.org/information-center/sustainable-communities/green-lab/saving-windows-saving-money/
Preservation Brief 3—Improving Energy Efficiency in Historic Buildings by Jo Ellen Hensley and Antonio Aguilar
http://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs.htm
Building Information Center: Insulation—National Trust for Historic Preservation http://www.preservationnation.org/information-center/sustainable-communities/buildings/weatherization/insulation/#.VLxcMsZ3p6k
Weatherization Guide for Older & Historic Buildings—National Trust for Historic Preservation
http://www.preservationnation.org/information-center/sustainable-communities/buildings/weatherization/#.VLxaJcZ3p6k
Energy Efficiency Basics—Common Sense Preservation
http://www.commonsensepreservation.org/topics/energy-efficiency-basics
Energy Advice for Owners of Historic and Older Homes—National Trust for Historic Preservation
http://epa.gov/region5/sustainable/pdf/Energy-advice-for-owners-of-older-homes.pdf
The Fifth Fuel—Energy Audits
www.thefifthfuel.com/
1 “Weatherization Guide for Older & Historic Buildings.” Sustainable Communities. National Trust for Historic Preservation, 2015. Web. http://www.preservationnation.org/information-center/sustainable-communities/buildings/weatherization/#.VLxbjcZ3p6k
Historic Fredericksburg Foundation, Inc.
1200 Caroline Street
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
540-371-4504
[email protected]