Insulating my home on a very limited budget, what to do first ?

Question

How do I figure out where to spend the little I have to insulate my home well to lower my natural gas heating bill ? I live in Or, lows in winter 25-35 and highs: 40-55 thanks

Answer 1

insulation is a good start, also you can buy rolls of clear plastic to cover windows with, that seems to help out a lot at my home, keep a towel up against the front and back doors while the are not in use, that will keep cold air blocked......you can also go to lowes.com and under the project center they have tons of helpful tips

Answer 2

All good suggestions so far. I'll just add my two cents.

Obviously define any areas of the outside getting in; and the inside getting out. Check the insulation in the attic/crawl space above.

Without knowing where you are at all I have a couple of suggestions. Certainly one can be found on line; perhaps even with a locator in the site.

Habitat for Humanity operates "Thrift" stores throughout the country. The stores are designed to help bring funds into the program; and are stocked with overages and donated materials. It's possible insulation; etc. is in their inventory.

Also in some cities/locations there are similar stores that help those not so fortunate as to be wealthy; with things to fix houses. It may be that there are agencies local to you that deal especially with such items aiding in energy efficiency/waste for people on limited income/ budgets.

Steven Wolf

Answer 3

If you have central heat, and your ductwork is in your attic, it would probably be worth it to seal the ductwork so you aren't losing heat into your cold attic. Also, if you ceiling has inadequate insulation, you might want to get some more blown up there.

Probably where you live, during the winter the majority of the winds are coming from the North, so if your house has a large north-facing side, it might be worth it to plant evergreens to shield your house from the cooling wind.

Try your energy company's website or call them, because they usually have the best information for this type of thing.

Answer 4

Insulation in the attic is fairly easy. If your walls are not insulated that's harder to remedy. Make sure everything is well sealed and no heat is escaping. Check windows, doors, even electrical plug cover plates. Every little bit helps. These links will give you some help.

Answer 5

Caulking and cracks or spaces around the doors and windows is not too expensive and can help a lot. Insulating the attic with blown in or bats of insulation would cost more but also help a lot.

Answer 6

Infiltration is by far a bigger source of heat loss than conduction. Thus, on a tight budget:

Weatherstrip doors, make sure storm windows (or plastic) are in place, make sure attic doorway (or hatch) is protected against leaks. If you have kitchen hood or laundry exhaust, make sure they have gravity dampers that close when not in use. Putting plastic bubbles over the basement windows also helps.

This will deliver better savings than, say, putting more insulation in the ceiling rafters. Find airflow and stop it should be your motto.