Most people would not think of an old house as energy-efficient. Old houses do have a lot of character but on a cold and windy night you can feel the draft. The best attribute of my neighborhood is that no two houses are the same. It has everything from Victorians to Ranch Houses, Post World War II to modern designs. All blend into the eclectic nature of the Old South Side. Every two months I receive an Energy Report from the utility company. The first time my old house (circa 1908) was rated as better than “Efficient Similar Homes”, I thought it was a fluke. As expected, “Similar Homes” are less efficient than newer homes. I can only concluded that the energy-efficient appliances (minus my 1950 Wedgwood Stove), investment in LED and CFL light bulbs, a programmable thermostat, Energy Star electronics, and being mindful of energy use has paid off.
Old House – No. 1
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Red Dog Garage 
Methinks you have a typo in the sentence starting, “The first time my old house…” I’m guessing you meant to type 1890 and not 1980. 🙂
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You would be correct! Should have been 1908.
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Thank you for sharing the infortion, Patrick. I also think that saving water is as important as saving electricity.
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Right now in California, saving water is very important. I have been updating my drip system to further conserve water. The sprinkler system has always been efficient (no run off). The washer was updated several years ago along with low-flow toilets. The down side to water efficiency is problems with the old sewer line not having enough water to move waste though the pipe to the street. One of these day the old sewer pipe will need to be replaced ($$$).
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We all need to use the low water toilet, do you have to get a new toilet? We put the do not disturbe sign (no daily sheets and twels change) when we stay in a hotel room to save water.
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You do need to replace the whole toilet. Keep in mind that not all low-flow toilets are made equal. The first two I purchased had constant clogging issues. They were replace with a better design and the clogging issues went away. Research is the key to saving money and water.
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Thank you, Patrick!
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Great news, Patrick 🙂
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Yes it is, Jo. Consider the house has no insulation in the wall (except horse hair in the plaster) makes it even more astounding.
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