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There have been massive improvements in home technology in 40+ years so I would think its obvious that a newer home with higher "R" values for insulation, roofi

There have been massive improvements in home technology in 40+ years so I would think its obvious that a newer home with higher "R" values for insulation, roofing, siding, and windows is going to fare better than something from the 1950's. I would imagine the cost of improving windows and wall insulation on an older home is going to be easily $20k. If you add in roof and siding replacement then its likely $50k+. The cheapest solution in the article was adding curtains, one could go so far as adding floor to ceiling curtains (maybe call it a tapestry lol) on the extra toasty walls. I mean there also is the other choice of living in a more temperate climate than a desert. I suspect in the coming decades us humans will be doing that more.

laurencerowe 3y ago
For cold weather putting down rolls of insulation in the attic is usually by far the cheapest change to make, costing around $2500. https://www.bobvila.com/articles/attic-insulation-cost/ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/attic-insulation-cost/ I assume this would help in hot weather too though the example older house design in the article doesn’t have an attic where it could go.
- saltcured 3y ago
  Right, insulation isn't that expensive, it's mostly labor. So laying down rolls in the attic is cheapest (held by gravity), then tacking rolls up into the joists in a crawl-space probably comes next. Opening walls or vaulted roofs is much more intensive. Another problem is older framing might use 4" studs or rafters and you'd really want 6-8" to have more space for adding thick insulation.
coldtea 3y ago
>so I would think its obvious that a newer home with higher "R" values for insulation, roofing, siding, and windows is going to fare better than something from the 1950's. You'd be surprised how in many cases materials and practices have deteriorated.
- mrexroad 3y ago
  Sure, asbestos was awesome at what it did, but I’d be game to what some specific examples.
  - coldtea 3y ago
    You mean like neglecting centuries of locale/climate appropriate materials and designs, and going for glass and metal boxes dependent on mechanical ventilation and air-conditioning? Or, just as common (depending on the country), switching to non-reusable, concrete, which cracks under high temperatures, has issues with moisture retention and leakage (from flat cement roofs), gets corroded by carbon dioxide, and heats its surroundings and assissts in unbearable cities?
HeyLaughingBoy 3y ago
Over the span of about 8 years, I went from living in a < 1,000 sq-ft house built in 1951 (that I added extra attic insulation to) to a 2k sq-ft one built in 1976 to a 3k sq-ft one built in 2003. Even though each house was successively larger, the heating and cooling bills were noticeably lower in each case. Building practices matter. Insulation and modern windows matter!

laurencerowe 3y ago

For cold weather putting down rolls of insulation in the attic is usually by far the cheapest change to make, costing around $2500. https://www.bobvila.com/articles/attic-insulation-cost/ https://www.bobvila.com/articles/attic-insulation-cost/ I assume this would help in hot weather too though the example older house design in the article doesn’t have an attic where it could go.

saltcured 3y ago
Right, insulation isn't that expensive, it's mostly labor. So laying down rolls in the attic is cheapest (held by gravity), then tacking rolls up into the joists in a crawl-space probably comes next. Opening walls or vaulted roofs is much more intensive. Another problem is older framing might use 4" studs or rafters and you'd really want 6-8" to have more space for adding thick insulation.

coldtea 3y ago

>so I would think its obvious that a newer home with higher "R" values for insulation, roofing, siding, and windows is going to fare better than something from the 1950's. You'd be surprised how in many cases materials and practices have deteriorated.

mrexroad 3y ago
Sure, asbestos was awesome at what it did, but I’d be game to what some specific examples.
- coldtea 3y ago
  You mean like neglecting centuries of locale/climate appropriate materials and designs, and going for glass and metal boxes dependent on mechanical ventilation and air-conditioning? Or, just as common (depending on the country), switching to non-reusable, concrete, which cracks under high temperatures, has issues with moisture retention and leakage (from flat cement roofs), gets corroded by carbon dioxide, and heats its surroundings and assissts in unbearable cities?

HeyLaughingBoy 3y ago

Over the span of about 8 years, I went from living in a < 1,000 sq-ft house built in 1951 (that I added extra attic insulation to) to a 2k sq-ft one built in 1976 to a 3k sq-ft one built in 2003. Even though each house was successively larger, the heating and cooling bills were noticeably lower in each case. Building practices matter. Insulation and modern windows matter!