Can We Save This Drafty 78-Year-Old House From Crazy Heating Bills?

Reducing Heating Costs in an Older Home

Jamie, Becca, and Jamie’s mother are tracking heating costs over the winter in their drafty, 78-year-old house. After trying propane and electric heaters—with concerns about propane ventilation and supply, as well as high electric bills—they’re using the home’s oil furnace this winter and measuring how much fuel it takes.

Weatherproofing and Monitoring

Their low-budget improvements and plans include:

• Adding weatherstripping around doors and applying plastic thermal film to windows to create insulating air pockets.
• Keeping the dog door usable while limiting heat loss with an insulated flap between the main doors.
• Covering basement windows with R-30 fiberglass insulation and sealing gaps with expanding foam.
• Using temperature sensors and an infrared thermometer to track indoor temperatures and check how well the window treatments perform. Jamie notes that black tape helps the thermometer take a more accurate reading through the plastic film.
• Replacing the old thermostat with an Emerson Sensi smart thermostat and adjusting the heating schedule. Jamie chose it partly because it appeared not to require a monthly fee.

Tracking Oil Use

The hosts plan to measure the oil tank level weekly and record fuel purchases and prices. They’ll compare this winter’s use with a previous test, when 100 gallons lasted 21 days before the furnace ran out of oil on the 22nd day—before the new insulation work.

They acknowledge that the comparison won’t be exact from year to year, but hope the measurements will still provide useful information. They also invite viewers to share other DIY ideas for sealing an older home.

People, Places, and Products

• People: Jamie, Becca, and Jamie’s mother
• Areas of the home: Basement, windows, doors, and oil-furnace area
• Products and materials: Emerson Sensi version 1 thermostat, Lennox oil furnace, R-30 fiberglass insulation, expanding foam, plastic window film, and weatherstripping