Bubble wrap your windows
Build It Solar has an updated piece about putting bubble wrap on your windows to help improve their insulation. According to the article, bubble wrap is often used to insulate greenhouse windows in the winter and will increase your window's R value from a 1 to a 2, which is equivalent to changing a single-paned glass window to a double-paned.The installation is quite interesting. Cut the bubble wrap to size, spray a film of water on the window with a spray bottle and apply the bubble wrap. To get some bubble wrap for free, contact furniture stores who will often give it away. Be sure to read the article to find out the caveats about removal.
Sounds reasonable, but I think having bubble wrap on my windows would make me more cranky than being cold. The author notes that even if guests come over (and presumably are going to think you are weird for putting bubble wrap on your windows), it is easy to just take it down and pop it back up again when they leave.
[Via Frugal for Life]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-17-2007 @ 9:59AM
Gary said...
Hi -- I'm the bubble wrap guy from BuildItSolar.
We actually use the bubble wrap on windows that don't have a view. The bubble wrap still lets in plenty of light.
We have managed to find some kind of strategy for insulating or storm windows on just about every window in the house -- some of them were very difficult to work out due their odd shape.
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Conservation/conservation.htm#WindowTreatments
The triple wall polycarbonate inside storms work particularly well.
I did a heat loss for our house, and after beefing up the attic and crawl space insulation, windows were about 50% of our total heat loss. Getting some kind of insulation or inside storm window on every window really helps. Our heat bills are less than half what they used to be:
http://www.builditsolar.com/References/Half/Half.htm
Very nice website -- thanks for your work.
Gary
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12-05-2007 @ 6:49PM
Josh said...
I doubt this is any better than a plastic sheet window insulation kit, since one layer of the bubble wrap is in contact with the window there is no insulating air-gap between the window and the bubble wrap.
Taping a plastic sheet around a window creates a large insulating air gap that also includes the non-glass parts of the window which also conduct heat, as well as further helping seal the window against minute drafts. I think that plastic sheeting made for this purpose has some degree of IR reflectivity to improve it's insulation value as well - it feels warm like a space blanket. Not to mention it's clear and relatively unobtrusive.
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