My house is freezing

[Blue Dragonfly]

I just moved into a 90 year old house. The insulation on the main part of the house is ok (and that end is warm) but the addition (from the 40's or 50's) is so cold (that is where the bathroom, my bedroom and office are).

Does anyone have any suggestions for keeping it warm in the winter? (I am in Canada, so it gets COLD).

Thanks,
R

[its_our_family]

Heavy curtains. In a house that old, even the addition, you are probably losing heat and gaining breeze. I'd add a heavy curtain to the windows and see what hppens.

[almasmom]

its depressing, but we cover all the windows with plastic. you can get kits for it at the hardware store, and it usually requires the use of a blow dryer to set it, but it works like a charm. Also, this is common sence, but the opposite of summer when you draw the shades, open up all the curtains to optimize sunlight. We have a large south facing window that by afternoon is like a space heater. I curl up in front of it and its toasty. and were in minnesota, 100 year old house.

[mightymoo]

Do you own the house? If so I would add insulation to the addition - they may have cheaped out when they built it. See if you can locate drafts - I've heard it recommend that you use a match - light it and then blow it out and see where the smoke blows.

One part of the house can sometimes be colder because of the way the thermostat is placed. If you often keep the doors to the colder rooms closed, the air never gets out to the thermostat so to speak so it doesn't know to turn up the heat in those rooms or when those rooms are cold. So look at whether the heat is coming on appropriately.

[amnda527]

I would definetly check out the plastic shrink wrap kinda stuff that sticks to the windows, and the heavy curtains. I would also invest in a couple space heaters. You can get a cheap one from walmart for like, 20 - 30 bucks, or you can go all out and get the fancy one that looks like a fireplace for a few hundred! I would keep these rooms closed up so that the cold air doesn't travel throughout your whole house, and once the summer comes, I would look into new insulation. I wish you a warm winter!!
PS. I like having throw rugs on my floors that are not carpeted too. Waking up at 6am and standing barefoot on the cold hard bathroom floor sucks!!!