I've been trying to get my old house ready for winter, and insulation is a biggie. Last year was brutal—felt like I was heating the whole neighborhood, you know? Anyway, here's what I've done so far: sealed up drafts around windows and doors with weather stripping, added fiberglass batts in the attic, and put foam board insulation in the basement walls. Seems better already, but I'm wondering if there's something else I should be doing or if anyone's got a smarter trick up their sleeve...
Sounds like you've covered most of the big stuff already. One thing I learned the hard way—check your outlets and switches on exterior walls. My first winter, I couldn't figure out why my living room was always chilly...turns out cold air was sneaking in through those little gaps. Foam outlet gaskets were a cheap fix and made a noticeable difference.
Good tip on the outlet gaskets—those small gaps can really add up. Another sneaky spot I've seen overlooked a lot is attic access panels or pull-down stairs. People insulate the attic floor but forget to seal and insulate that opening, letting warm air escape right into the attic. Have you checked if yours is properly insulated and weather-stripped? It’s usually a pretty easy fix and can make a noticeable difference in comfort and heating bills.
Funny you mention that attic hatch—I just moved into my first place last year and spent the entire winter wondering why the upstairs was freezing even with the heat cranked. Finally climbed up there to check it out, and sure enough, that little plywood panel had zero insulation. Just slapped on some weatherstripping and glued a foam board to it...took maybe an hour tops. Honestly surprised how big a difference it made. Definitely worth checking yours if you haven't yet.
Good point about the attic hatch—I overlooked mine initially as well. After insulating it, I also installed thermal curtains on the larger windows. Noticed a measurable drop in heat loss, especially overnight. Worth considering if drafts persist despite weather stripping.
