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timesuck t1_j1erun9 wrote

Brick and built in 1936, there’s a chance you have little to no insulation in your walls and/or attic. It can take a lot of energy to keep a leaky home in the mid-60s.

It could also be your boiler depending on the age, but I’m guessing it’s more the lack of insulation (and possibly the windows).

Also, 1600 square feet but only 2 bedrooms? Do you have a sun room or an addition? That could be a potential draft source as well.

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Edison151 t1_j1exkno wrote

Mine was built in 50 and they still weren't insulating then. Having insulation blown in was one of the first things we did after moving in. Made a dramatic difference

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steelerschica86 t1_j1f5gll wrote

Mind me asking who you used? We’re thinking about doing the same and I’m shopping prices

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Edison151 t1_j1finua wrote

It's been a good 12 years or so. I just looked the company up. Looks like they went out of business. They were called Option Insulation I believe. Not sure if it matters now but I think I paid around 3k back then

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Fittz t1_j1g13q4 wrote

Casey insulation, I would highly recommend them.

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coyotefarmer t1_j1i1inh wrote

Blowing insulation in your attic is pretty easy. I rented the machine at Lowe's (free with insulation purchase) and finished the job in just a couple hours. Returned the machine the same day. It is a two person job - someone to load the insulation while the other is in the attic directing the blown insulation. It has made a huge difference.

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steelerschica86 t1_j1i3tnt wrote

Our attic has TONS of insulation, it’s the damn brick walls absorbing all the cold air and bringing it inside.

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Caseywalt39 t1_j1if4eo wrote

Just want to add to this. I didn't buy enough for my house to qualify for the free blow in machine when I did my attic. I wasnt going to pay to rent one either. If you are doing an attic you can actually use a rake to fluff it. Takes longer but it does work.

I did this in September as well as air sealing, reacaulking, spray foaming holes, and re weather stripping anything I could find leaking air around my 1942 house. Even though the walls are uninsulated my house held 70° last night and the furnace actually was turning off for a few minutes in between cycles.

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dobsco OP t1_j1fglwj wrote

The room sizes are weird. My living room is extra large; house also has a large entryway. But it's a cape so it's technically 1.5 stories and the bedrooms are small upstairs.

Based on everyone's feedback, it's probably safe to assume the house doesn't have insulation. Like I said, it's my first winter here so I didn't know what to expect.

I didn't know that blasting foam insulation into plaster walls was something you could even do, but now I'm thinking I'll probably have to do it next year.

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Rx_EtOH t1_j1fru5l wrote

I used to live in a 1932 brick cape cod. I rented an insulation blower and purchased many bales of cellulose insulation (basically shredded newspaper treated with boric acid to make it fire/pest resistant). I blew 2 feet into the attic and then drilled hole through the lathe board plaster in every single stud bay and dense packed every wall cavity (interior and exterior facing). It pretty much sound-proofed my house and cut gas bills by almost half.

You have to be careful with how your exterior walls are constructed. If any insulation touches exterior brick it can wick moisture and create a mold problem.

Only do this after you've sealed any gaps. Air leaks are the lowest hanging fruit because of the chimney effect: air leaks on upper floors suck cold air in on the lower floors.

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619shepard t1_j1g1g8m wrote

Before you go ham with that make sure you know what sort of wiring you have.

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mmphoto412 t1_j1fqn3b wrote

If you have attic access, which you likely do. You can put in new insulation yourself.

Buy R-30 or better and get the “unfaced” stuff, that will let you place it right over top of whatever is already there

Buy some good masks too, you don’t want to breathe in all that dirt

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GoodKingMomo t1_j1hpmz5 wrote

Yep. My house was built in the 60s and no insulation in the walls or in the floor space between the garage and bedrooms over top. Next to no insulation in the attic.

I recently had the garage area and attic insulated to the proper R rating for my area and have been astonished at how much warmer the house is and how much longer it maintains those temps.

Well worth the price and I should have had it done years ago.

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