Turning a Full-time Project into a Cozy Home
The basement of this 1835 Rockland, Maine home was something else. There was the 70 year-old woodstove – “it heated the cellar really well, and eventually some of that heat filtered upstairs” – and the coal boiler fueling a DIY radiant heat system. There was also water – almost a foot of it several times a year, soaking the five cords of wood that had to be lugged inside in the fall. The furnace had to be stoked six times a day.
Read MoreMelting the Dog’s Dish – and More
Bowers Mansion is a 3500 square foot historic home in Saco, Maine. Built in 1885, the balloon-framed home had long, uninsulated chases behind every wall. Even with a third of the house closed off and the thermostats low, heating to a livable temperature took a whopping 1800 gallons of oil.
Read MoreManaging Moisture Problems for Good
The real estate listing promised that this 1995 Belfast farmhouse was energy efficient, but moisture problems prompted a major overhaul before the new owners went through a winter.
Read MorePrioritizing Efficiency in a New Old Home
This 3000 sq. ft. home in Rockland was built in 1895 and historically used 1000 gallons of oil, six cords of wood and 4,800 kWh of electricity annually.
Read More1890’s Victorian in Rockland
This stately 1895 Victorian has been lovingly restored by its present owners with breathtaking historical sensitivity. Just as sensitive to environmental impacts, they installed a wood pellet boiler in the effort to reduce fossil fuel use. Having an energy audit and installing the recommended improvements was just the next step. All told, the energy upgrade helped reduce this home’s air leakage by 43%, dramatically reducing energy costs and creating a more efficient, more comfortable home.
Read MoreEarly 1800’s Cape
This 1800’s cape qualified for the first 50% energy reduction incentive of $3,000 from the Efficiency Maine Home Energy Savings Program. The home is beautifully renovated on the interior but the wet, drafty basement, lack of wall insulation, and leaky attic all caused the home to be very hard to keep heated. Despite burning 7 cords of wood and 350 gallons of oil every winter, the owners still had to wear coats and hats inside to stay comfortable.
Read More1980’s Raised Ranch
In the last week of December 2009, this 1980’s raised ranch was the first home to qualify for an Efficiency Maine’s Home Energy Savings Program incentive of $1500 for completing an energy efficiency project estimated to save at least 25%. The home is heated with propane using a direct vent wall furnace which consumed 850 gallons the prior year.
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