Do those plastic sheets actually work to insulate windows?

[Bojangles69]

I picked up enough just to do 2 windows in my house and can't tell.

Its gotten to the point where I've been skipping showers because of how easily the cold air moves through our windows. We have TOO MANY windows. And the WORST part is the heat design.
Its hot water radiators, and all heaters run directly underneath our windows. So if you think about it, the second hot air is produced, it rises right up the freezing cold windows, and all the hot air is cooled down before it can even spread out into the house. (whoever designed this system HAD TO be smoking crack I guarantee it)

Last night I walked into the shower, it was about 50 degrees easily (with the heat on) I turned around left and went to bed. Can't stand it anymore. My parents insulated their entire house with those plastic sheets (looks like thick seran wrap) and their house stays warm, but they also have a better heating system.

If you put your hands in front of the heaters, you can literally feel the hot air cooling down as it rises past the windows. Does anyone know how to stop this w/out getting a new heating system? Does this plastic insulation really work? I did the bathroom and my bedroom and I think its working, hard to tell cause I just put them up. Was thinking about doing the whole house just wanted to get some feedback first, thanks gents.

[CMonkey]

Yeah, it works. My parents used to do their big bay window, it made alot of difference in their heating bill.

The only way you will ever get rid of the cold from windows is to:

A)buy all new insulated glass windows, or

B)move to Arizona

We need new windows in our house, but I am thinking plan B would probably be cheaper.

[Bojangles69]

Ok great, my parents swore ever since they put them in that not only do they keep their heat lower, but the heat works so much more efficiently in thier house.
I can actually tell now just by walking in the bathroom it IS maintaining heat now in there. Before you would walk in and it would be ice cold all the time no matter what. So I def do think they are working.
Gonna do the entire house tommorow I'm so psyched about this. I will sit under my sheets for an hour before getting up because taking the blanket off is like jumping in a fridgerator, I started skipping showers at night because its always too cold with the huge window in there. I'll keep you guys updated its SO CHEAP to do an entire house and if it makes such a big difference then everyone should do it really.

[lovbyts]

Yeah my mom had been doing it for 40+ years. lol

I think I would have been money ahead putting plastic over mine instead of paying $10,000 to have all my windows replaced.

[NVR2BIG1]

my parents did that shit every year!! hahaha, it works

[bigjoe30]

I picked up enough just to do 2 windows in my house and can't tell.

Its gotten to the point where I've been skipping showers because of how easily the cold air moves through our windows. We have TOO MANY windows. And the WORST part is the heat design.
Its hot water radiators, and all heaters run directly underneath our windows. So if you think about it, the second hot air is produced, it rises right up the freezing cold windows, and all the hot air is cooled down before it can even spread out into the house. (whoever designed this system HAD TO be smoking crack I guarantee it)

Last night I walked into the shower, it was about 50 degrees easily (with the heat on) I turned around left and went to bed. Can't stand it anymore. My parents insulated their entire house with those plastic sheets (looks like thick seran wrap) and their house stays warm, but they also have a better heating system.

If you put your hands in front of the heaters, you can literally feel the hot air cooling down as it rises past the windows. Does anyone know how to stop this w/out getting a new heating system? Does this plastic insulation really work? I did the bathroom and my bedroom and I think its working, hard to tell cause I just put them up. Was thinking about doing the whole house just wanted to get some feedback first, thanks gents.

yea man they work!! i have a room full of windows im going through alot of oil without the plastic this year.

[Bojangles69]

Ok yeh they def do work thanks guys for all the confirmation.

I just got out of the shower now and it was great, first time in my life I didn't freeze my ass off. I also discovered something bad though.

When I was shaving I was glancing over at the plastic on the window and had noticed the plastic would inflate and deflate almost like a flat balloon. But this was with the window completely closed. I started looking around the edges and couldn't see any gaps, but if the plastic is moving that much that has to mean some serious air is getting through right?

It would blow up real quick too like air had absolutely no problem getting through the window. I'm thinking I def should pick up some caulk too now tommorow. That would make sense too why that one bathroom is always freezing cold. I'm glad this topic came up though cause at least now I'm motivated to finally fix it. I was thinking our heating system was getting old but now I'm thinking it really is just all the windows. May turn into a bigger project then I originally planned but it sure as hell beats living in an igloo all winter. Thanks again!

[CMonkey]

Bro, if you want a reality check about your windows and insulation in general, borrow a thermal-imaging camera. I brought ours home from work.....not good at all. There were places on the walls, ceilings and around the windows that were almost as cold as it was outside. It really opened my eyes. I am going to be blowing in another 18 inches of insulation this summer.

[alexISthrowed]

My parents do that every winter. They also seal the cracks in the window with this silicone caulk that you can just pull off in the summer. They have a fairly new house but the builders installed the shittiest windows ever.They also got those window quilts on all of the upstairs windows. They are pretty expensive but work really good. They block out 100% of light even during the day and insulate the windows.

http://www.windowquilt.com/

They leave the quilts down all the time but if you open them the temp drops quite a bit so you can tell they are working.

[Kratos]

I'm thinking I def should pick up some caulk too now tommorow. That would make sense