Stopping heat loss through single glazing? how?

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Stopping heat loss through single glazing? how?

Downsizer Forum Index -> Energy Efficiency and Construction/Major Projects

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Bazil

Joined: 26 Sep 2005
Posts: 181
Location: Near Shrewsbury, Shropshire

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 05 10:56 am Post subject: Stopping heat loss through single glazing? how?
Anyone know any methods of reducing heat loss through single glazing without the large cost of secondary glazing or new double glazing (reason: house is due to be knocked down in the near future and it needs something temporary till then). Is there any kind of film to stick on the glass or anything?

Naomi

Joined: 26 Mar 2005
Posts: 1945

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 05 11:13 am Post subject:

I read in a very old self sufficiency magazine that you can tape large sheets of film (like strong clingfilm) to your interior window frames and make the film tight and smooth by heating the film with a hairdryer!!! Not sure where you would get the clear film from nowadays?

Have you got heavy curtains up at the windows? As that will help to retain heat , but means you will have a dark room during the day. You can line curtains with blankets to make a really good draught excluding barrier ,but will need strong curtain rails to cope with the additional weight. I am sure some other downsizer'ers will come up with better ideas.

dougal

Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 7184
Location: South Kent

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 05 11:47 am Post subject:

1/ Pull the curtains on all windows as the sun goes down. But make sure that the curtains aren't smothering any radiators beneath the windows.

Beyond that, anything cheap, temporary and yet effective is going to have consequences - mainy visual.

2/ Draughtseal any poorly sealing windows. The cheapest (and ugliest) for windows that aren't going to open till spring is packaging tape...

3/ You can "double glaze" with any sheet plastic. (Bubblewrap makes good insulation.) Double-sided sticky tape makes for a good airtight seal. You might be able to get off with ordinary clingfilm, but there are special films made which are made to be shrink-tightened with a hairdryer and offer the least visual intrusion (and the least reduction in solar gain). Have a look around any of the big DIY stores...

nettie

Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 5888
Location: Suffolk

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 05 12:25 pm Post subject:

dougal wrote:

but there are special films made which are made to be shrink-tightened with a hairdryer and offer the least visual intrusion (and the least reduction in solar gain). Have a look around any of the big DIY stores...

I remember a friend of mine having this stuff over his victorian sash windows during the winter, to great effect. He needed to leave one upstairs and one downstairs un cling-filmed though so he could let the fresh air in occasionally!

tawny owl

Joined: 29 Apr 2005
Posts: 563
Location: Hampshire

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 05 2:35 pm Post subject:
They only go onto the actual glass, though, don't they? I would have thought that polythene sealed at the edges would be better - I certainly remember doing that in very old and draughty house in my student days; it was quite dramatic the way it suddenly blew inwards as the last piece of tape went on, and became drum-tight. Certainly cut down on the draughts a lot.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46207
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 05 4:33 pm Post subject:
plastic sheet works as stated above

dougal

Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 7184
Location: South Kent

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 05 6:59 pm Post subject:

tawny owl wrote:

They only go onto the actual glass, though, don't they?

No. For insulation, one is aiming to trap a layer of air. And the temporary "secondary glazing" would normally cover the frame.

There are plenty of other films that *do* go direct onto the glass for other purposes - security (anti-break), privacy, decoration (to look like stained glass), or perhaps most commonly mirroring summer heat away to make the interior cooler...

Sarah D

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 2584

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 05 2:07 pm Post subject:

We have single glazing, which we want to keep. I am making window quilts for the windows - they go up and down on a cord pulley system, and can be removed during the summer if you want to. Two layers of fabric, with cotton or wool wadding (eg old blanket) between them, and quilted to hold together. Good use for patchwork scraps, etc. You could keep them up through the summer if you need to block out the light. Light, washable and easy to store.

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