Insulation Links & Resources
Attics | The Basics | Blower Door Tests | Moisture | Walls
Attics
How to Insulate an Attic
This Old House. Tom Silva. Website with video outlining four steps for adding insulation.
The Basics
Building Systems: To insulate or Not to Insulate
New York Landmarks Conservancy. Common Bond Volume 15, No. 1. Spring-Summer 1999. Website for owners of religious properties considering insulation options.
Climate Change and Your Home: Saving Energy in Buildings
English Heritage. 2008. Website with a detailed guide of approved methods for improving and upgrading insulation to roofs, walls, and floors in older and historic buildings as recommended by the U.K. 's leading preservation organization.
Conserving Energy in Historic Buildings
Preservation Brief #3. National Park Service. Baird M. Smith, AIA. 1978. Website that details energy saving methods, including passive measures, retrofitting, and mechanical equipment.
Energy Costs in an Old House: Balancing Preservation and Energy Efficiency
Historic New England, Historic Homeowner Membership Program. Sally Zimmerman. 2008. Website with research on historic preservation, sustainability, and techniques for improving energy efficiency in older buildings.
Energy Efficiency Tips For Historic Home Owners
City of Albany, Oregon. Fact sheet outlining measures for retrofitting a historic home, including adding insulation and installing storm windows. (PDF 22 KB)
Fact Sheet: Insulation
U.S. Department of Energy. 2008. A resource on different kinds of insulation and information on adding insulation to an existing house. (PDF 1.25 MB)
Fixing a Cold, Drafty House
Fine Homebuilding. Fred Lugano. Illustrated article on air movement within older buildings, using a blower door test, and different types of insulation. (PDF 956 KB)
How Can I Insulate an Old House?
Things.com. Web article on the proper ways to insulate. Also discusses attic ventilation and how to increase efficiency.
Insulation
Historic Preservation Office. State of New Jersey. January 2007. Fact sheet on adding insulation to older buildings, including material on moisture damage and vapor barriers. (PDF 54 KB)
Insulation
U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. 2009. Website with tips on saving energy and money at home with insulation tips and methods.
Insulation Q&As
Old House Journal. Web article answering various questions about insulation, including what types of insulation work best in different climates and if the insulation can help with paint failure.
Myths About Insulating Old House Walls
Bob Yapp's Preservation Resources, Inc. Bob Yapp. June 7, 2009. Website with discussion on what you "do" and "don't" want to do when adding insulation to an older building.
Planning, Conservation Areas, and Listed Buildings
Green Street, Sustainable Homes Hastoe Housing Association. 2003. Website with a description of the opportunities in energy saving measures in older and historic buildings.
The Energy Star Thermal Bypass Checklist
Energy Star. 2009. Website with links to PowerPoint and a guide on the visual inspection of building details where thermal bypass (the movement of heat around or through insulation) frequently occurs due to missing air barriers or gaps.
Weatherization Specification Manual
Energy Trust of Oregon, Inc. 2009. Website addressing what should be performed before insulation is installed in attics. Also includes specifications for how to install insulation and attic-related ventilation.
Blower Door Tests
Blower Door Testing
The Pennsylvania Housing Research/Resource Center. Bill Van der Meer. Fact sheet on what blower door testing does, as well as locating and measuring air leaks. (PDF 353 KB)
Blower Door Tests
U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. 2009. Website on why a blower door test should be used and how it works.
Introduction to Blower Doors
David Keefe. Home Energy Magazine. Web article explaining blower doors as a widely used diagnostic tool and part of energy efficiency retrofits, showing how they work, their value, and a what a typical blower test involves.
Moisture
How Moisture Moves Through a Home
U.S. Department of Energy. Website with an illustration and description of how moisture moves in and out of a home.
Holding the Line: Controlling Unwanted Moisture in Historic Building
Preservation Brief 39. National Park Service. Sharon C. Park, AIA. October 1996. Website with preservation brief on looking for moisture damage and problems, as well as information on developing appropriate treatments.
Walls
Adding Wall Insulation
Old House Web. Bill Kibbel. Web article addressing insulation, distribution, and reducing drafts.
Insulating Solid Masonry Walls
Mario D. Goncalves. Illustrated article with a case study outlining concerns and recommendations. (PDF 535 KB)
Walls and Foundations of Historic Buildings
District of Columbia. Guide that includes a section on adding insulation to walls and foundations. (PDF 844 KB)
Did we miss something? Share it! Add your own two cents to the Whole House Resource Bank by leaving a comment below (or on any other resource listing page) with a link to your favorite online weatherization information and materials.
Submitted by Beans at: September 4, 2009
How to Insulate a Finished Attic: http://www.oldhouseweb.com/blog/how-to-insulate-a-finished-attic/ Does Some Attic Insulation Contain Asbestos? http://www.oldhouseweb.com/blog/does-some-attic-insulation-contain-asbestos/ Vermiculite Insulation and Asbestos: http://www.oldhouseweb.com/how-to-advice/vermiculite-and-asbestos.shtml