Window Film


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Old 11-01-08, 08:18 PM
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Window Film

Is window film a viable option for insulating windows?

I have a very large, very drafty window I would like to insulate. Because of the window construction, I cannot do it from the inside. On the outside, it is brick around the aluminum frame window.

Suggestions?

Thank you!

Norm
 
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Old 11-02-08, 09:45 AM
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Hi Norm, I'll be watching your post to see if you get any suggestions, as this is a common problem. The film does help. I've had people use it on the inside and they have struggled to get the double sided tape to stick properly. A lot of effort getting the surfsce clean enough. So I don't know how you will do on the outside. I will be testing different tapes, one is from the carpet people. A one inch wide double sided carpet tape. Haven't practiced as yet.
By the way for what it is worth, aluminum conducts heat 5 times better than steel.
Depending upon the type of window you have, there are other things you can do to seal them up. Post whether this is a picture window, double hung or other, and single glass or double. We might have some other suggestions.
GL
Bud
 
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Old 11-02-08, 03:38 PM
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Thanks Bud!

It is a 1978 aluminum frame double pane of glass. It is a huge window, approx 6' x 6' divided into 3 vertical panels, the center one slides (theoretically! http://forum.doityourself.com/images/smilies/wall.gif ).

I was considering a pretty complicated solution of some sort of wood frame on the exterior (could be a pressure fit inside the brick opening, or maybe secured at the sides with a single screw into an anchor).

the reason I care so much is that our couch is right in front of this window. Last year I spent most of my time on the couch with a knit cap or hood pulled up...
 
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Old 11-04-08, 10:14 AM
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Don't you have a wood frame around perimeter of window? plaster?
Can you post a photo on photobucket or imageShack so we can see.......
Ace hardware has large window film.
 
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Old 11-04-08, 10:55 AM
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As I understand it, window film is applied to window glass to prevent heat and glare. One should be careful as to not void window warranty.

There are large sheets of clear plastic for winterizing drafty windows. These are typically applied with double-sided tape and then heat shrunk with blow dryer for a tight fit.

Caulking can be installed around window frames to reduce air penetration and heat loss. Caulking is available in tubes and as rope caulking for larger gaps.

Check local hardware stores and home centers in your area for what is available. You can also search online to find links such as Extra Insulation Window, Plastic your Windows for Winter, Extra Window Insulation for Winter
 
  #6  
Old 11-04-08, 07:15 PM
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Hi Norm, There are some more expensive solutions to add to your list of options. Custom storm windows. Kind of a throwback to 50 years ago, but storms that you put up and take down with the seasons are on the come back. Plus you can get better performance than just one layer of plastic and they will last for ever. You said this was a high use area so maybe a first class treatment would be rewarding.
Three panels of Plexiglas attached to your wood frame would work also.
Then there are options on the inside. Window quilts are hard to find, but I have run into them in several homes and the people who have them love them. They seal all the way around, either in tracks or with those rubber magnets on both the quilt and the perimeter of the window.
Then there are a variety of, well, call them inside shutters. When the sun goes down, you set them in place for the night. They can provide extra insulation and block the Infrared IR loss.
When you stand in front of a large piece of glass like that on a cold day you feel a definite chill. That chill is your body IR departing the window and nothing being reflected back. Anything that will reflect IR will send that heat right back to you. I'm working on other materials that can be used to cover windows from the inside. Up here in Maine we have folks who need any and all solutions possible. Let me know if you want some more non-traditional suggestions, they do save on heat.
GL
Bud
 
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Old 11-14-08, 11:26 AM
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Window film brand recommendation?

Hi all,

I have used the window film for several years, and I do find that it makes a big difference in insulating the windows in the old brownstone we live in. However, I am wondering if anyone has a recommendation on brand. I've used Frost King, and I have two problems with it - first the plastic is so thin that it rips easily, and second, the tape is not very sticky. I've ended up using regular Scotch-brand double-sided tape instead.

Do any of the other brands of window film out there offer thicker plastic, and tape that sticks better and perhaps can withstand a little humidity?

And for that matter, are there any solutions that DON'T depend on tape?

Thanks,
- Steve
 
 

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