[Greenbuilding] [BULK] Re: Insulating Window Inserts

[Lawrence Lile]

Sounds like that guy needs to go take a heat transfer class to me.
Typical of HVAC mechanics, I'll bet he sizes HVAC by the house floor
area instead of doing any real calcs, just like the guy I argued with on
my house.  Window insulation does work.  

It isn't just the extra R-value between you and the frozen north.  An
insulating layer on the inside of a window also affects radiation inside
the room positively.  You will "feel" warmer in a room that doesn't have
a big area of cold glass, just like you feel warmer inside of a 0.060"
thick "space" blanket, those heat reflecting emergency rescue blankets
people carry in the woods. 


Lawrence Lile, PE, LEED AP
Project Solutions Engineering

-----Original Message-----
From: greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org
[mailto:greenbuilding-bounces at listserv.repp.org] On Behalf Of Bobbi
Chukran
Sent: Monday, November 19, 2007 12:14 PM
To: greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org
Subject: [BULK] Re: [Greenbuilding] Insulating Window Inserts
Importance: Low

>I'm having a hard time finding options for window inserts.  The goal
>here is a simple one: add a layer to the windows in winter, just like
>the screens I put up every year before the bugs start hatching.
>

Hi Jim and all,

We very recently talked to a guy at a local HVAC company about 
getting a new system put in, and I asked him about things like 
insulated curtains, shutters, window inserts, etc.  His opinion was 
that it wouldn't help, because you're still trapping the cold air 
inside the house next to the window.  His opinion was to caulk the 
heck out of the outside so that the cold air didn't get in in the 
first place.

His answer was the same for the summer......do something to keep the 
heat out.  In his opinion, solar screens or films would help, but 
things like curtains, etc. inside the house on the windows wouldn't.

For what *that's* worth.....

bobbi c.

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