Insulation for windows/doors

[Abe]

Having survived the great Texas Freeze of ‘21, I’ve become quite interested in weatherizing our house for future events. Do you all have recommendations on window insulation? We have double-pane glass, weatherstripping is fairly tight, and curtains. I was thinking adding storm windows and cellular blinds. Money is not a concern, but I don’t think replacing the current windows would be worth the effort so this would be in addition to existing windows. Thanks!

[MayDay]

Can you gently pull off the trim around a window? Often poor installation is the cause of significant air infiltration. Get a ca. Of Dow great stuff foam and fill in all the gaps around the window, and reinstall foam.

We do have cellular shades in some rooms and it makes a small difference. We go them for other reasons so it was a win win.

[Fishindude]

Back when we had an old farm house with crummy windows, we used to cover them every winter with clear plastic nailed in place by narrow woot strips around the perimeter.
With modern windows where you can't see the air blowing your curtains around, I don't think I would do this.   Your best bet is probably some good thermal insulated curtains which should also help with air conditioning.

[mozar]

One thing that surprised me while I was improving the house is that there were big gaping (i'm exaggerating) holes between the door and the door frame. If you live in Texas you might not have considered corner door seals but they made a big difference:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08NRLKFGN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[YttriumNitrate]

Even in the frozen tundra of northern Indiana, double pane windows do just fine. If you haven't already, I would recommend spending $10-15 on an IR thermometer and use it to check your windows, walls, etc. for cold spots. A bit of tissue paper taped to a stick is a good way to check for air leaks.

[Abe]

Thank you all for the suggestions!

We recently added insulation to the attic to R-40 and I cut out foam boards for my son’s bedroom, but they ran out at our local Home Depot. I didn’t actually think about it for downstairs in the living and kitchen where we ended up sheltering in place. Will do that and store them in the attic. With a single fireplace it stayed around 55 vs 10 outside (and 45 upstairs) after 36hrs without power. Not bad, but I want to do better. I have an IR thermometer and other than the windows it’s mostly the exterior walls’ switches and outlets that leak. Frames around the windows seem fairly tight. I could feel cold air at the outlets mostly when the temp was 10 outside. Will try great stuff again. I had a hard time getting it between the junction boxes and drywall since the fit is fairly tight.  I read we shouldn’t spray it into the box itself. Anything else that can help with leaks around there?

[mozar]

You can buy little foam insert's that go behind the switches. Or something like that.
https://www.amazon.com/Duck-Sealers-Variety-Decorative-283333/dp/B0040JH21W

[nereo]

Having survived the great Texas Freeze of ‘21, I’ve become quite interested in weatherizing our house for future events. Do you all have recommendations on window insulation? We have double-pane glass, weatherstripping is fairly tight, and curtains. I was thinking adding storm windows and cellular blinds. Money is not a concern, but I don’t think replacing the current windows would be worth the effort so this would be in addition to existing windows. Thanks!

Window inserts.  I wrote about them in my restoration blog a while back.

Easy (and cheap) to make and they are loads better than just window films.  Plus, they are reusable.
http://www.midcoastgreencollaborative.org/storms.html

[YttriumNitrate]

You can buy little foam insert's that go behind the switches. Or something like that.
https://www.amazon.com/Duck-Sealers-Variety-Decorative-283333/dp/B0040JH21W

All my switches and outlets on exterior walls have those. They help a little, and since they're so cheap they probably pay for themselves in the first year.

[ChpBstrd]

Storm windows over double-pane: Probably not a great cost/benefit ratio. Expect $60-100 each window.
Cellular blinds: Medium-to-low cost/benefit, unless replacing window treatments anyway.
Homemade interior storm windows: Depends on cost of wood, but probably at least medium cost/benefit. Watch for condensation buildup.
Insulate water pipes in crawl space or around water heater: Excellent cost/benefit.
Add cellulose to attic: Excellent cost/benefit up to recommended R value for your area.
Replace seals around exterior doors: Excellent cost/benefit.
Caulk any likely air infiltration points, such as around pipes under the sinks, around windows, where ducts pass through ceiling/floor, etc.: Excellent cost/benefit.
Basic glass storm doors: Medium cost/benefit.
Foam inserts behind outlet covers: Medium cost/benefit.
Insulate ductwork: Medium cost/benefit, unless they are poorly insulated, then high.
Insulate between floor joists: Medium cost/benefit, but with risks of mold if crawlspace humidity is high and AC is run cold.
Upgrade HVAC to high SEER or furnace efficiency: Medium cost/benefit. High if unit is very old/cheap.
Upgrade HVAC to ultra efficiency, e.g. geothermal heat pumps: Medium-to-low cost/benefit.
Solar: It depends on so much.
Replace any remaining incandescent bulbs with LED: Excellent cost/benefit.
Replace fridge with smaller or higher efficiency unit: Depends what you're replacing, but potentially excellent cost/benefit.
Replace washer/dryer/dishwasher with high efficiency: Depends what you're replacing, but potentially excellent cost/benefit.

Your cooperative extension service may offer free home energy audits, and could find things like leaky attic doors, etc.