Weatherizing Historical and Newer Homes

Weatherization is helping Mainers battle high heating costs by making their homes less drafty, better insulated, and more energy efficient. Weatherizing can help prevent ice dams and frozen pipes, and can make rooms more comfortable. Common weatherization projects include insulating walls, attics, and basements, and investing in air sealing, which reduces the amount of air that leaks in and out of a building. Over the next few weeks, Efficiency Maine will share some blogs that will dispel a variety of weatherization “myths” in an effort to inform Mainers about the potential benefits of making our buildings more energy-efficient. Today’s topic: weatherizing historical and newer homes.

Although many Mainers are already weatherizing their homes, some homeowners have expressed concerns about weatherizing older, more historical houses. However, there’s no need to worry — all houses can be weatherized — even our older, historical housing stock. Maine’s professional contractors and installers are adept at working with these state gems. In fact, there are dozens of weatherization contractors throughout the state who are familiar with working with historical homes and preserving the character-defining features of these homes. These contractors will take great care of your home, while also helping you achieve higher comfort and save on energy costs. We recommend finding a contractor near you and asking them about their experience with weatherizing historical homes.

Older homes aren’t the only houses that can benefit from weatherization. Newer homes make great candidates for this energy-efficiency upgrade, as well. Houses built before June 2010 in Maine were not subject to any state energy efficiency building codes, and may not be well-insulated. Before making assumptions, consider getting an energy assessment for your home, even if it’s relatively new. Energy assessors have the tools needed to identify which energy upgrades make the most sense for your home, such as thermal cameras to identify areas of air leakage. Identifying and fixing those leaky spots can save hundreds of dollars in energy costs per year. Find out the energy efficiency of your home using Efficiency Maine’s Home Energy Efficiency Calculator. 

Whether you own an older, beloved historical home or a more recently built house, take some time to consider how improved insulation and weatherization might help you reduce your energy costs. Click here to find a contractor near you and take the first step toward insulating your home!

Efficiency Maine offers rebates and loans for weatherization projects. Rebates are available for insulation projects (up to $5,000 rebate), as well as air sealing with an energy assessment ($500 rebate). Click here to find a contractor near you. Find a video on how to weatherize your home here.

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