Advice for making older and traditional homes energy efficient

A community event highlighted common problems in older and listed buildings as attendees share stories and get valuable guidance.

In Clevedon, we recently ran a not-yet-green open home event where local homeowners open their homes for their neighbours to explore. Traditionally, these events show off homes that have had energy efficiency upgrades for attendees to gain inspiration. ‘Not yet green’ homes highlight common challenges homeowners might face when improving older and traditional homes.

Alongside Sustainable Clevedon, CSE took attendees on a tour of an unoccupied Grade II listed Victorian cottage. This home has suffered from serious damp issues, which isn’t uncommon.

Our tour gave residents the opportunity to view a home that was like their own. They had open discussions about any issues, got an idea of where to start with their own upgrades, and received honest advice from CSE retrofit coordinator, Steve Cole.

Understanding what retrofit is

Retrofitting homes – or making energy efficiency upgrades to existing buildings – can seem daunting. Upgrades include anything from draughtproofing through to replacing heating systems. Because of this, it’s not a process that can be taken lightly or completed quickly .

At the event there was a spectrum of understanding of what ‘retrofit’ is. Several people commented that they thought retrofit was insulation and heat pumps, and were surprised that tackling damp and disrepair could be part of energy-saving retrofit.

This was critical learning as homeowners of older and traditional homes tend to face even more challenges when it comes to retrofit. Particularly in Clevedon, the extra wind and rain exposure from the sea has meant that homeowners need to keep an extra eye on damp and repair issues, to stay warm, dry and energy efficient

Tackling damp and disrepair in older homes

The Grade II listed Victorian cottage has suffered from damp and disrepair, making it expensive to heat and mouldy. Visitors paid close attention, saying that issues of damp and mould were common in the area and that it was tricky to find good advice on how to improve their homes.

Older or listed homes are built differently to modern buildings. The materials used to make them are dependent on the age and location of the building. Any energy-efficient upgrades should be made with this in mind. If you’re not aware of this, you could fall into a trap of having measures installed that aren’t appropriate for your home which might lead to further problems down the line. In fact, some common issues have been caused by previous inappropriate ‘improvements’ which have had a detrimental effect on older homes.

Open in lightbox

Open in lightbox

Open in lightbox

Open in lightbox

Open in lightbox

Open in lightbox

Common problems

Steve shared some of these problems and pointed out some of the key repair and maintenance work that should be carried out, which can stop some common problems from worsening. Such as:

• Leaking gutters and faulty drainage causing wet walls. Damp walls lose heat faster, which can lead you to spend more money on heating. Cleaning your gutters regularly will make sure water is draining away from your home.
• Faulty damp proof injections that aren’t appropriate for your building, which can lead to wet walls as moisture is blocked from escaping.
• Cement inappropriately applied to stone walls, which can cause the original wall to erode. Depending on your building type, cement can also act as a barrier that stops water evaporating from the walls, and keeps moisture inside.
• Poorly fitted roof insulation. There are lots of different types of roof insulation and not all of these will be suitable for your home. If you’re losing a lot of heat, you should check what you have.
• Not enough ventilation, especially in the kitchen and bathroom. If you regularly get condensation forming on your windows or walls, this is a sign there’s not enough ventilation. This video from UK Centre for Moisture in Buildings (UKCMB) helpfully explains how to avoid moisture problems.
• Lack of understanding about older homes. You should know when your home was built and what it’s built with. This knowledge allows you to make appropriate changes and notice if previous ‘repair’ works are actually detrimental to the wellbeing of your home.
• Lack of repair and maintenance. Early intervention is key – a lot of problems in older homes can be rectified much easier the sooner it’s caught. Make sure you understand how your home works so you know if anything changes.

The value of sharing knowledge

By visiting a home that is energy inefficient, Steve believes this allowed for more honest discussion as no one felt disheartened by the reality of their own home. It also enlightened people that retrofit starts with tackling basic repair before installing expensive sustainability measures like renewables, which can feel unattainable and disempowering. By understanding this process, attendees felt more emboldened to begin making changes.

Visitors opened up about things that had gone wrong in their own homes; tales of woe and lessons learnt from past retrofit mistakes. An attendee recalled a contractor who applied spray foam to the underside of their roof which they are now looking for help to get removed, and another had external wall insulation installed on damp walls, which hasn’t solved the damp problem and is unlikely to. The candidness of the visitors enhanced the learning for everyone and allowed for Steve to offer specific and actionable advice.

One attendee, Vicky, was planning on adding wall insulation to her home, but changed her plans after her visit. Vicky realised she needed to resolve damp issues first before adding more insulation:

Do you have an old home in need of energy efficiency improvements?

• Have a professional building survey to look at damp and repairs in your home. If you live in North Somerset, you can get a discount.
• Find out more about retrofit for older homes. We’re running a series of webinars which you can watch on YouTube. Or look at our ‘Love your old home’ resource for practical advice.
• This Sustainable Renovation guide from The Pebble Trust goes into detail about what to consider before making any improvements.
• Watch this series of videos focussed on listed homes and how to make energy efficiency improvements and install different measures. These were made by Bath & West Community Energy and partners for the Green Heritage Homes project.

About the project

The open home events are part of the West of England Local Energy Advice Demonstrator project. This project explores new approaches to local in-person energy advice. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero funds these projects, supported by the Net Zero Hubs – in the West of England, it’s the South West Net Zero Hub. Find out more