To insulate or not to insulate?

[JohnD]

OK if you happen to like them. They will also cut noise. I would have thought the cost higher. You need a good fit to prevent draughts.

 

[Munroast]

we had a house once with wooden shutters (internal) something quite special about closing them on wild stormy winters nights, seriously cuts the noise down, and the darkness in the morning was something else too, like nothing heavy curtains could do. Can't remember if they made the room warmer, (were in our 20's at the time so keeping warm during the night was not a issue)

 

[big-all]

I've just moved from a new build (2016) and all the radiators were under the windows - I did think this was the best place for them especially in older homes where there's less insulation. Am I mistaken?

if you think off it logically, you have a radiator under a window
if you have a draughty window and you use heavy curtains to keep the cold out with a radiator under the window even with the curtains above the window board you will get more heat going into the window area as the heat source is there
it makes complete sense to have a heat source where it heats the room and at the periphery fights the cold at the window as the heat reaching the window area will be less so less loss??

 

[Odds]

I realise there's going to be a lot of advice and some of it contradictory, but since you live in a mid-terrace without cavity walls i can't see the point of wall insulation. The houses either side of you will help keep yours a bit warmer so don't fret too much about it.
Do you have a cellar?
If you do that's a good place to prevent damp and draughts rising up through the house so look into ways of sealing the floors and walls, but leave a gap at the top of dividing walls as they help air to flow through and keep damp down.
Window film is a terrible idea as you're basically sealing yourself in, like left-over chicken in the fridge.
If your house is subject to damp it's a good idea to use a water seal around the brickwork, up to a meter around the wall, which will help resist the effects of rain and standing water. Try not to seal yourselves into a bubble as those houses are meant to breathe.

 

[JohnD]

Window film is a terrible idea as you're basically sealing yourself in, like left-over chicken in the fridge.

...if you live in a submarine or an air-tight house.

however a Victorian terrace is highly likely to have plenty of draughts. Including up from the cellar or subfloor void, and out through chimneys. and in through the letterbox and keyholes.

you will need ventilation, preferably extractors, in your kitchen and bathroom to prevent damp and odours, and can use the windows to ventilate the bedrooms daily.

if you later discover that your house is sealed too tight, you can add controllable ventilation (not random draughts) such as trickle vents in window frames.

 

[Odds]

I agree, John D, but it's a personal preference as i don't like the stuff. As i said, there'll be plenty of advice one way and another and only an on-the-spot judgement can be applicable, but controllable ventilation is key in maintaining a balance between keeping condensation down and draughts out.

 

[Jonny4_]

I think all the replies cover the insulation issue. For the m2 your floor would have more benefit which sounds like it has.

I would build a little vestibule with stud walls and insulate them to keep the draughts out and replace the window.