Options for insulating the walls of an existing home?

[s-cubed]

1. We insulated the walls of an 1840

House with blown in cellulouse (holes drilled in original wood siding, then filled and sanded), plus its attic, and the attic off our current rambler of similar age to yours. Happy with results in both cases. Note cellulose is dusty and may cause you problems if you don't wear a dust mask

For this winter, you can improve matters slightly by adding the thin foam sheets inside your outlets. They are already cut to fit: you just take off the outlet cover and add the foam. Of course turn off the circuit first.

One other note. Once you have the siding off use foam around your windows and doors to eliminate infiltration and check for other areas such as the sill plate.

You might check Aceee.org. Also I saw a post on DU2/3 about a broadcast on insulation this Tuesday (I think). Sorry you'll have to search: I didn't mark it. My hubby ( who works in energy efficiency) would tell you that the material is much less importanr than the care you take to really seal it

Hope this helps
SSS