# Green Upgrade for House with Ceiling Heat



## basjer12 (Mar 13, 2014)

The 1970's must have been a great time of cheap energy. Otherwise, why else would you but your heating elements IN THE CEILING?

Anyway, I own a house in Eugene OR with this same probelm. This past winter, bills got as high as $500 for heating. :laughing:

The house only has one ceiling fan and no vents. I'm im interested in something that would lower my heating costs but am kind of at a loss here.

Help?

Spaceheaters? Floor Heat?

thanks


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

I would start by checking insulation levels in the exterior walls and ceilings. Some of the homes in mild climates did not have wall insulation during the 70's. Their ceiling insulation may also be marginal. In the case of blown in insulation, it compresses over time.

What about your windows ? Are they single pane or have they been replaced with double pane ? 

Any drafts around windows, doors, electrical switches, receptacles or fixtures, plumbing, or baseboards ? Caulking, foam, weather stripping can cure these.

Keeping the heat in the house will cut down on the expense of heating it.


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## basjer12 (Mar 13, 2014)

Windows are relatively new, double pane (~5 yrs old). Insulation I'm guessing is the blown in type. I'm assuming this because the ceiling in the garage uses that type.
Say I wanted to check the condition of the insulation in the walls/ceiling, what would i look for?

I'm looking forward to a fun summer project and was looking into something like this 
(Insert link to a reinsulating guide)
.... thoughts?

I would also be looking at ceiling insulation. Would it be silly to use regular insulation there if I was planning the blown in type for the walls? I'm assuming the new, panel type, would have a better r value.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

basjer12 said:


> Insulation I'm guessing is the blown in type.


 I'm guessing there is not much anybody can suggest until you climb up your attic and find out for sure what type of insulation you have over your ceiling, and how deep it is.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

SPS-1 said:


> I'm guessing there is not much anybody can suggest until you climb up your attic and find out for sure what type of insulation you have over your ceiling, and how deep it is.


:thumbsup:

+1


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Increasing ceiling insulation will probably help some.

Are you maintaining a constant temp in all rooms of the house, or just some of the rooms?


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