Totally get the “whack-a-mole” feeling with drafts—my place is 1940s and it’s like every time I patch one spot, a mystery breeze finds a new path. I tried those foam vent inserts last winter and, honestly, it helped a bit but then the room just felt… stuffy? Maybe that’s what you meant by “airflow gets weird fast.”
Curious if anyone’s found that sweet spot between blocking too much and just living with the cold spots. Like, is there a trick to knowing when you’ve blocked enough without messing up the house’s ability to breathe?
Sometimes you gotta pick your battles: chase the draft or just buy thicker socks.
I’ve definitely gone the thick socks route more than once. But after reading about attic sweating, I’m wondering—has anyone ever had actual damage from messing with vent flow? Or is it mostly just comfort issues? Not sure if I’m overthinking or if I should be worried about hidden problems down the line.
Also, for those of you who’ve earthquake-proofed older places (since that’s the topic!), did you notice any change in airflow or drafts after doing all that structural work? Wondering if reinforcing stuff shifts how air moves around inside, or if it’s pretty much unrelated.
Curious if anyone’s found that sweet spot between blocking too much and just living with the cold spots. Like, is there a trick to knowing when you’ve blocked enough without messing up the house’s ability to breathe?
I’ve wrestled with this exact thing in a couple of my flips, especially the older ones. One place from the 1920s had so many “mystery breezes” I started naming them. I went a little overboard with sealing up every crack and, yeah, the house got weirdly stuffy—like you said, airflow gets weird fast. Ended up with condensation on the windows and a musty smell in the closets. Had to backtrack and actually *add* some venting back in.
As for earthquake retrofits, I did notice a change in one house after we added shear walls and bracing in the crawlspace. It seemed like the drafts shifted—less from the floor, more from around the windows. Not sure if it was just coincidence or if tightening up the structure funneled air differently. Anyone else notice that after reinforcing? Or maybe it’s just the quirks of old houses...
Yeah, I’ve noticed the same thing after tightening up an old bungalow—suddenly the drafts weren’t where I expected. It’s like you fix one problem and another pops up somewhere else. I think a lot of these older places just “breathe” in weird ways, especially after retrofits. I started using those little humidity sensors to keep tabs on things, just so I don’t end up with that musty closet smell again. Finding that balance is tricky... sometimes it feels like more art than science.
Totally get what you mean about chasing one problem and finding another. I swear, every time I patch up a drafty window, suddenly there’s condensation on the other side of the house. Those old houses really do their own thing. The humidity sensors are a smart move—I’ve just been using my nose and hoping for the best, which… isn’t much of a system. Did you ever have to mess with ventilation after tightening things up? I keep hearing mixed advice on whether to add vents or just open windows sometimes.
EARTHQUAKE-PROOFED MY FIRST BUILDING AND IT ACTUALLY WORKED
Yeah, tightening up an old house is a double-edged sword. Every time you seal one leak, you risk trapping moisture somewhere else. I ran into that after a major weatherization job—ended up with mold in a closet I never thought about. Honestly, sensors are great, but I’d recommend mechanical ventilation if you’re sealing things up seriously. Opening windows works in theory, but it’s not consistent, especially in colder months. I’ve found a small HRV system keeps humidity in check without overdoing it.
