Before you sit down and eat turkey chew on this a minute

The past forum post discussed the benefits of adding insulation to your attic ceiling area. All agree that is a great place to start, but not discussed are two other areas of your home that should be considered.
Exposed Heating pipes and hot water pipes in your cellar. Usually easy to get at and cost effective. These exposed pipes loose a lot of heat before they make it to the living space. One can have a very efficient boiler but what good is it if the delivery system is poor. The longer the run the more heat loss. The same goes with exposed galvanized Hot air ducts. Even if one can only wrap 3 sides you will be saving heat loss. The one side you may not be able to get at is the top against the Joist. One might be able to lay insulation pieces on the top in between areas.

Discussed was the benefits of insulating your Hot water tank. What about the pipes?. Want to cut down water waste, waiting for hot water to make it to the faucet? Pipe wrap insulation comes in different thickness and r- values Usually the greater the thickness the greater the r-value and cost.
The armorflex rubber 3/8” is much better product than the Styrofoam cheaper type. Actually the only use of Styrofoam is on the domestic hot water where temps do not exceed 160 degrees. When your FHW system is on peak demand temps in the pipes exceed 180 degrees and could push 200+. The Styrofoam has a melting point of 180. The rubber Armorflex is 210. In this case thicker Styrofoam melts and looses insulating properties, actually stick and bonds to the pipes as it melts.
End result not money well spent even if rated R5.0. 3/8” Armorflex has an r-value of about 3.0 even thought it may not be stamped on the product. R 5.0 ¾ to 1” that will withstand the heat, tends to be a lot more expensive that one will be willing to pay. Not found in Hardware stores or Home Depot but in Plumbing supply retailers. Summary Armorflex 3/8” Is a cost effective choice.

Second area in your basement to check is your floor, R19 will greatly improve heat loss of you floor. Third is inspect the contact point around your foundation perimeter. where the wood sill meets the foundation. (Notorious for draft leaks) One could stuff loose insulation or buy a couple cans of expanding Styrofoam and run a bead all the way around.

I guess as long as you are not painting no permits required

not really in your case not worth the effort

in the Thread about requiring permits one poster said his town required permits for painting. I was making light of that post just kidding. I like you found that to be ridiculous

I sit on both sides of the fence on the permit issue as an inspector and as a building contractor. I also have skills and experience most homeowners will never possess. I can remove a boiler and install one I Know how to plumb a house or wire one. I can build a chimney, work with Masonry or tile. I have mechanical abilities where I am able to fix anything worth fixing. Plus most of the tools to get it done. Point being as a weekend warrior I get things done and done right

When I first became and inspector 10 years ago. Most of the work in my town dried up. Why? Everybody has done something that may have required a permit, and did not feel comfortable have an inspector around. I had to work out of town. As an inspector I also feel compelled to practice as I speak and pulled many permits for work done here. I usually draw the line when structural elements become involved.

Vent insulation comes in rolls about 26" wide Basically depending on your zone R4.2 is the norm Colder zones in the Northeast now require R5.0 or for dual heat and AC systems R6.0. An example is 1" fiberglass is rolls are stamped R3.3 1.5" thick rolls stamped R 5.0 or greater 1.75" approaches R 6.0. The application is to wrap it around the duct and staple it together.

There is another product replacing the fiberglass it is foil faced bubble wrap, with an R value 4.2 Much easier to work with, no ichy fiber glass but cost more. If one cut one inch strips and wrapped the ducts first spaced about a foot apart this additional air space now rates the R value to R6.0. Again most applications staple the seam together. Home Depot sells the fiber glass wrap. I do not know if they sell the foil bubble wrap