Save Energy with Winter Window Treatments

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November

13, 2007

 

 

 

 

Save

Energy with Winter Window Treatments

by Megan

Phelps

Each winter, most of us break out extra blankets and sweaters to stay

warm. In the same way, it’s a good idea to outfit your home for winter

weather. You can get your windows ready for the cold by taking steps to

block drafts, and then add even more insulating power by hanging window

treatments such as thermal drapes or window quilts. Take these easy steps

now, and you can save energy and lower your heating bills this winter!

WINDOW BASICS

A good place to start winterizing your windows is to investigate whether

they need basic repairs or air sealing measures. If you’ve noticed a

draft coming from one or more of your windows, you’ll probably want to

start by sealing

the leaks with caulk, foam, or heat-shrinking plastic — all available

at most hardware stores.

Also remember that some styles of windows are more energy efficient

than others. If your home has single-pane windows, you might consider

investing in new high

performance windows. Although new windows are an expensive purchase,

they pay for themselves over time in lower energy bills. If you’re ready

to buy new windows, try these tips

to find the best type for your needs.

WINDOW DRESSING

No matter what style of windows you have, they’re often the weak spot in

your home’s envelope, because the glass doesn’t slow the transfer of

heat. To provide more insulating power, turn to insulated window

coverings.

Commercial

products. You can find many brands of shades and drapes

that are designed to provide extra insulation for your windows. To

compare products, look for window treatments that advertise their R-value

— the higher the number the better the insulation they provide. (For

context, check out this list of

R-values for common building materials.)

Thermal

drapes are easy to find online, but their performance can be hard to

predict because it depends on how far away the fabric is from the window.

In many cases you may want to choose insulated

shades, which hang directly over the glass. Online sources for

insulated shades include Window

Quilts, Symphony

Shades and EcoSmart

Insulating Shades.

Homemade window

quilts. If you like the concept of insulated shades but

would prefer to make your own, the process is pretty simple. Usually

they’re constructed with fabric as the front and back, and good

insulating materials as the filler. These designs are also sometimes

called window quilts, or movable insulation.

This 1983 article

from the Mother Earth News Archive gives several strategies for making

window quilts using a variety of insulating materials, including quilted

fabric, a polyethylene vapor barrier and bubble wrap. Here’s another article with

pictures of homemade window quilts, and a good explanation of how they

slow heat loss.

MORE DIY

OPTIONS

Gary Reysa is an environmentally savvy DIY writer, and on his Web site he suggests a number of

intriguing ideas for inexpensive and effective window insulation. Here

are a few to consider:

 

Hang

bubble wrap! Reysa explains this project in more detail on the

site, but the basics are pretty simple. You just cut the bubble wrap

to fit, spray it with water and stick it to the window. He

calculated that putting bubble wrap on his home’s windows reduced

heat loss by 45 percent.

Construct

window inserts. For windows where you don’t mind blocking out

light, these simple shutters can be a good option. They’re made by

duct-taping together several layers of cardboard and placing them in

the window frame. Reysa says that while it may not be a pretty

solution, it’s fast, cheap and should dramatically improve window

performance. You can also buy or make window inserts with rigid foam

insulation.

Add

acrylic storm windows. Storm windows are typically glass, but

they don’t have to be. Reysa suggests clear plastic as an

inexpensive alternative that hardly looks different than glass and

is just as effective.

 

Do you have other ideas for winterizing your windows and saving energy

at home? Post your favorite energy saving strategies in our comments

section.

 

 

 

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HEAT

YOUR HOME FOR FREE E-BOOK

Heat Your Home

for Free is a collection of classic articles exclusively

from MOTHER EARTH NEWS that shows how simple solar systems can heat

your home, garage, shop, barn, commercial building — just about any

structure with a south-facing wall. The heat comes from solar energy,

and it’s free. Best of all, this e-handbook shows how you can design,

build and install solar heating systems yourself! We’ve compiled our

best articles on do-it-yourself solar heating, from the early days of

the magazine right up to the present. 47 pages.

Save $9.95 on the Heat

Your Home for Free E-book.

Order

now for only $10.00!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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