We'd like to insulate our drafty 1950's ranch. Have you insulated your older home? What would you recommend? I cross-posted in the Home Improvement forum, too. Thank you!

Tear down and rebuild a smaller more efficient home.

Rockwool

My parents did a few years ago and they’ve been really pleased with it. The house is a lot less chilly than it was. Not that you can tell as they insist on participating in some penny saver thing with the electric company and they keep the house at chilly all winter and warm all summer, but from the energy audit, the air is all theirs and not leaking out. It was a 1970s ranch.

I stuck more insulation in the attic. I just laid it on top of the blown in cellulose insulation. The cellulose had mostly compacted over the last 50 years anyway. It did help.

Do windows and doors first though.

Anonymous wrote:I stuck more insulation in the attic. I just laid it on top of the blown in cellulose insulation. The cellulose had mostly compacted over the last 50 years anyway. It did help.

Do windows and doors first though.

Do you mean "replace windows and doors first"?

We’re in a 1960s rambler and had additional insulation blown into our attic. It made a big difference.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I stuck more insulation in the attic. I just laid it on top of the blown in cellulose insulation. The cellulose had mostly compacted over the last 50 years anyway. It did help.

Do windows and doors first though.

Do you mean "replace windows and doors first"?

You don't need to replace them, but double panes are more efficient. Alternatives are storm doors and windows.

My recommendation is to see if your local utility has an energy audit program— most of them subsidize someone to come out to your house and give you expert advice on what makes sense.

Then you can have someone implement the recommendations— and depending on your income or state you can often get tax credits or subsidies for following the recommendations

PS we used Devere for our extra insulation and were happy.

Weatherstrip windows and doors (quick, inexpensive and you can do it yourself)

More insulation in the attic - we did this shortly after we moved in