"Draft-proofing made way more difference for me, especially around windows and doors."
Definitely agree with you there—but I'm curious, did you also seal around electrical outlets and baseboards? Those sneaky gaps can add up surprisingly fast. Reflective panels are okay-ish, but from my experience, their effectiveness really depends on your radiator type and wall insulation. For older homes especially, sealing off drafts at the smaller points like outlets or pipe entries is often overlooked yet makes a noticeable difference.
I get what you're saying about outlets and baseboards—those tiny gaps really do sneak up on you. I spent a weekend sealing around electrical boxes and even where some plumbing comes through the walls, and honestly, I was pretty surprised by how noticeable the difference was. My house isn't ancient, but it's definitely older, and I swear it felt warmer almost immediately after I finished.
Reflective panels, though... I'm on the fence about those. I tried them behind a couple of radiators in rooms that always felt chilly, and while they helped a little, it wasn't exactly life-changing. Maybe my radiators are just weirdly shaped or something, but I didn't notice the drastic improvement some folks talk about. Could also be my insulation (or lack thereof) working against me, who knows?
One thing I'm curious about—has anyone here tried insulating their attic hatch or loft entry? I recently realized mine was just a thin sheet of plywood with zero insulation, and it was letting a ton of heat escape into the attic. Threw some foam board insulation on there, and that seemed to help quite a bit. But now I'm wondering if there's a better solution out there...
"Reflective panels, though... I'm on the fence about those."
Yeah, I had a similar experience with reflective panels—honestly didn't notice much difference at all. But about the attic hatch insulation, I went a different route and used one of those insulated attic tent covers instead of foam board. Seemed easier to install and made getting in and out less of a hassle. Might be worth checking out if you're still looking for alternatives.
I tried reflective panels in my attic last summer and honestly couldn't tell if they made any real difference either. Ended up just beefing up the insulation instead—more noticeable improvement, IMO. Those attic tents sound handy though, might look into that next.
I had a similar experience with reflective panels—installed them a couple years back thinking they'd be a game changer, but honestly...didn't feel much difference either. Insulation definitely made a bigger impact for me too. One thing I did find handy though was sealing up drafts around the attic hatch. Just some weatherstripping and foam board—a quick afternoon project—and it noticeably cut down on drafts and heat loss. Might be worth trying before diving into the attic tent thing.
