Pulled out a whole section of 1940s comics once, which was wild.
That’s hilarious—I once found a petrified sandwich in a wall cavity. Not as cool as vintage comics, but hey, it’s history? I totally get wanting to keep the house comfy and safe, but sometimes I feel a bit guilty tossing all that old stuff. Ever run into clients who want to keep the “character” (aka ancient dust traps) instead of upgrading? Or am I just dealing with extra sentimental folks?
- Gotta admit, I’m a sucker for “character” too, but my allergies say otherwise.
- I’ve definitely tried to save some old trim or weird built-ins, but when it’s just piles of crumbly insulation and mystery stains... yeah, out it goes.
- My partner once wanted to keep an ancient thermostat “for the vibe.” We compromised—took a photo, then upgraded.
- Honestly, I think some folks just get attached to the quirks. Me? I like saving money on heating more than dusting cobwebs.
I get the nostalgia for old stuff—my place had this wild 60s thermostat with… what I think was fake wood paneling? But honestly, once I started looking at my heating bills, that thing had to go. I still keep it in a box somewhere, just in case I get sentimental.
On the insulation front, though, I’m gonna push back a bit. I thought it’d be a weekend project, but between pulling out weird old batts (and, uh, one mummified mouse), air sealing, and wrangling new materials into all those odd-shaped cavities, it took me almost two weeks after work. And that’s not even counting the time spent patching up the plaster after. If you’re doing it right—and not just slapping fiberglass in—you’ll find all sorts of surprises behind those “quirky” walls.
The character is nice, but my wallet’s happier since I sealed things up tight. Plus, less sneezing from whatever was lurking in the old stuff.
If you’re doing it right—and not just slapping fiberglass in—you’ll find all sorts of surprises behind those “quirky” walls.
Totally get where you’re coming from, but I’ve had a few jobs where things actually went smoother than expected. Maybe I just got lucky with fewer “surprises,” but dense-pack cellulose in old balloon framing was way faster for me than pulling everything apart. Not saying it’s ever a breeze, but sometimes the right method saves a ton of time and headaches.
Yeah, I hear you on the dense-pack cellulose.
That stuff really does fill weird cavities better than fiberglass batts. Still, I always seem to find at least one random pipe or knob-and-tube wire hiding out... keeps things interesting, I guess.“dense-pack cellulose in old balloon framing was way faster for me than pulling everything apart.”
