ATTIC

• The attic is the easiest, gives the most bang for your buck and does the most good. Thermal resistance is measured in R's = Resistance to heat flow. Different kinds of insulation include:
  • LOOSE FILL, or blown-in, or dense-pack cellulose.
  • Fiberglass batts or blankets
  • Spray Foam
  • Rigid Foam
• How much you need depends on the climate location. 50 to 60 Rs, in northernmost reaches. That means 18 inches of cellulose.

WALLS

• Weather strip.
• Peel-and-stick caulk.
• Bent-V Weatherstripping
• Foam gasketing on older casement windows.
  • ...casement windows open out, like doors.
• Door sweeps.
• You can find all this at the hardware store.

The next level choice is to replace old, worn out, leaky windows and doors, which entails a contractor or if you're lucky, some one that you know is handy and good.

GAPS 'n' CRACKS

• Depending on what's easy and cost-effective, insulating the foundation is not to be overlooked.

• Foundation

  • Caulk or Expanding Foam
  • Concentrate on the perimeter of your basement from the inside and out. See any air? Fill it in. You are looking for openings in your "Thermal Envelope."

• Attic

  • Caulk or Expanding Foam
  • Seal penetrations to your thermal envelope - anything that goes in and out of your attic = soil stacks, chimney, wires, etc.

• Walls, doors, windows

  • Caulk
  • Seal all the edges from the outside.You can find a color to match your house.

• Outlets

  • Gaskets and child protectors
  • Talk about a thermal bridge! Put your hand in front of one of those on a cold winter night. You can buy gaskets at the hardware store. Turn the circuit off, take off the outlet plate and put the gasket in. The child protectors should be used for all outlets on outside walls. Unless you have children.

Next level choice: if you are re-siding your house, insulate with a layer of extruded polystyrene on the whole surface.

Lighting

Compact fluorescents for existing fixtures. They've come a long way towards looking incandescent, last about 10 times as long, and are up to four times more efficient (using 50 to 80 percent less energy). Bear in mind that they're made with mercury, so don't use them in work shops where they could be broken and dispose of them properly.

Heating

How efficient is your heating system? It all depends on how well it burns fuel and what amount of BTUs are extracted. Boilers and forced air furnaces come in varying degrees of efficiency. If you're replacing one, consider an upgrade to the most effficient, a +90.

Water Heater

Wrap your water heater with a heater jacket. They usually pay for themselves within three months. Also, insulate your hot water pipes. This is another easy and inexpensive way to keep the water that you have heated warm on its way to your spigots.