I totally get what you mean about the charm of a drafty old place, but honestly, I think there’s a balance to be struck. I’ve seen folks go all-in on insulation and vapor barriers, only to end up with mold or peeling paint because the house can’t “breathe” anymore. It’s wild—sometimes you fix one problem and create another. I’m all for tightening things up, but if you don’t add in some kind of controlled ventilation, you’re just asking for headaches down the road. Maybe not every crack needs to be sealed, you know?
I ran into this exact issue when I redid my attic insulation a couple years back. Tightened everything up, but didn’t think about ventilation—ended up with condensation on the rafters that winter. Ever try retrofitting soffit vents after the fact? Not fun. Did you look into HRVs or ERVs at all? I’m still debating if it’s worth the hassle for my place.
Wrapping My House Up Like a Sweater—Worth the Hassle?
Man, I hear you on the soffit vents. Crawling around up there with a drill and a flashlight, trying not to fall through the ceiling... not my idea of a good time. I did mine last year after noticing my attic was basically a rainforest every morning. Lesson learned: you can make your house airtight, but if it can't breathe, you're just trapping all that moisture inside.
I actually bit the bullet and put in an HRV. Wasn't cheap, and running ductwork through an old house is like playing Tetris with cobwebs and 2x4s, but honestly? My air feels fresher, and no more mystery condensation on the windows. Plus, I don't get that musty smell anymore when I come home after a weekend away.
If your place is already pretty tight, I'd say it's worth at least looking into. It's not exactly a fun DIY weekend, but neither is dealing with mold or peeling paint down the line. Just my two cents—sometimes sweating the details now saves a lot of headaches later.
- Been there, done that—crawling around in attics is basically my cardio at this point.
- Wrapped up one of my rentals like a burrito last winter. Insulation, new windows, the whole nine yards.
- Looked great on paper... until tenants started calling about condensation and "weird smells." Turns out, too tight is a thing.
- Ended up shelling out for an HRV too. Not cheap, but cheaper than dealing with mold remediation or repainting every year.
- If you’re thinking about going full sweater-mode, just remember: houses gotta breathe, or they get cranky.
I’ve been down the “let’s insulate everything” rabbit hole with my 1920s place. Here’s what I learned the hard way:
1. Start with an energy audit—sometimes air sealing around doors and attic hatches gives you the most bang for your buck, without overdoing it.
2. If you’re adding a lot of insulation or new windows, plan for ventilation up front. Old houses especially need some airflow, or you’ll get those weird smells and damp corners.
3. Before committing to an HRV, sometimes just adding bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans on timers helps a ton.
Tight is good, but too tight gets weird fast… balance is key.
