I purchased my home in the fall of 2018. I could have decided to build something new or forgo all the maintenance that comes with home ownership and rent. Instead, I chose to purchase an older home that needed updating, both in appearance and performance.
The 24’ x 32’ home was built in 1952, a Cape Cod design with the normal problems of a Cape Cod, attic knee walls that were both inside and outside the air control layer. There was some evidence of past water damage and a few old clips on the roof where a heat tape would have been placed, suggesting an ice dam issue. The high efficiency natural gas forced air furnace appeared to be from the 1990’s, the same year as the electric water heater. There was also a natural gas fireplace in the small living room. There was a weird-shaped room on the main level (behind the sun and where the sliding patio door is located, 9’ wide by 24 feet long. Two bedrooms, and a bathroom were located upstairs, a bathroom on the main level, and an area in the basement that had an egress window well that would support another bedroom. Continue reading “How to Prioritize Energy Upgrades to an Existing Home-Part 2”
