Window Covering Answers

One of the bigger problems with big windows is the amount of heat they can generate in the summer. In this youtube video... one creative person and his wife solved the problem for his conservatory roof. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wrq17R6lwPE There are many variations on this particular way of providing protection from the sun. Some are called stationary blinds and are put up with velcro attachments. It all works to have a cooler home in the summertime.

As the first snows are predicted for this week. I think about all the homes with far too much window, homes with windows that are drafty, or leak heat. I think about all the apartments built in the past with little or no insulation in the walls, windows that haven't been updated since the sixties. I shiver when I think about the surfeit of old, leaky patio doors. Recently I learned that even the most modern of windows only have an R-value of 5 at the most. How discouraging. Not everyone has the means to change their window circumstances. My suggestions for increasing warmth and decreasing energy loss are small methods that may be of use to others. I base these ideas upon observation of what works and what doesn't. Here in Canada we often use transparent plastic to create a dead air space around and in front of the window. Dead air being one of the best insulators. We simply tape that plastic to the frame of the window. Creating an airtight seal. That works but is inconveni