How to Weatherize Windows with Plastic Film Insulation -- by Home Repair Tutor
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- Опубліковано 20 сер 2024
- www.homerepairt...
Wanna learn how to weatherize windows with plastic film insulation? Okay, it doesn't sound sexy at all but will totally lower your heating bills.
Hey there, I'm Jeff with Home Repair Tutor and this video shows you some great tips on weatherizing old windows. This is especially important if you've got noticeable drafts that make your home chilly in the winter.
One of our awesome community members over Home Repair Tutor gave me a fantastic idea to couple with plastic film: use bubble wrap.
You can buy bubble wrap for $5 and apply it to the window then add the plastic film. It's double insulation. And a 9 pack of plastic film costs about $14.
Plus you don't need too many tools. Seriously, all I used were a pair of scissors, packing tape, and hair dryer.
You'll have to add two separate layers of double sided tape to your window (which comes with the film). One layer is for the bubble wrap and the other is for the film.
I'll walk you through this step by step.
Check out the video for all the details on how to weatherize windows with plastic film insulation and bubble wrap.
• How to Weatherize Wind...
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• How to Weatherize Wind...
For tips on home repair & improvement make sure you check out more Home Repair Tutor videos on UA-cam.
If you liked this video you might also enjoy another one I did on door weather stripping.
• Add Weather Stripping ...
This is a cheap way to stop drafts coming from doors.
Hope you like it.
Thanks for checking out my videos.
Cheers,
Jeff
SAVES ABOUT $25.00 OR MORE ON YOUR AIR CONDITIONING BILL TOO IN THE SUMMER TIME AND LOCKS IN ALL THE COOL AIR....DONE THIS BEFORE FOR A FRIENDS APARTMENT AND ITS A HUGE HELP
Just fixed a drafty basement window. What a difference. Thanks Jeff!
ITS SUMMER 2021 AND I HAVENT BEEN DOING THIS IN THE 4 YEARS AT MINE AND MY GIRLFRIENDS APARTMENT...DEFINITELY GOING TO TRY THIS ESPECIALLY FOR THE HOT SUMMER DAYS TO LOCK IN ALL THE COLD AIR WHEN WE HAVE OUR AIR CONDITIONING RUNNING...HOPEFULLY THIS WILL REDUCE OUR BILL MORE ON THE 90+ DEGREE WEATHER
Coming to the comments to say, yes, this works incredibly well. Rooms stay much warmer. Heat doesn't stay on as long. With or without the bubble wrap!
Simple, easy, smooth...very helpful. Thank You!!! 💯
I've been looking for years for a way to protect from heat and cold in a mobile home. Since it's a stick house, we fight through summer and winter. And, Alabama summers, mind you. I just tried this on a test run and turned on the AC today - PROBLEM SOLVED! Bless you a million times for the tip!
THANKS! I am a first time home owner, and I own a 100 year old house (that needs a lot of work) and it has an enclosed back porch that has 8 windows...heading to the hardware store for insulation kit and bubble wrap first thing tomorrow!
jevenept keep me posted on your progress and share any great advice :D
Whoa! Please preserve that beauty!
Thanks much! The addition of bubble wrap is a great idea for windows where the view is not important. The bubble wrap should still allow enough natural light to come through even though it will obscure the view. Definitely trying it on one our windows.
Thanks you so much Gwen Hill :D
My house was built in 1942, we haven't been able to replace all the windows, so there are several older windows that are painted wood. I have used Frostking plastic on all of them for the past 2 years with no issues with the double sided tape. This insulation with the bubble wrap looks like a great idea...Thanks for the new tip, excited to go get some bubble wrap and get started. Great video...very easy step by step.
Thanks so much Jhan Marie Price - do you have to do anything special to get the tape off the painted frames?
I have used Baby oil and/or olive oil..I wait until it is warm enough to warm up the frames and the oil works great..Then I finish cleaning it up with vinegar and water spray. Works pretty good and doesn't harm the wood. So far we haven't uncovered all the paint on the trim, but the trim on the banisters and barristers are chestnut!
Wonderful tips!!! Thanks Jhan Marie Price
1:10 I've been doing this for forever living in a part of the midwest that gets bone chilling frigid and never once considered this. wow. incredibly simple but effective idea to double strip. I know one row was for the bubble wrap but even without and just using plastic, it's a great idea nonetheless.
Thank you for this video. It will be a big help this winter. And I was happy to find a see thru bubble wrap.
I do this each winter but never thought of using bubble wrap first then shrink wrap. For the cost of bubble wrap (pretty cheap to buy) its a good idea to do first. In the past I would just lightly spray the window inside and just apply the bubble wrap to the window without using tape. Mind you the windows are small so one piece of bubble wrap could be used without having to over lap it. Good video and nice idea to use both.
+Paul O'Toole thank you, great tip with spraying the window
What are you spraying on the windows to make the bubble wrap stick?
I got a lg clear vinyl tablecloth from a dollar store for $3 big enough for a lg picnic table and cut the double sided tape lengthwise. fits two lg patio doors. works great. can still see out and open door if needed! HD wanted $32 for a much smaller piece...
Curious on how well this is keeping your house warmer and helping with the cool air coming in?
@@redlilly4016 havent put it on yet im too busy but i will soon
The government building’s need to use these but on a larger scale especially at the warming stations
Anyone watching this who is wondering why we do this, it’s because some of us live in areas where it gets to -15 degrees Fahrenheit. This window plastic stuff helps insulate and keep the cold from getting in the house.
But.. Bubble wrap would make a great window decoration ?
It doesn't need to get that cold for people to want to do this.
Great if you never want to look out the window.
+BeatzByOz this is meant for basements or windows you don't need to look out 👍
Huh. Can’t see outside. How is that good.?
Whe your bill goes from 400 to 100 dollars, you’ll give up looking out the widows lol
or get clear plastic ..
For some reaon mine keeps coming off.
We have dubble pain wimdeows.
Do you think moisture is getting in and that's why it keeps falling off?
Also ours didn't come with double-sided packing tape we just had to tape it straight on there
Great video fast and to the point. I'm going to do this.
Can you remove the double-sided tape relatively easy afterwards?
So, for the bubble wrap.... do the bubbles face towards the window?
Good job
I always enjoy the helpful tips and watch every video! Keep up the good work. I am a first time home owner.
Tony Welsch congrats on your new home. That's AWESOME. Anytime you need a helpful ear feel free to reach out to me. I'd be happy to lend you a hand.
Save a lot of money and just get painters tape as well as painters plastic drop cloth and do like 4 big windows for 10$
Does it work better or just as good as the window plastic?
I have hollow mobile home walls. I doubt this will work.
Thank you so much. Going to install this today.
Hope it helps you Andrea Chavez - the weather is definitely getting colder in the Northeast :D
I sprayed a little water on my windows and placed the bubble wrap on the window bubble side. The water will hold the bubble wrap in place. The bubbles air will hold in the heat from the sun which insulates the window. This way if you want to open your window just remove the bubble wrap or if you have company over and he care about the tackiness of the bubble wrap on your window you can easily remove and replace. If you tape over the the entire window you will not be able to use the window. I live in NC and sometimes it gets hot and cold within the same week.
Same here. No screwing around with take. Works better than film and much cheaper
This is a great idea. However, the window that really needs this is an original mobile home window that doesn't have a wood or plastic window frame, only the flat metal frame that is screwed in and is only about 1/2' wide. Thus, it will take only one row of tape on that frame and not really overlap the edges. I will need to apply the bubble wrap and then the plastic ON TOP of the edges of the bubble wrap. I think it's worth doing because it's on the west side and gets lots of winter wind, but wish I could do it "right". It's a rental so I can't really change things much. Any ideas?
This is Great! Thanks for this idea! I have an older apartment with single pane windows, so new windows is NOT an option. I'm heading to the box-store after work for these supplies! :D
+Sandra Russell how'd the project turn out?
oh my gosh! I've not have time to put it up yet but will report my results this week. :) im excited for cold weather.
Soooooo +sandra how'd this work out for ya?
Yup this is definitely a must for cheap apartment dwellers. My mom used to do this when I was a kid but the plastic stuck itself and I can still not figure out how she did it!
Easy, peasy. Thanks for a great video.
When it’s time to take off the tape, does it strip the paint off of painted wood window panes?
Great now you have a terrific view. Genius
This was just an example FormerCookieMonster - the bubble wrap is meant for truly inefficient windows that are single pane or very drafty. Thus, the bubble wrap could be left out and only the plastic film used. This would improve the view. However, I do recommend the bubble wrap for basement windows that aren't all that attractive in the first place or have good views :D
Obviously this video was about insulating a problem window for the winter and not about having the best view.
How about removal ? Does the double sided tape pull the paint off the window trim ?
+glamdring0007 it could, depends on the tape and the paint job
Does this also help during the summer heat for keeping the air conditioning cooled air inside? Or does it not?
In essence, it does kind of do the same thing so I imagine it would help
This DIY video really helps.
+John Stewart thank you, glad it helped 👍
Omg i love the bubble wrap idea...awesome
I like that bubble wrap idea!
Thanks!
Thanks so much for such an informative video ! I will definitely do this later today !!!
Great video. Would you recommend this on double pane windows in extreme subzero temperatures -- would this help and do you think it's necessary? Thanks for your reply!
Good video.
Nice!!! good idea!!! thank you for your video 👍. I also liked that orange color on your wall 👍😊.
Who's here watching because you live in New England and it's supposed to be -60 with wind chill in "once in a generation arctic chill"??? Cuz I am 🥶
Thanks a lot pal keep the good work up
Thank you
Thanks man
Sounds good I’m going to try this to day I did subscribe
Thanks so much for the video! 👍
It worked. Thank you!
Suran wrap and popping bubbles... gotcha
Great video and very helpful
Thanks, hope it helps
my window plastic doesn't look as neat as yours lol but it does work. however, i wish the plastic was a lot thicker i used Blue painters tape to go around the sides to ensure the tape did not remove any paint off the wall when i take it down
Very cool thanks!!! Your tutorials rock
I like this one too Linda Schirmacher - thanks :D
Can't see the beautiful snow falling, but hey....
I like the idea, but I like to see outside...(:
Great video👍
If you are going to use 2 layers why not use 2 layers of bubble wrap back to back?
You could totally do that Rod Adams :D
That was great! Thank you
Thank you so much and I will be doing this next winter . I will be telling all my friends & family about this and tell them to come to hear anything more of your helpful ideas .
Thank again ;-)
It's my pleasure marilyn sweigart and I hope the tips help you with your home :D
Or ...
3M window film. Same effect, clear, and doesn't look like your trapped in an Amazon box.
Is this the stuff that sticks by itself?
@@rachelalbanese6538 not really, well actually kinda...
you apply it like car window tint...spray bottle w/water.
@@andoniades huh interesting...
@@rachelalbanese6538 it's a water-activated adhesive. My bad for not being too clear. I thought you were inquiring if it's a "sticky" film.
There is a "back" to the film that you'd have to peel off, but it's not sticky. It requires water. It didn't mention a soapy solution though...but it worked.
The 3M film I was referring to applies like car window tint but its thicker. And just use clear 3m tape around the frame.
So when it's time to remove it, like I did earlier in the year, it comes right off and the residue is easy to clean off, whereas car window tint is a pain to remove.
I have a window thats similar to the one in the vid, so I went with 3M because they had something clear and didn't make the window look "confining."
Good idea thanks
Thank you! That is a great tip!
My condo was built in 2004 and I never changed the windows... do you think it would be worth it to use plastic film insulation for this winter?? Thank for the helpful video!
Might be worth a try, maybe a little experiment to see if your bill goes down this winter versus last year
Is there a thincker plastic sheet so you don't have to use bubble wrap? I don't think I could handle not seeing out of my windows. I go nuts the way it is in the winter. This would turn me into 'All work no play makes Jack a dull boy' 🤣
I find the hardest part is starting to separate the double-sided tape. Any tips on how to start to peel the tape off, once the first side has stuck to the window frame?
I use my fingernail and start digging on one of the corners instead of the flat sides. This way you are peeling the tape in two directions at once. If your fingernails are not sturdy enough then use a small knife, and gently start peeling over a corner. If it doesn't work, try a different corner.
If I am putting plastic up on the windows it is because I want my home nice and warm. I don't care about looking out of the window, as long as it's sealed up and warm!!!
It does work
Geat Video!
thanks, hope it helped
Skip the 2nd layer, It does not add much at all in this example, you need air gaps between layers.
Good comment Sergey K. I'll add this thought, the bubble wrap has air gaps between each bubble. So adding the plastic film might help even more :D
@@HomeRepairTutor no douchebag you can't come out on top in this situation...yes the bubble wrap has air pockets, but there is no air gap between the bubble wrap and the plastic film...don't try to be a know it all and just admit when your wrong
@@midwest9757 what a rude idiot you are
does it help against the noise, too? if not, is there anything else you cold recommend? THANK YOU!
But you can't get that tape off in the spring.
Can i just use a plastic tarp(multiple) and have the to insulate the window?
How do you open the window? Is there a way to insulate a window that you still want to be able to open. I have no issue with weather, my issue is noise.
would it make a difference if i combine two pieces to make a large enough cover for a sliding patio door? or would taping two together compromise the integrity or the plastic when shrinking it?
Taping two pieces together would work ;)
Great but I will have to get the window installation kit do my bedroom and kitchen windows
Would this be helpful in the summer as well?
Does it work. Big difference?
I can't see through the window !
But no one can see in, either.
Now try to get the double sided tape off the window. It will mess up your window frame.
Does the tape come off without a sticky mess?
I wish this the bubble wrap was clear because I have a lot of plants that need the light. I wonder if my plant can survive no window light during the winter months with covering.
Light will still come through, you just can’t see out.
I'm told the bubble wrap will adhere directly to a window pane dampened with a water spray bottle, but I haven't tried it.
Yes, some fans have told me the same thing. You could give it a shot Neal Mobley
@@HomeRepairTutor Yes It works great Just spray thw windwo before applying the bubble wrap
Airtight Im sure but now you cant see out the window
If the plastic insulator is always crackling, what does that mean? Will re-blow drying help?
Does this leave a mark on your wood work?
At this point either make a house with no windows at all, or let's make proper windows that insulate properly
Does it really work? How much of a difference does it make? Thanks
Great tip is not to use so much plastic. You're not going to be able to use or see out of said window anyways, so why not use a blanket or towels or even clothes instead of bubble wrap
If you used a blanket, clothes etc. then you will block any sunlight from entering the building. The sunlight not only prevents a large shadow of darkness, but the heat from the sun warms the interior of the building as well. In most circumstances, the extra light and heat would be appreciated.
Is it effective to stop outside traffic noise from coming in?
+Zain Nazir not so much, it's just for drafts
Use velcro for all of this instead of tape.
Why velcro?
How is cleaning the tape off in the spring?
do you have a link or a store to buy the products at?
Can you just staple up plastic sheeting to insulate windows? Feel like that would be a lot cheaper
There's self stick plastic and no staples would not work, it would just tear apart the plastic and also defeats the purpose of insulating since there would be holes everywhere
Aren't you meant to use a hair dryer to tighten up the film and make it look more like a window pane? That's obviously if you don't use the bubble wrap too!
The window to the world!!! Terrible....
So does the shrink wrap shrink to the window itself, or just tighten up?
It just tightens up
I have a second story I window, basically square and its about 4 ft by 4ft. It's at least 20 years old possibly much older. I live in New England and during the winter months when it gets quite cold the window gets covered with condensation and there is ice at the bottom of the window each morning. Will the bubble wrap prevent this from happening remove ? Also I feel foolish but I have to ask, why remove the double-sided tape? Thanks for your efforts
+Mickey Goldfine ??? Are you talking about where he peeled off the outside "coating/layer" on the double-sided tape??
why wouldn't he attach the plastic film to the tape he removed. He put tape on and then removed it before adding the plastic sheeting. Was it just to get some stickiness on the wood?
No, it was double-sided sticky tape. It has a layer that you peel off of the outside. You stick it to what you want to, and peel off a plastic layer to reveal stickiness on top.. lol I'm horrible at explaining things. Look up how to use double-sided sticky tape.
Hi. I'm in an old apartment with single pane windows as well. And yes condensation forms on them really bad actually. So this doing this project eliminate the condensation?
What if I don't own a hair dryer?
Sticky two side
Is this travis pastranas less famous brother
I have aluminum window frames. They are not wide enough to place two layers of tape, barely one. The frames are very cold and sweat too. I doubt this would work for me.
You could try to use just the plastic film Jane15Rose. Make sure to wipe off the condensation before applying the tape. It's worth a shot.
or you could just tape the bubble wrap to the top of the window frame or or the top of the window itself, as long as it is inbetween the film and window....its not permanant anyway. and any adhesive (tape) can be removed from the glass, easy :)
Bubble wrap on the pane itself is also helpful. There's a page of people *only* doing that (applied with just water) and they take temperature readings, note the savings, and swear by it.... But this only works if it's "glass to air" temperature change you're worried about; If the frame or seals are leaking you may need to consider adding more sealant or covering the frames
150,000 people have viewed this video and not one person can come up with a good solution - we need inner thermal blinds, able to be clipped down made up of a foil type material
I understand this method is to cut down on drafts but what is the "R" value? Does anyone have any real numbers as far as the difference in bill month to month? Thanks in advance!
There is no r value. It's a draft prevention to create a pocket of air between the window. The same idea double pane glass.
Is it in focus? Not even close.
Is the double-sided tape going to leave a mess when you take everything down?
It's totally possible Jeremy Amaismeier that the tape could create some big headaches. Especially if you're applying it to painted surfaces. I could envision the tape taking off the paint. But if you apply the tape to wood trim or plastic window framing it won't be too bad. You could use the hair dryer to heat up the tape at the end of the winter season and that'll help with removal.
Thanks for the explanation. I've not had the greatest experiences removing double-sided tape.