I have a 3 story 1860's house with an attic/crawl space above the third floor tucked under the steep roof lineThe HVAC guy suggested installing the furnace in this space above the 3rd floor and running ducts down into the 3rd floor roomsIn terms of maximizing efficiency, will it be best to insulate the floor between the 3rd story and the attic, as well as the duct work, or should I also insulate the roof line? I am worried that insulating both the floor and the roof line will cause problems with ventilation and/or trap too much hot air in that space and cause other problemsThanks.
Do you know a Realtor that you can ask to look at the house? Is you do, I would ask them for adviceThey are actually very good at determining which projects can't wait and which will do the most goodPersonally, I put landscaping at the BOTTOM of the priority listI would have to see the home to rank the other projects, but replacing single pane windows would be near the top.
Quite a complex dillema I suggest asking the HVAC guy he should be able to recommend the customization of the insulation to you since he is the one suggesting the type of heating unit you should useIt would be irresponsible of him not to give those recommendations as well.
Who are these people? How many homes have they refurbished? Look If you don't have it sealed from the weather you'll lose it allStart with the roof If there is rot up there, replace it before replacing the roofingMake sure someone knows what they are doing with flashing: You don't want leaks or set the place up to burn it down at the fluesThen, you need to make sure your drainage is good Start with establishing a minimum slope of 1/foot for the first ten feet out from the house, all around Be sure the gutters and downspouts are in good repair and the water is taken away from the buildingIt is essential that you have 4 perforated drain pipe and 7/8 washed gravel below footing height all around And if you hand dig, do not dig deeper than chest height without adequate shoring so you don't kill yourselfNow, assure the rest of the house is out of the weatherwindows, doors, felt or other sheeting product, trim and sidingYou are now ready for the interior in this order: plumbing, electricalinsulation, sheet rock, tape, texture, paint, trim, doors, cabinets, finish plumbing, finish electrical, and finish hardware.landscapingDo any of this out of order and you are setting yourself up for rip-outs.
I'd say immediately have the windows replaced with vinyl framed double glazed Low-E - that's the biggest energy wasterNext, I'd say blow more attic insulation - up to about R 38 in the South and about R 48 up north, if there's room in the atticWalls are important, but not nearly as important as windows and ceiling insulationLandscaping can be done pretty much all year long, as long as the ground isn't frozen - trees and shrubs transplant best in about Feb here in TX Kitchen and bath - ask wifey, she'll know that answer.
If you have to choose between replacing windows and doing insulation, do the insulationYou need both, but you can always get plastic sheeting to cover the windows in cold weatherIt's not an ideal situation, but it will keep heat in and your heating costs downYou can lose a lot of heat thru uninsulated attics and basements - there should be insulation under your first floor whether you have a basement or a crawl spaceThe exception would be the furnace room, which will be warmMy basement, e.g., is divided into two rooms, one with the furnace and one withoutI keep the furnace room ceiling uninsulated and the door closed to the cold roomIn that room, I have the ceiling, which is the underside of the first floor, insulated with faced R-19, facing toward the first floorIf the attic is unfinished, the floor should have at least R38 insulation, with the vapor-proof barrier facing downIf the attic is finished, the insulation should go in the ceiling, under the roofIn either case, google to make sure you are adequately ventilated, because poorly ventilated or badly installed attic insulation will collect moisture and ruin your roof and ceilingsAs far as selling the house, they say the kitchen sells the houseSo, I'd say, 1 - insulation, 2 - windows, 3 - kitchen, 4 - bathroom, and 5 - landscaping, tho landscaping can often be done cheaply if neighbors' have hedges that need thinning, e.g., or this time of year you can sometimes find perennials and trees on saleIf you do, and you can improve your landscaping cheaply, do itInvest in a few nice perennials rather than high maintenance short-lived annuals.
