OK! Its Cold. Yesterday morning our house was 52 degrees. Yes, inside. No big surprise---we've been here before. So, without meaning to freeze the fantasy of those seeking their dream in a rambling 200 year old farmhouse...please be advised. Even if you gut the house back to the frame...re-insulate the traditionally thin walls and install brand new and alternative and supplemental heat systems and put in all new ultra efficient windows...you will still be cold. Well--actually if you have more money than us and can afford to then fully insulate the attic floor and the basement ceiling with R-30 and truly believe that the rodents won't carry it all away within 2 years....then you might have at least a fighting chance. But truth be told we ran out of extra funds for renovations a few years ago and thus, it is every winter when we hit the SUB ZERO stretch, that we start crunching numbers and trying to promise ourselves that we will save this year and do those insulation projects before next winter....lottery tickets anyone?? Here's an idea, I'll house swap someone with a 1000 square foot energy efficient new house who is craving my rambling old farmhouse for one winter....and we'll compare notes. Mind you, I wouldn't give up my acres and my privacy and my animals...the few days of slight discomfort is probably worth it....but I do fantasize about stoking one single Jotul and burning only 2-4 cord of wood a year. If you are in this boat---count your blessings---they are many!
So we wear layers, indoors, and wool hats and when I type or play piano for any time my fingers go cold. And its pretty hard to get out of bed...not to mention step out of a shower. But this too shall pass and we'll be back in the sweltering 20s and this "cold snap" will be nothing more than a memory of fortitude and new england grit and determination.
Stay warm friends!
We did the same thing with our 100+ year old farm house a few years ago before we moved in... but I know what you mean. Short of totally redoing the entire house and take away some of it's charm, you will have the days where it's "chilly" inside. I often think about the original owners of the house and how they dealt with the cold winters. Brrrrr! :)
ReplyDeleteThe previous house that I lived in was also a 200 year old farm house. I used to say that you could see the wind blow through the windows! I just loved that house!
ReplyDeleteI moved though to get married. I now have what I call a new house...it's only 85 year old.
Same thing here 170 year old house, all brick and plaster,no where to insulate. We replaced the 50% efficient boiler with a new 99% efficient boiler and no change.Still cold and still paying the gas company a fortune to be cold. Then we put in an outside wood boiler and since finally we could turn the thermostat up enough to be warm. We still loose a lot of heat through the walls but we just throw more wood in the boiler and keep the house at 60 degress. And we owe the gas company nothing.
ReplyDeleteEach morning I'm thankful that we didn't go with the old farm house LOL While it would have been lovely I appreciate my new house that is heated with wood :-) Don't appreciate the payment but this too shall pass! Some day we'll be debt free!
ReplyDeleteKeep warm, this too shall pass...spring will be here before you know it :-)
our house is an 1850's house originally, but before we moved in had been gutted and insulated but still with drafty windows and doors! It's only 1700 square feet - but still gets chilly when the temps get below 20. We have a radiator that we use to supplement so we keep that set at 56-58. 2-4 cords a year though?! I wish! Even in our little house we use 10-12 a year.
ReplyDeleteoh - and I think I'd still take the big farmhouse and several acres, even when it's cold :D
ReplyDeleteIf I could send a little warm sun in a box I would.
ReplyDelete