Heating and insulating an older house in Bosnia: the right order of investment

Cold winters in Sarajevo, damp walls and heavy heating bills are familiar to almost everyone who owns an older house or flat in Bosnia and Herzegovina. When a renovation begins, the first thoughts usually go to a new boiler, a heat pump or new windows. Yet the order in which you invest often matters more than the equipment itself. Here is how we think as architects when planning an energy upgrade of an existing building.

Why look at the building first and the heating system second?

Heating is really an answer to one question: how much warmth does the building lose? If heat escapes through an uninsulated roof, leaky windows and cold walls, even the best boiler just fills a hole. That is why we normally analyse the building envelope first – roof, walls, floor against the ground, windows and doors – and only then size the heating. It often turns out that a smaller, cheaper system works perfectly well once the house is better protected.

Older buildings, from stone houses to Austro-Hungarian and socialist-era blocks, each have their own weak points. There is no universal recipe, but there is a good order of questions.

Where does a house usually lose heat?

In our experience the problems tend to hide in a handful of places:

• the roof and attic, where heat generally escapes most easily and where improvements are often relatively simple;
• old windows and doors with worn seals or a poor connection to the wall;
• thermal bridges, for example corners, lintels, balcony slabs and wall junctions;
• floors above an unheated cellar or directly on the ground;
• walls without any insulation, especially on the north side.

Before planning, walk through the building carefully, photograph problem areas and note where cold surfaces, mould or condensation appear in winter. Those observations are very valuable to an architect.

Damp and mould: insulation is not always the answer

A common mistake is adding insulation or very airtight new windows without understanding where the moisture comes from. If damp rises from the ground, enters through the roof or results from poor ventilation, insulation may only hide the problem or even make it worse. Old walls need to keep working in the right way, and rooms need regular airing. First find the source of the moisture. Only then choose the mix of repair, insulation and ventilation that suits that particular building.

How to choose a heating system for the Bosnian climate

The right choice depends on location, size, how the property is used and which energy sources are available. In Bosnia, wood, solid-fuel stoves, gas and electricity are still common, and more people are now considering heat pumps. Some questions worth asking before you decide:

• Is the house used all year, or only in summer and occasionally in winter?
• Who will maintain the system and arrange fuel, especially if the owner lives abroad?
• Is a district heating or gas connection available at that location?
• How does the system fit the room layout and existing installations?

For holiday homes and houses used only now and then, practicality and protecting the pipes from freezing can matter more than peak efficiency. For year-round living, it usually pays to think long term.

How to plan the order of investment

Our advice is to split the renovation into phases that each make sense on their own. Deal first with damp, the roof and obvious heat losses, then the windows and doors, and only then the heating. This avoids installing expensive equipment and then breaking open walls again. It matters especially when the budget is not unlimited, because a clear phase plan makes sure each investment really pays off.

A note: rules on building permits, changes to a facade or utility connections differ between the entities, cantons and municipalities. Before starting work, always check with the competent authority or a lawyer.

When should you contact an architect?

Ideally before you buy equipment and before you sign contracts with contractors. An architect can help you assess the condition of the building, set priorities and draw up a sensible work plan. If you live abroad, we can do this by video call, using the photos and documents you send us. Feel free to get in touch, whether you are in Sarajevo or anywhere else, and we will look at your property together.