Browse Forums Windows & Doors 1 Apr 26, 2008 3:53 pm I need to find a window treatment with good insulation against the cold (protection from external heat is not really a problem).
The room is a small bedroom (for male teenager) and currently has heavy curtains. Privacy is not really an issue but blocking light is important. Something that doesn't hold the dust is important too because we have wood heating (going 24/7 in winter) in the home and the place gets really dusty. He doesn't like cleaning his room and I don't like housework much either . I would prefer to go with some sort of blind rather than curtains but I'm not sure how much insulation they provide. Any suggestions anyone. Re: Window Insulation 2Apr 28, 2008 9:05 pm AliceinWonderland.
So you want to block the light, replace the curtains with something else. I'd be thinking of tight fitting blinds and a pelmet, or the aftermarket double glazing products, then put in whatever blinds you like and that would do as required. Clearcomfort is one of the aftermarket glazing products that might suit your budget. Basically you need to stop the cold air moving on the glass on the sides of the room, which where the heat convects out and cold in. more info here. http://www.yourhome.gov.au/technical/fs18a.htm#glazing Steve Re: Window Insulation 3Apr 29, 2008 12:13 am My understanding is that nothing beats double-glazing. Everything else is a big step down in effectiveness (and price). Australia is about 60 years behind the rest of the world in this area. It's just a shame double-glazing is so expensive. Re: Window Insulation 4Apr 29, 2008 7:24 pm True cabinfever
But there are also retrofit options that do work. They vary from the minimal clearcomfort solution, through to custom made frames that cost $$$ per window as a retrofit doube glazing kit. All with difference performance statsistics. But at $25 for the mini clearcomfort kit I reckon that as a start it is a pretty compelling reason to install it and improve the tenagers bedroom warmth. Sure it is not going to be as good as a dedicated - double glazed - thermally insulated window and isolated frame, but hey, in the Adelaide Hills, it'll be better than the current windows performance I've not used this product but when I lived in london made my own system on a bedsit window for winter which was some plastic and tape and it made a difference. http://www.clearcomfort.com.au Steve Re: Window Insulation 5Apr 30, 2008 11:06 pm Thanks Steve and Cabinfever, I haven't heard of Clearcomfort before and it looks great. Do you know if there is any visual distortion (through the film)? Re: Window Insulation 6Apr 30, 2008 11:36 pm We have comfort plus glass on our northern and western windows (not sure if this is the same). It has a slight blue tinge but no visual distortion.
On the other hand our plain glass bedroom window has ripples in it ... go figure . Re: Window Insulation 7May 01, 2008 12:05 am Thanks DeeElle, I'm so new to this I haven't heard of your comfort plus glass either. I really was expecting to get info on fabric window coverings when I started this thread but am so pleased that there are other options.
When I read the clearcomfort link info provided by Steve, it talks about the product being a membrane that you DIY heat shrink onto existing windows using a hair dryer . (How exciting - a home improvement project using a hand held tool that I actually have lots of experience with ). Anyway, I'm interested in your blue tinted windows, do they look blue from the inside looking out or the other way around or both ways? Re: Window Insulation 8May 01, 2008 12:33 am Hi AIW
I haven't heard of the shrink wrap option that Steve mentioned earlier although I'd be concerned I'd overzap the wrap and cause it to frizz The comfort plus come in various colour tints try: www.pilkington.com I'll be posting some pics of the glass in the next few days on our update in the building a new house thread. The blue is fairly light in tint and is mostly visible in the heat of the day. When looking from outside you don't really notice much at all. They aren't cheap ... we had our bifold, sliding door, large panes of glass and 2 smaller panes upgraded for around 1700k. Another option is to consider some of the luxaflex blinds ... I think they promote one of their blinds as being particularly insulating (not that expensive either). If you want I can track down the one I am thinking of and post it here. Cheers Re: Window Insulation 9May 01, 2008 1:00 am DeeElle They aren't cheap ... we had our bifold, sliding door, large panes of glass and 2 smaller panes upgraded for around 1700k. Another option is to consider some of the luxaflex blinds ... I think they promote one of their blinds as being particularly insulating (not that expensive either). If you want I can track down the one I am thinking of and post it here. Cheers Thanks for the info and link DeeElle. I think the clearcomfort option comes in at around $25 which is sooo cheap, I can affort to give it a go and if it doesn't work out nothing much is lost. I've just started looking at blinds and with the limited research I've done it seems that there is a "honeycomb" blind that is supposed to be a good insulator. I haven't looked at it in real life yet but am wondering if it would be a bit of a dust catcher . I have several rooms with metal venetian blinds in them which don't look too bad but they are a nightmare to clean and from what I've been reading they are poor insulators. I would love to see your luxaflex blind idea Re: Window Insulation 10May 01, 2008 1:14 am I think your spot on ... they are a honey comb blind so we are probably talking the same thing.
I'll do some research and get back to you. I am saying that double brick has similar thermal performance due to thermal mass effect. It will be still very interesting to see the state of your framing after 10-15… 10 23180 Hey guys building a new place through a volume builder and just wondering if i should complain to the site supervisor as we just had plasterboard installed. Looks like… 0 8931 1000000% definitely add insulation. I have in my home and it makes a big difference minimising sound transfer. Insulation is pretty cheap and definitely worth it 2 3670 |