Did you know that a properly insulated home can save you quite some money throughout the year? Well, that is an irrefutable fact. Proper insulation helps to keep your home warm during winter and cool in summer.
Some of the major areas that you should concentrate on during insulation are the windows, doors, and roof. You will be surprised at how much energy you can save by properly insulating your property.
Luckily, when it comes to windows, it’s quite easy to do so through insulated glazing.
If you desire to keep warm during the winter, insulating your windows is something you can’t afford to ignore. If windows and doors are not energy efficient, they can make your house lose heat energy constantly, which will also raise your energy bills.
By insulating your windows, it ensures that there is no heat loss or cold draughts that enter through leaks or cracks.
Here are several pro tips that will help keep your home all warm.
1. Double Glazing for Window Insulation
Double glazing is quite an effective insulation method and has become very popular, especially in the UK. This method is used to insulate windows and make sure that the house stays warm. The best part of double glazing insulation is that it includes heat efficient frames and glazing.
Double glazing involves the use of two glass panes (instead of one), with a space between them. The space in between is meant to trap warm air inside and prevent it from escaping.
One type of material that has become so commonly used by most companies doing doubled glazing in the UK is the uPVC. This material has outranked all other materials that are used in making the frames for double glazing windows.
They are cheaper, require low maintenance, never rot or rust, and are quite good for insulation. Timber is the only material that can offer slightly better insulating frames, although at a higher price.
When it comes to installation, double glazing cost mostly depends on the number of windows. It also will be affected by the size of the window, style, and type of opening. Some may find the price to be quite high, especially if you have just recently installed your windows. However, the quality, durability, and other features, compensates for the price.
2. Use of Insulation Films
The use of insulation films is another great way of insulating your windows. The insulation films are clear plastic leaves that can stick on to your window frames to seal any cracks or leaks. After sticking them, heat them with a hair drier to shrink them and make them cling tightly.
They are mostly meant to prevent any heat loss or any cold draughts from passing through. They do so by sealing off any cracks and seams in the structure.
The window insulation film should not stick to the glass. This way, it creates a pocket of dead air between it and the window, which acts to prevent thermal infiltration.
One thing that some people may consider as a drawback is a fact that the films are relatively visible, which makes the glass look foggy. Also, if not smoothly done, the shrunk film may form some quite visible folds. Furthermore, it isn’t a permanent solution and sometimes may still allow some heat to escape.
3. Use Curtains for Insulation
In the absence of high-tech modern insulation methods, curtains can be an incredible way of insulating your windows or doors. Thick warm curtains will help in a big way to keep the rooms warm. They are useful in preventing air movement and create an effective insulation layer.
Better still, besides insulation, the curtains will add color and charm to the entire aesthetic of your room. What this means is that you will accomplish keeping your room cozy and attractive by using the right curtains.
Also, instead of just using plain curtains, thermal curtains can also be incredible in insulating your windows. These curtains contain a special lining that helps trap warm air inside on cold days and block heat on hot days. One thing to note, though, is that you should ensure that the curtains completely cover your windows.
The only drawback here is that the curtains tend to block sunlight from reaching your room. This means that you will have to find an alternative to heat your house instead of relying upon the heat from the sun.
4. Try the Weather Sealing Strips
These are readily available in the market and in several different types. Weather sealing strips are also cheap and quite easy to use. All you need is to cut them to your desired size, peel off their backing, and use them to seal the gaps and seams on the window frames.
However, just like the insulation films, these ones are also temporary measures. Also, since they’re made of sticky tape, they can easily leave some glue residue on your window after you remove them.
5. Insert Spray Foam
When you have large gaps around your window, ones that are accessible, polyurethane spray foam can be useful. Use the spray foam only when you can access the cracks or holes around the window.
You don’t want to start stripping the plaster, to access the holes as it can lead to more problems. The best thing with the spray foam is that the container comes with a long nozzle that helps you to access areas you couldn’t normally access with your hands.
On the flip side of this insulation method, the spray foam can be difficult to control. It can easily swell out of the holes and onto the wall. Therefore, make sure that you buy the low-expansion foam.