10 tips for insulating your home

How to insulate your house from the inside

With rising heating costs, finding solutions to easily insulate your home without undertaking renovation work is a concern for the French, especially as winter approaches.

Summary

Install new seals on the windows and doors
Install thermal curtains
Close the shutters at night
Install carpets
Installing secondary glazing on the windows

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Here are 10 tips to quickly insulate your home , at a lower cost, and avoid heat loss .

1. Install new seals on the windows and doors

Are the windows , doors and French doors in your house letting in air? Resealing the joints is sometimes the simplest solution.

Lack of maintenance, normal wear and tear, peeling… For windows, it's advisable to replace the silicone sealant every 2-3 years for good thermal comfort and sound insulation. For doors, watch for signs of potential deterioration and replace them if necessary.

2. Install thermal curtains

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Thermal curtains are a great way to block the cold. You can install them on windows, but also in front of doors, to retain heat. You'll also benefit from improved sound insulation by reducing noise from outside.

3. Close the shutters at night

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To insulate your home from the outside temperature, nothing beats closing the shutters at night. In winter, they block the cold, and in summer, they prevent heat from entering, day and night, helping you save on your energy bills.

4. Install carpet

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It's a basic idea, but rugs are practical and retain heat in living spaces. If you have tile or hardwood flooring, or if you're located above an unheated room (like a basement or garage ), rugs are a good way to block the cold.

5. Installing secondary glazing on the windows

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If your windows are single glazed and you do not plan to install double glazing in the near future, consider secondary glazing.

This technique allows you to improve the insulation of your windows without having to replace them, by adding an extra pane of glass above your existing glazing, leaving a 5 mm gap between the two. This way, you waste less energy (and money).

6. Block the cold air at the bottom of the doors

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To prevent drafts from cooling your home , install door sweeps, also known as door draft stoppers. These are very useful for providing interior insulation and sealing your doors. Door sweeps come in various shapes, sizes, and materials. You can place them in front of the door, pin them, or attach them with adhesive or screws.

7. Invest in a dehumidifier

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It's easier to heat a room with dry air than with humid air. An electric or chemical dehumidifier reduces humidity levels and condensation in the home, thus enabling more efficient heating and complementing the effect of ventilation.

Note that if you have a genuine humidity problem (leak, mold, etc.), a dehumidifier is not a long-term solution. Instead, contact a certified professional (RGE) for a humidity assessment.

8. Insulating the attic

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In a house, insulating the attic, whether converted or not, is a good strategy that can prevent up to 30% of heat loss. Hot air naturally rises and tends to escape through the roof .

There are various insulating materials to prevent heat loss through the roof structure: glass wool, rock wool, mineral wool (wood, hemp, sheep's wool) or recycled textile fibers… Insulating the attic and roof therefore allows you to reduce your energy bill while keeping the heat in your home.

9. Use insulating paint

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If you're planning a painting project in your home, consider thermal insulation paint for your walls . Specially formulated for its reflective and absorbent properties, this acrylic paint significantly improves the thermal insulation of your walls and prevents that cold feeling. This reduces heat loss to the outside and improves your energy efficiency.

10. Insulate the wall behind the radiators

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To enjoy the gentle warmth of your radiators even more in winter , consider installing insulating film or a reflective panel behind each radiator in your home. By reflecting the heat, they help save energy: you can reduce your bill by up to 7.5%.

Note

With these 10 ideas, you should be able to insulate your home cheaply, but don't hesitate to inquire about the various government grants and tax credits for your energy renovation.