Finished home was not insulated properly. How to fix?
I have a 10 year old home. Low e glass windows, 2×6 used on outside of home, Victorian style home. When it was being build the builder put in the insulation before the windows or door. Then it rained. When I questioned him he told me that I only know by reading and it’s how it is done. Home has fiberglass in walls and blow in pieces in the attic. Certain rooms are hot in the summer and cold in the winter. I used a friends tool that you point at the wall and it tells you the temperature of it.
My bathroom wall was 36 degrees. I was told that was an insulation problem. Also I don’t think the heat pump duct system gets heat to the bathroom because the only vent is 12 feet up near the ceiling. I run extra heaters in the winter to get the temp in my bedroom up to 62 but w/out the space heaters it would be around 42 in there. Winter heating costs $400-600/month where in the summer it goes down to $150/month. I was told heat pumps in Maryland aren’t efficient … usually when it’s cold the backup furnace runs. On the first floor I have a wood fireplace which works well but doesn’t help upstairs.
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Replies
My suggestion is that you hire an energy auditor to do a complete workup on your home. Talk to your utility company and see if they have auditors who will come out and inspect your home, and/or look for an auditor via the Building Performance Institute or RESNET websites. Before the audit, spend some time online researching how audits are done and what they should cover. Try hard to hire someone with a lot of experience and expertise, who is known for being thorough and accurate. It can take some work to find the right person, but it will be worth it. Expect to spend $500-1000.
Helen,
I agree with David's suggestion. Ideally, you should hire a home energy rater certified by RESNET or BPI. If you visit the web sites for these organizations, you can locate certified contractors in your area. Here are the web site links:
RESNET
BPI
If your family has a low income, you may be eligible for free weatherization services through a federal program called the Weatherization Assistance Program. For more information, visit Maryland Weatherization Assistance Program.
Your house may have several problems. I'm guessing that these problems might include a high rate of air leakage (which can be fixed by air sealing measures), missing insulation (which can be fixed by blowing cellulose into the uninsulated cavities), and possible duct design and duct installation problems (which can be fixed by improving the ducts if necessary and sealing duct joints).
Good luck.