Old Homes Don't Mean Bad Homes.

I got news for everyone out there. New or old there is unfortunately no such thing as a perfect home. All homes are different and all have their own quirks about them that make them unique and one must know what those are before they become costly problems.

The benefits of living in an older home are plenty! The history, the style, the craftsmanship, the way that 3rd stair always squeeks. But owning such a home has its challenges. Maintenance can be tricky and expensive, especially if certain areas have been neglected. Here are some common issues found in older homes.

Energy inefficiency is the one of the key main issue with older homes. Most older homes were built with single-pane windows; maybe those are ok in a tropical climate, but whoever thought that they were sufficient for the temperature changes that we see here in Ottawa, were sadly mistaken.

Insulation in older homes was little to none in some cases and lack of insulation will also result in wasted energy and money. The most important and easiest area of the home to insulate is the attic, but walls and floors above ventilated crawlspaces should be insulated as well if possible. The attic may already have insulation but it may be inadequate by current standards. Not to mention, the type and materials used in older insulation should be carefully looked at and inspected.

If your home has older water pipes, have them checked to identify the material and determine if they need to be replaced. Some older materials such as galvanized steel, iron, and even lead are subject to deterioration and are still in use today even though new construction does not allow them. Replacement options include copper and PVC piping.

Electrical systems can still cause some issues and older types be found a lot homes and may not only be dangerous, but they can make the house uninsurable. Homes in the Glebe and downtown areas where they were constructed prior to 1940 may still have knob and tube wiring. Other homes built prior to the 80's may have aluminum wiring which heats up much quicker than copper and can become brittle over time. Even if no danger is present, we use so much more electricity in our homes now that the capacity of your older system may be inadequate. Only a qualified electrician should attempt any repairs or updates to your home's electrical system.

Foundations can be a tricky subject. Most older homes used stone foundations. During the 50's,60's and 70's, came around block foundations. Both of those types can have issues and your home should be looked at thoroughly to ensure that all is intact with them. Today homes mostly used poured concrete. Not to say that there aren't problems with those as well, but they are generally more durable. You should have someone that can identify any issues before the issues become problems. I have been on well over a hundred home inspections, and I can spot most problems before we waste our money calling in home inspectors to notice the same issues.

All in all, there is no such thing as a perfect home unfortunately. All homes have their problems and the key is to know what your home needs to make it as perfect as it can be.

Insulation and your home

I know it seems that I have been talking about how cold it is here in Ottawa a lot but, well it is damn cold! Due to our cold winters, and some pretty chilly homes that I have been in, I decided that it's time to talk about insulation. Everybody knows that insulation is a key factor in energy savings for your home, but not everyone knows how to improve it, if it even needs improving, and whether or not you have to tear your home apart to improve it. Let's see if I can help out a bit.

The bad news - With homes built prior to 1970, insulation was not a major concern for builders. Older homes can benefit by adding some more insulation, as well as tending to gaps by windows and doors that have occurred through settling over time.

The good news- improving energy efficiency is pretty easy to do regardless of the age of your home.

First the Windows: I have talked about windows in previous posts so I won't go into great detail here. Basically, if you can't afford to replace those old windows, properly weather strip them, or wrap them. Up to 50% of a home’s heating and cooling needs results from heat gain and loss through windows.

Next the Attic: If you have an older home, you may have vermiculite insulation and it could contain asbestos so you may want to call in a professional. Asbestos is hazardous once airborne so don't disturb it once up there. You can add more insulation by blowing some more into the attic, and then rake it all up so it's evenly distributed. Or by simply adding more batt insulation. Blown is a tad better than batt as there are no seems between sections that allow air escape through. You can do this yourself by renting the machine to blow the insulation. Pretty easy, and kinda fun to do.

The walls: Ok so its a bit of a pain to do, but you will notice the difference and it will be a great selling feature when you sell your home. If you are planning on remodelling, this is a great time to add insulation or more of it since the walls will already be exposed. If not, you can blow in more insulation and then you will just have to do patch ups in the areas you do as opposed to redoing the whole wall.

The extra mile: So, we touched on windows and doors, attic, and walls. Where else can we get some savings for our energy costs? How about electrical outlets, exterior lighting attached to your home, even crawl spaces? Get out that caulking gun and walk around the exterior of your home. Remove any old caulking around light fixtures and replace with new. Don't cheap out either on the caulking as you get what you pay for. Ensure all electrical outlets are properly insulated as well. If you have a crawl space, check to see if insulated, if not, why not?

This all seems common sense i'm sure, but it's something that is often over looked. With the ever increasing costs of heating your home, more people are looking for energy efficient homes, why not have that selling feature in your favour? Like most home maintenance, it is more labour intensive as opposed to costly. So get off the couch and make your home a bit more efficient already! Unless you don't want extra money in your pockets of course.