Window Covering Answers

Cold Places need warmer windows Just a short note about two companies that have insulated window treatments: Take a look at the link below to see how window quilts can make a difference. http://cozycurtains.com/ Out in Montana, USA  - winter can get really fierce. No matter how great new windows are, they still leak heat through convection and conduction. These insulated shades with magnetic side trim make a real difference in heat retention. Also from Alaska where it gets even colder Check out Wiggy's for insulated fabric to make your own window treatments. http://wiggys.com/moreinfo.cfm?Product_ID=187 For those of you with a sewing machine, Wiggy's makes an ultralight fabric that seems to be ideal for really cold weather. Made in Alaska, where it gets really, really cold, this fabric seems ideal for window quilts.  http://wiggys.com/moreinfo.cfm?Product_ID=187

Heat Saver Shades For those of you who are interested in a more sophisticated product .  Heat saver shades offer increased R value, claiming over R-8 on double glazed windows.  http://heatsavershades.com/ This blind which looks like a conventional Roman blind, actually runs in a track which effectively increases the dead air space at the window.

Bubble Wrap to the Rescue Here is a novel way to use bubble wrap... as a way to cut drafts and heat loss from windows. Molecule by molecule the great heat exchange is upon us once again in the north. Why not try inexpensive bubble wrap for those windows that need just that extra bit of insulation?  Of course visibility is an issue so this might not work on all of your windows... but... it is worth a try in order to minimize costs. http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Conservation/bubblewrap.htm http://energyboomer.typepad.com/energyboomer/2007/10/bubble-wrap-you.html?cid=6a00d83451dceb69e2013484e68503970c http://energyboomer.typepad.com/energyboomer/2007/10/bubble-wrap-you.html?cid=6a00d83451dceb69e2013484e68503970c

Window Inserts with a difference As the cold weather approaches here in the Northern Hemisphere I found I was looking for new approaches to insulate windows without the huge expense of new windows. Although I have not personally tried this product, I believe that it would work for those of us who need a low cost product. See and examine for yourselves. Short of triple glazing these removable inserts seem ideal for our climate.  Here is the website. http://windowinserts.com/ "These inserts have really made a difference in my house.. with the excessive winds this year in the Northeast as well as the cold the inserts have really made my house much more comfortable." - Matt W See more Reviews Insulate Your Windows & Save Money Now. Order Online - Get a Starter, Ordering & Prices - Reviews - Photos - Product Details - Alternatives - Users - Pay Invoice Online - Links - Home EnergyS

Solutions to the Arched Window Problem The arched window whether a true arch or variable arch can be difficult to cover appropriately. Sometimes your neighbours see a little more than you would care to share. Most often the sun or freezing winter wind brings undesireable consequences to such beautiful architectural windows. Although shutter manufacturers produce satisfactory window coverings, not everyone wants to have that "plantation" look. Finally a company is solving that problem with the Adjust-a-View Moveable Arches. A Great Solution to the Arched window Dilemma Arched Window Treatments, ADJUST-A-VIEW Moveable Arches by Omega, Moveable Arch Window Treatment for Half and Quarter Circle Windows. Accommodates all leading brands of pleated cellular shades. http://www.adjustaview.com/

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

The edge of things is always the most interesting place for me. Not inside. Not outside. But the in between places. The places of transition. The places where choices are made to enter. To leave. To explore. To move towards something new or old. To see something new in something old. It is worth exploring the Hespeler Public Library in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. Here where the new has captured the old, both are better for it.