How to try and not loose heat through windows?

[MCsMom]

We just purchased a new house built in 1920. In my dd's room there is no insulation in the walls, original glass windows, and the vent from the heater is in the hallway not her room and it becomes FREEZING at night. We are in the process of adding insulation, new windows, moving vents, etc. to help with overall energy issues.

But, in the mean time, does anyone have any tips on how to block the cold air coming in from the windows? When I lay on the bed at night, I can feel cold air coming in when the wind blows

I have tried closing the curtains and it does not really seem to help at all, is a different type of fabric perhaps better? We curently have put a space heater into her room at night with a tempature guage to keep it at an acceptable tempature even though I hate to think of what it is doing to our electic bill.

Oh, and please don't suggest moving rooms, the whole house is like this, : including our room and our bed which she is already sleeping in for half the night anyways.

[sincitymama]

At a hardware store (or a big box like walmart) you can find kits to plastic the windows. It's kind of like putting shrink wrap over the window But makes a big difference, the cold doesn't 'blow' nearly so bad. And the thickest, heaviest curtains you can manage. Use a blanket if you need to. Those two things will help a lot.

[rainyday]

We used to have a house that had Roman blinds, and there were little hinged pieces of wood along each side. When the blinds were down, we'd fold the pieces of wood in, and they held the blinds (which were insulated) against the window frame.

Be sure you don't have any knob and tube wiring before you insulate the walls.

[chel]

I've had great luck with putting the plastic stuff over the windows. Though I wonder if just hanging a heavy blanket over the window might be easier/cheaper and just as effective.

Dh was just telling dd how, as a child, he and his siblings had to sleep in his parent's room on cold nights. The family then only had to heat the one room.

[mightymoo]

Originally Posted by chel

I've had great luck with putting the plastic stuff over the windows. Though I wonder if just hanging a heavy blanket over the window might be easier/cheaper and just as effective.

I don't think so. From the reading I've done on insulation, stop air flow is the key factor. Insulation stops heat from moving through it, if there is an air leak, the air just goes around the insulation and it is useless. So, the reason the plastic works so well is it stops the air leaks. A blanket isn't going to do that, you can't get it airtight. Now a blanket on top of the plastic would probably help further to prevent the heat from going through the window itself, once the leaks are stopped.

[UlrikeDG]

Curtains do provide a degree of insulation. When I open mine in the morning, I can feel the temperature difference between inside the curtain and outside the curtain, even for the windows which have plastic over them. We also have double pained Low-E windows.

During the winter, you can get a lot of warmth from the sunshine pouring through your windows.

[MCsMom]

Thanks for the replies!

So, if I understand correctly, puting some plastic tight over the windows making sure to not have gaps, and then adding roman blinds/mini blinds over that, and maybe even for good measure throwing a blanket over it at night should help. But then when it is sunny during the day, to have the blinds/drapes open. Right?

And yes, we do still have some knob and tube electrical - sigh. It was not in the walls we have done so far, but it is up in the attic (and still hot, not just leftovers) and we won't know about the walls in her room till we open them up. Parts of the house have it and others don't, some grounded outlets and some not. The electrical is pretty much a patch job.

[Village Mama]

Our house is very very old as well... 40 years older than yours! We use the plastic every winter... it works great! The people that lived here before us spent over double per month to heat the house, so I know that it works really really well.

[Rebecca]

Originally Posted by Village Mama

Our house is very very old as well... 40 years older than yours! We use the plastic every winter... it works great! The people that lived here before us spent over double per month to heat the house, so I know that it works really really well.

We shrink-wrap the drafty old windows too. It really isn't that noticeable and makes a HUGE difference in the amount of cold air that blows in. If you tape on 3 sides and leave a tiny gap at the bottom, it literally feels like there's a fan blowing through that hole. Until you put on the last piece of tape! I don't bother using the hairdryer to shrink the plastic. I've learned how to just apply it nice and tightly.

You can also buy rope caulk. It comes in rolls that looks like wound-up clay snakes. You peel off a strip and pack it into the gaps like where the window pane meets the sill. It helps, but I think the plastic window wrap works better.

About the curtains, you can buy heavy light/draft blocking drapes, but when used alone, they don't seem to make a big difference in heat retention. If your windows are right above old steam radiators, closing the curtains and making sure the curtains are tucked behind the radiator instead of draped in front helps keep the heat in the room and not trapped between the fabric and window. Using draft-dodgers (rice filled tubes) or the weatherstripping felt and rubber you nail onto the edges of doors helps keep draft out. Last year I even used the plastic shrink wrap to cover up my fireplace chamber (over the woodwork surrounding it) since you can feel the draft going right up even with the flue closed. I haven't gotten around to it this year.

[Village Mama]

But if you do use the hairdryer all of the windows become tempting drums!

[Rebecca]

Originally Posted by Village Mama

But if you do use the hairdryer all of the windows become tempting drums!

Ha ha!!! So true! They also make a wonderfully tight POP when jabbed with a pen. Luckily, clear packing tape fixes the holes nicely. Ask me how I know.

[boobybunny]

Also, I use quilts for curtains, but we have vinyl windows.

I started this when I lived in my duplex with crappy double metal framed windows, and I did plastic them with the kit from walmart and a hairdryer... but it stinks when you do get a nice day mid winter. (duplex now has new windows now that I have an actual income from it)

A queen sized quilt on a rod with the pincher type rings works really well for a standard sized sliding glass door. My smaller windows, 36" I use twin sized.
I have tall narrow windows though.

I did buy matching for winter/fall, but my spring/summer ones are similar in colors, but totally different. Very shabby chic. (or maybe just weird) You could be truly frugal and make the quilts yourself....

[MCsMom]

Originally Posted by Rebecca

Ha ha!!! So true! They also make a wonderfully tight POP when jabbed with a pen. Luckily, clear packing tape fixes the holes nicely. Ask me how I know.

lol

[Malva]

Originally Posted by MCsMom

Thanks for the replies!

So, if I understand correctly, puting some plastic tight over the windows making sure to not have gaps, and then adding roman blinds/mini blinds over that, and maybe even for good measure throwing a blanket over it at night should help. But then when it is sunny during the day, to have the blinds/drapes open. Right?

The most important is the plastic stuff. Once installed properly (it comes with instructions and double sided tape usually), you can't see it unless you look very closely. Instalation is easy enough: put double sided tape on the window frame, stick the plastic to it, blowdry until it's properly stretched.

[rainyday]

Yes, definitely the plastic is most important. Without insulation in the walls, you probably won't get much benefit from insulated blinds. When we had the insulated Roman blinds, we had insulated walls, and even with storm windows and plastic, the insulated blinds made a big difference. Without insulated walls, though, you'll still be feeling cold coming from the walls.

What is it with these Washington houses with no insulation????

[Village Mama]

Originally Posted by Rebecca

Ha ha!!! So true! They also make a wonderfully tight POP when jabbed with a pen. Luckily, clear packing tape fixes the holes nicely. Ask me how I know.

Yes... I have accidentally stabbed through my kitchen one when shrpening knives 3 years in a row now!

[kdmama33]

Definitely the plastic wrap for keeping out the draft. And there are actually patterns for making "window quilts" online (and free), if you are crafty. They help, as well, though not as much as the plastic.