When rooms are cold throughout the house, homeowners often think of the worst – that a major investment is required – something like replacing the furnace or re-installing insulation. While these major remedies might be required at some time, there are many good options for resolving cold spaces in the house. What’s important for the homeowner is to accurately determine the problem source, and find a fix that will be satisfying and long lasting (not cheap and quick).
Cold rooms, whether located in a basement, main floor, or second floor, may have a wide range of causes - everything from dirty furnace filters; to dusty-ridden heating ducts; to a thermostat that is not functioning. But it could also be something more serious: drafty windows and doors; faulty fireplace ventilation; even excessively cold exterior walls. Indeed, it’s not that uncommon for old homes to suffer from serious heat loss through exterior walls that have little or no insulation.
Whatever the source of the problem, it’s important to get to the root. Here, it’s preferable to have a home energy professional assess the problem areas, and make recommendations for a remedy. It may entail something basic like weather-stripping or draft proofing, or it may entail something more involved like retrofitting the air sealing and insulation in various parts of the home. Above all, the remedy should be appropriate - using quality products, and without taking any shortcuts.
At Great Northern Insulation, home energy assessments are available at no charge. These energy efficiency assessments professionally evaluate the performance of the entire “building envelope”, including cold rooms and spaces throughout the home. Post-assessment, GNI can identify weak points in terms of energy efficiency, and make recommendations for a fix.  The idea is to expedite corrective measures that will save on energy savings, and ensure enhanced indoor comfort.