Window Insulating Film – Kill the Drafts and Save Big.
Unless you have a large hole in one of the walls of your house, your windows are the place where most of the infiltration takes place. Leaky windows can cost you hundreds of dollars a year in energy costs, and even the most efficient windows provide only about a third of the insulating value as a typical insulated 2×4 stud wall. Take a couple of hours and weatherize by installing window insulating film on all of your windows this year.
Good preparation is the first step to success with most projects and it is true here too. The first thing that you want to do is to measure your windows so that you know what type of window film packages to buy. If you have typically sized windows, 3’ wide by 5’ tall, you will want to buy packages with individually sized sheets. However, if you have a number of smaller windows or at least one large picture window you will want to buy packages with single large sheets. Large sheets can be cut to size to fit a variety of window sizes big and small so that you can minimize the waste.
Before you install the window film, you may want to weatherize your windows by fixing the glazing putty and by adding weatherstripping, or even adding storm windows if you don’t already have them.
Next, you will want to clean your windows inside and out including the sill and the trim. This will allow as much sunshine to come in and create a clean surface for the window film tape to stick to.
Now it’s time to start installing the window film. The first step is to determine where to install the tape. Installing the tape on the outside face of the window trim results in a more secure installation, but many times window treatments interfere with this. The second best location is on the face of the trim, and the least secure location is on a surface perpendicular to the face of the glass, like the sill. When you install the tape, make sure to overlap the tape at the corners by about an inch. Before you remove the paper off of the double sided tape you should take a smooth, hard surface and run it over the tape to fully secure it to the trim.
If your window has a sill, install the window film to the there first. Wrapping the end of the sheet around a yardstick will help to install the film at the sill evenly.
Before securing the film to the top and the sides of the window, add a strip of clear packing tape to the back side of the film and the sill. This will help to keep the film from pulling away from the sill.
Next secure the film to the center of the top of the window and then work your way up both sides of the window pulling the film tight.
If the window doesn’t have a sill and has “picture frame” trim, then secure the film at the middle of the top and bottom of the window first, then to the middle of the sides. Next, work your way toward the corners bit by bit, first on one side then another, pulling the film tight as you go.
Once the window film is secure, trim the excess film from around the edges.
Finally, use a blow dryer to smooth out the film. For windows that won’t be covered up by shades or curtains for the winter, you will want to make as smooth as possible. Don’t over do it with the blow dryer though, you can pull the tape right off of the trim if you are not careful.
Now that you are done, you can sit back and enjoy a draft free home and some extra money in your pocket every month.
Dan Bossenbroek
November 4, 2009
Tags: Insulation, Weatherize, Weatherstripping, Windows Posted in: Energy Conservation, Weatherize
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