Window Insulation

Next to insulating your attic, window insulation is the most effective way to conserve energy while heating your home.

Two major factors contribute significantly to the overall insulation value of windows:

1. Basic insulation value of the windows themselves.

2. Air infiltration around and through window seals.

There are 3 effective ways to insulate windows.

Thermal adhesive. This comes in a material called window film. Many older windows are made with only single pane glass, which readily allows transfer of hot/cold air by conduction.

To slow this transfer of temperature, you must create a buffer zone between the outside and inside temperatures. It's fairly cheap. The price per square foot is much cheaper then other conventional insulation practices.

Secondly it is easy to find, and can add to the asthetics in the house. Several types of window insulation film can be bought online or at most home improvement stores.

It can also be found in a variety of colors, tints, designs, and density. You can make an ordinary window look like stained glass, or a crackled glass finish, or even be reflective, but still allow light to come in.

Lastly window film can be done by yourself. You can have a professional install it if you want a warranty for workmanship, but if you dont mind taking the time, you can buy a kit to do it yourself. NOTE: the window will be inoperable while film is installed.

Thermal screen, which attaches to the outside of the house around the window. Basically this acts like a storm door for the window, sheilding it from cold/hot air from outside, moisture, and UV rays which can fade items in your home.

This can get rather expensive depending on the type, amount, and size of screen you use. On top of that it almost always requires a professional to install it.

Weather striping and caulking. Short of replacing leaky windows, the simplest permanent fix is to insulate between the window frame and the framing of the window's rough opening and caulk the molding well. Silicone is best for this.

You can try this on one window or door to see if there is currently insulation installed. If one is missing it, chances are all of the windows in your house are.

Basically you would be adding weather striping to portions of the window and outlining fixed portions inside and out with caulking to prevent airloss and moisture. Keep in mind that there are portions on double pane windows that are left open.

These small holes are called weep holes and should not be covered. These are left to allow moisture to evaporate from between the 2 panes. NEVER caulk a window sash closed. Windows serve as egress points in case of fire and should always be kept operable.

All 3 of these practices can be used in conjunction with one another to increase your window insulation, but as stated above the most effective way would be to use a window film.

If you want more information, or have a question about window insulation, contact me here.

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