Older Homes & Thermal Comfort: Homeowner Satisfaction in a Southern U.S. City

Abstract

This research study evaluated the impact of older home ownership on thermal comfort and overall homeowner satisfaction. Homeowners living in houses built 50 or more years ago in the Crescent Hill neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky were surveyed. Homes studied were built between 1865 and 1963. The results of this 20-question survey were analyzed to form conclusions as to whether there is a link between thermal comfort, the age of older homes, and overall home satisfaction. The following themes immerged from the results of the analysis: (1) Are Homeowner’s thermal needs being met by their HVAC system? (2) What impact does thermal comfort have on overall home satisfaction? (3) Has the experience of living in an older home impacted their likelihood of living in an older home in the future? The data analysis supports the conclusion that many homeowners living in older homes deal with a broad range of thermal comfort issues which detract from their thermal comfort. While most respondents indicated satisfaction with their homes, these homeowners often experienced negative thermal phenomena and over half of the homeowners supplement their home’s primary HVAC system with additional heating and cooling products. The results of this survey also indicate that these reported thermal comfort issues have caused a clear shift in the respondents’ reported importance of thermal comfort as a consideration when purchasing a home.