According to a proverb, April is a fickle month, and this year, she demonstrated this on several occasions. We know that the end of spring is near, perhaps we are preparing our souls for the warm weather and for heat waves, but occasionally rough and cold days can surprise us. This is also one of the reasons for improving the capacity of our home to retain heat and for eliminating possible energy gaps. One cost efficient and simple tool for doing this is window film – instead of replacing windows.
Window insulation: Plan B’s for the same issue
Weather gives us cold and heat as well. We are now interested in the first one: what shall we do if we notice that the heat of our home leaks away? This is often an issue especially in case of old types of windows. How shall we engage to resolve the problem if we get dizzy by looking at numbers in our heating bill?
When we realize that probably we will need to replace windows, we would like to commit ourselves to a solution that is best for our wallet and for our financial resources. For example, if we do not want to throw away old windows, there are options to mend them subsequently. For this purpose, we have a wide variety of options: we can choose rubber seals, silicone strips of foam, which mean a lot of work, or insulating cushions placed between the two window casements, but this reduces light in the room, and there are also heat-insulating curtains – but these also make our home darker.
We are calling them plan B’s for a reason: they work but with a compromise. If we decide to use a truly cost-efficient and aesthetic window film, we can get rid of much headache. This is the real plan A!
Window insulation with window films
The place of the cold of winter is outside of the house – and that of the window film is on the window, within the room. We can put an end to heat leaks even for the price of a window replacement. According to certain calculations, 93% of the heat leaking through the windows can be kept inside with an appropriate window film even if we are talking about a simple glass structure. One of the tricks of this type of window insulation is that it significantly reduces the amount of condensation on the window glass, that is it prevents condensation.
It is recommended to consider products corresponding to our financial capacities and comfort standards. Why is this necessary? Bad insulation is like a half-open door for cold, while the film can keep warm air inside. According to an American research, one badly insulated windowpane loses twenty times more heat than a well-insulated wall of the same surface area. Another shocking data says that in winter, 30% of the heating is wasted through the windows. From this aspect, windows are considered to be the weaknesses of the house, but fortunately, we can change everything in our favor with window films.
There is nothing cozier than sitting inside, in the appropriately heated room, having a mug of hot chocolate and looking at the cold winter world outside! But first we have to tackle the problem caused by bad insulation.
How do window films work?
Due to its material and structure, heat reflective films reflect and disperse heat in the room. Basically, windows become thicker in this case, while its transparency is not reduced, so the same amount of light gets into the room as before. (A layer of air is created between the internal glass and the film, and air is an insulating medium).
The self-adhesive film needs to be applied and stuck to a perfectly cleaned glass surface. It is relatively quick to install at home. And if we see any bump or unevenness, we can smooth unruly wrinkles for example with a hair dryer. Usually it is easier to start sticking from one of the corners on the top and moving down because it is easier to install the film this way.
The good news is that our little investment of this can return even under one heating period. What is more, depending on weather, we can use the films for even 10-15 years. The film does not produce a significant amount of waste, so in case of replacing the window, we do not have to expect an environmental impact caused by the disposal of windows. It is easy to see that the advantage of window films is their simplicity.
Nowadays, there is a wide range of products to choose from. From Flanker, you can buy 3M™ Prestige 70, an outdoor heat- and light reflective building glass film made for huge glass surfaces, but also a 3M™ sun-reflective window film that protects the room even from eager eyes.
It is not only a financial issue to keep cold outside during bitterly cold winter days, but a well-insulated window is also a factor strongly influencing our mood and personal comfort. It is not by chance that one of the best-known Hungarian poets of the 19th century wrote this: “Where does happiness live now? In friendly, warm rooms.”
Of course, we thoroughly agree with this thought.
