We're in this together!!

Success! What a great story follower 'Phiddy' (Phyllis) took the time to share with me! I've posted it below. Yikes, with heating costs that high, I bet you own as many sweaters as I do!!
I like oil heat, but I'm looking forward to switching to propane - specifically - the 98% efficient furnace!!

Thanks again for the feedback - we really appreciate the support! Keep us posted on your progress!

To the rest of you, keep those stories coming - and if you have any questions, I'll do my best to try and get them answered!

"Hey there Kylee,We're just down the road from you in Jasper.

We went ahead and got our eco-audit done. Used the same guy you did... Derrick out of Kemptville. We too live in a not so new home. No records to prove when it was built but, everyone seems to think it's about 50 - 60 years old. We were rated at 41% energy efficient.... even less than your rating! Can you believe that? No wonder our heating (oil) bill was running about $100 to $125/week during our first winter here. We are going to be looking into the simple and most easily fixed things first. Insulating the attic and crawl space. The two areas we are losing most of our heat through.

Thanks for your blog. It sure has helped me on the way to making our home more energy efficient.
Phyllis

Oh and in the mail two days ago was the paperwork to fill out, send back in and then to receive our eco-audit rebate from the government.... sweet!"

The debate...

Thanks again to Timothy and Chris for the input offered on whether or not to insulate an old stone-walled basement. After doing research on the subject - it seems that opinions are quite varied! Some seem to think that insulating an old stone wall will lead to further damage down the road - as it will speed deterioration. Others believe this is only true of particular circumstances where the basement insulation is already showing damage and wear.

With interior insulation being the first on our to-do list (we should be starting in about 2 weeks) - we want to be sure we're doing the right thing for our home! We still have time... and we're still researching.

Thanks for the feedback - and the continued support!

Have any of you started your own eco-audit adventures? If so - share your stories with me! What are you doing? When? What do you plan to save?

I'd love to hear from you!

One size does not fit all...

Phew, I feel like I haven't written in awhile... probably because I haven't!

I'm happy to report that things are still coming together - first on our list will be the interior insulation. Right now, I'm sure we're like many of you - waiting to see if we'll get a tax return to help with some of these initial costs.
So, we're playing the waiting game!

Now would be a great time to thank Chris for the comments he made to my last posting. He brings up a great point! We'll certainly be doing the research on our end to be sure the choices we make are safe for our house now - and in the long run.

Remember that every house is different - with its own unique design flaws or quirks or maintenance requirements. The important thing is that I trust the professionals we've chosen because of their track record, knowledge of their industry, and thoroughness! But, afterall - it is my house - so it's my responsibility to remain informed.

The improvements we've chosen are what we feel are - and that have been recommended as - the best for our home.

Do your research - ask questions - keep informed!

I admit, I'm still learning -