This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Lennox. All opinions are 100% mine.
Old houses are filled with character, charm, and history. Unfortunately, they can also be filled with drafts, quirks, and high heating/cooling costs. Thankfully, there are many things you can do – no matter what your budget is – to help your old house be more energy efficient.
How to make your old house more energy efficient
Take care of what you already have:
One of the most inexpensive ways to make your home more energy efficient is to make sure the systems you already have in your home are working well. Make sure your filters are cleaned and replaced when they need to be. Check your exposed ductwork in your basement and ensure there are no leaks (this could be a big source of inefficient heating). If you have radiator heat, you’ll need to bleed your radiators at the beginning of the heating season. Get regular maintenance done on your current heating system to make sure it is running the way it should be.
Upgrade your bulbs:
Simple fixes, such as replacing your current light bulbs with more energy efficient LED bulbs, can really make a difference. If you don’t want to take out your existing light bulbs, just stock up on LED light bulbs now and then you will have them on hand when your light bulbs burn out.
Get rid of those drafts:
It’s a known issue with old houses that your windows and doors can be a huge source of drafts. Take a weekend afternoon and go around your house on a cold day with a caulk gun. Caulk anywhere that you feel a draft, and you’ll be able to really improve the energy efficiency in your home! We did this in our house and it made a HUGE difference for just a few dollars. You can also feel for a draft and go around to the outside of your home and caulk from the exterior.
For all of the bigger drafts that can’t be fixed with caulk, make sure you’re using simple tools like weather stripping guards on the bottoms of your doors. You can also use heavy curtains to help lessen the drafts from the windows (and amp up the coziness factor in your home at the same time!)
Replace your heating system:
If you budget allows, a new heating system is an obvious way to make a huge difference in your energy efficiency in your old house. When replacing your current system, it’s really important that you pick the RIGHT company and products for your house. You’ll want to make sure that you choose a company who stands behind their products and has excellent customer service. Lennox has a variety of systems that are reliable and will make your home more energy efficient for many years to come. Find a dealer near you to see how you could get Lennox into your home.
Replace your thermostat:
If your thermostat isn’t working properly, it can be a huge waste of heat. You can either replace your thermostat with one that’s similar to the one you already have, or you can upgrade to a smart thermostat. Many new thermostats have settings in them that could help keep your old house heating costs down. Lennox just updated the iComfort S30 and the technology is *incredible*. The potential for making your home more energy efficient through a thermostat is in this device – you can read all about the energy saving control and efficiency by clicking here and reading about Lennox’s line of thermostats.
Upgrade to smart technology:
One of the things that can really upgrade your old house and make it truly energy efficient is the use of smart home technology in your home. Lennox has an impressive lineup of smart products that will help your old home’s systems upgrade into modern day technology while keeping the existing character and charm of your home. For example, their iHarmony zoning system is a genius way to keep the temperature consistent throughout your home (anyone have issues with that in their old home? I sure do!) Click here to learn more about their products and technology.
Add insulation:
Adding insulation is a simple and budget friendly way to majorly save on energy costs. People tend to worry about there not being insulation in the walls (we don’t have any in our old house) but the most important places to focus your attention on are your basement and attic. Focus on the attic first, and then the basement or crawl spaces. Make sure you talk with a professional about which kind of insulation works best for your home before you install it.
So choose one, two, or all of the above ideas to help get your old home’s energy costs down. It will make a big difference in your wallet, and you’ll be able to enjoy the beauty of your old home without worrying about how much your heating/cooling expenses will be that month.
I truly believe that every home has potential to be great! I wrote an ebook for you and it’s FREE – come download “A Character Filled Home” here.
I definitely need to change the weather strips on the doors! Thanks!