Any tips / advice on insulating a house to save on energy costs?

For the purpose of this question I an going to treat insulating and weatherproofing as the same. The first thing you should do is seal any air leaks to reduce drafts. This often means weatherstripping around doors and windows. If you have wood windows they might need reglazing. If you have single pane windows adding storm windows would make a huge difference. Replacing them with thermopane windows would make a bigger difference. As for insulation the first place to insulate is the attic. Heat rises so that's where most heat loss happens. Be careful not to interfere with the way the roof is vented. Fiberglass batts are the easiest way to insulate an attic. After the attic is insulated check the walls. If they are not insulated the way to insulate walls on an existing house is blown in . The insulator will drill holes in between each of the studs and blow cellulose or another type of insulation into the cavities. The last place to insulate is the foundation. Rigid foam is how foundations are insulated.Any tips / advice on insulating a house to save on energy costs?
Windows let alot of heat escape so if you can not replace the bad ones cover with the clear film for the Winter. Make sure your cold air returns are towards the floor and not up by the ceiling. Install strips at the bottom of doors if you feel heat escapes there. Caulk outside to windows where you see openings. Fireplaces leak alot of warmth so if you have one of those check for something to take care of this at your hardware store. Check your attic insulation and if it is low add to it to conserve heat/ energy. I always turn down my heat at noc and when I leave the house to keep the bills low. Programmable thermostates are also quite popular to control heat settings Any tips / advice on insulating a house to save on energy costs?
Weather stip around windows and doors, caulk also. I use heavy drapes on winows to keep down any drafts. You can also use those little snake things in front of doors if you get drafts there. In the winter I put covers on many of my roof vents to reduce heat loss. An easy trick to see where cold air is coming in,light a candle and slowly move it around doors, windows, electricl outlets and switches, the flame will move or go out if you have a draft. You can get little foam inserts for most outlets and lightswitch covers. Attics can almost always use a few more inches of insulation, also check vents and air ducts for leaks, they can usually be taped to seal.
Tin foil? No, just kidding! Are you in the UK? People on low income get grants for that. If not, buy the window film which traps heat, use carpets and lay underlay, use curtains with backing, as well as nets inside the window...the darker the better and keep them drawn as much as possible, use a draught excluder in front of doors and windows...you can make them yourself out of old pillows and blankets, keep doors closed to trap heat and use a warm toned, light coloured paint, especially one which is the colour of heat such as a warm orange, red or yellow!
we recently got radiant barrier put into the attic, along with an additional 5 or so inches of insulation. it's supposed to reduce energy use by 30%. b/c the attic doesn't get as hot (during summer), it means the a/c unit doesn't have to work as hard, and b/c the attic is cooler, you might not have to use the a/c at all. also is, as the name says, a radiant barrier, keeps the heat out.. and the opposite occurs in winter. (keeps warm air in)





i actually took video and interview the guys who came out and did ours, and i plan on turning it into a podcast sometime soon. contact me if you'd like to learn more about it, and i'll send you notice back when i have it uploaded online.
If you have any insulation then first start with windows and doors then add more insulation to the attic but never forget your air to air ratio to make sure your home breathes enough and keeps a steady supply of fresh air