How to Insulate my first house?

[compact]

Hi
After spending the last few months doing DIY on my house I have know noticed it is bloody cold in here, what can I do?
Old victorian house, single glazed, thin insulation in the loft.

I am 'doing it up to sell' hopefully end of next year, so nothing too costly, i.e. cavity wall or dbl glazing.

What is the best/cheap stuff to put in my attic?
What is the best to fit around doors? I have used the foam stuff but it always comes un stuck.
What to do with the windows?

All advice welcome.

p.s. already wearing thick socks..

 

[Diyisfun]

If you are doing it up to sell why worry about doing a 'part job'.

 

[JohnD]

the biggest financial return and the biggest comfort difference will come from insulating the loft. Measure the depth of the timbers and the space between them. 150mm is about the minimum sensible thickness to use. The latest recommendation is 250mm. You can often get grants for it, and special deals (installed) - ask your local council and look on the website of your electricity and gas suppliers who usually have special offers on.

A contractor will probably throw a wide roll over the top of the timbers. If you are doing it yourself, apply the smaller rolls between the timbers, to their full depth, and if you need more, put a wide roll across the top.

Do the pipes with foam sleeving. Pipes in the loft and other unheated areas need the thicker BS insulation as they are exposed to frost and lose a lot of heat. Hot water pipes lose a lot of expensive heat if not insulated.

If you have an uninsulated cylinder put a jacket round it. this pays for itself in a matter of weeks.

If you are using stick-on draughtproofer, you must clean the paint thoroughly for is to stick. Wash down with household detergent and a rag or paintbrush, rinse with clean water. If greasy wipe again with white spirit on a rag and allow to dry. If the paint is very old and rough, repaint. It sticks well to newish paint. The foam strip is rubbish but you can get "E" section strip in a rubbery material or "P" section in white plastic which are harder wearing.

If you have sliding sash windows you need the "brush" or "velvet pile" draughtstrip which allows sliding movement.

p.s. cavity wall insulation is actually quite cheap and gives good value, but if you have a Victorian house you are unlikely to have cavity walls

 

[foxhole]

Better to refit door stops if draughty rathere than mess with draughtproofer.

 

[phil2build]

The cleanest and possibly most effective way is to measure the joists and then infil using Celotex / Kingspan of the appropriate thickness. Allow 5mm "clearance" for plaster highspots through the lathes.
Rigid foam boards have superior U values. They cost a bit more but are easy to use, effective and still permit boarding out

 

[compact]

Hi cheers for he advice.

As I am looking to sell in september and as the market isn't looking too stable I don't want to choose the most expensive option, as hopefully this house (or at least the half I own), will go to a deposit on my next one...