Bubble wrap on windows for winter

[harbingerofdoom]

Have got single glass on two sides of the house. Was thinking of trying it in a room with bad light and view.

These windows all get bad condensation at times, so will this make it worse ?

[Tianc]

If you seal it well enough to the window frame, it should improve condensation issues, as the condensation comes from moist house air, and this will no longer be reaching the cold glass.

[ByThePowerOfGreyskull]

is it a room that you use?
could you use this kind of thing?

[LackaDAISYcal]

You can buy double glazing film in hardware shops (I think homebase do it) You tape it round the frame, then set the hairdryer on it and it shrinks and looks sort of normal....well maybe not see through, but more picturesque than bubble wrap!
Funny enough DH and I were just discussing this the other day; although we have dg throughout, it's ancient and we get lots of condensation, especially in the bedrooms and we're thinking that film might help.

[LackaDAISYcal]

That's the stuff! :o

[harbingerofdoom]

Ah but is bubble wrap a better insulator? Have done the film in previous years.
To be honest if the light (direct) doesn't get to the windows for the next few months heat gain is no issue. Heat loss is!

[LackaDAISYcal]

Would heavy lined curtains cut down on condensation? or just heat loss?

[harbingerofdoom]

Have got heavy lined curtains-seem to make no difference to the condensation issue.

In theory,putting it on the exterior would probably work better. However there are several practical problems (ladders, sticky stuff, weathering in gales) and it wouldn't look very good. It's hard to see inside if you hide with nets/voile.

Have now done three windows-let's see what happens :o

[Mandy2003]

LackaDAISYcal - I have the same problem with old double glazing. I would like to cover the whole lot with the acrylic sheet and magnet secondary glazing to keep the drafts out too, but don't think I can because of the ruddy handles! Can I use the adhesive foam draft excluder strips with DG do you know, or will it mutate the frames?

[Tianc]

Can certainly use foam draft excluder with double glazing, just spend a few moments working out where to stick it to complement the unit's own closing seal.

Secondary glazing film can be shrunk to fit over handles, I have discovered. But if you want to beef up the insulation while still being able to open the window, just stick the film over the individual window section.

[LackaDAISYcal]

Mandy could you put that on the inner face of the wall? iyswim...off to google it though as I didn't know you could get magnetic/acrylic sheet stuff.

Alternatively, could you dismantle the handles temporarily?

[harbingerofdoom]

Where does the moisture go in these very well lagged and draught free Eco houses?
Would there not be mould problems?

[Mandy2003]

I think they have extractor fans, probably humidity-switched ones my electrician was telling me about - automatically come on when they sense a certain amount of humidity. Nice idea, only £600 each!

I do not dry washing in the house, I use an extractor in the kitchen and the bathroom and open windows regularly. That's why I would be unwilling to remove the handles at all to fit seasonal secondary glazing

But elderly double glazing is always streaming wet in the mornings if it is less than about 3 degrees C outside. There's a bit of green algae stuff developing in the cavity between the two sheets of glass, and black mould grows on all the opening surfaces of the frames. It's buggered isn't it!?

[Tianc]

Aha, you have put your finger on a key issue, harbinger.

Getting rid of moisture from well-sealed, draught-free houses is a major issue. The crude way is trickle vents in windows or leaving them open a crack, so you have a draught you can control.

The clever way is Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery (and host of similar names). This uses fans to extract warm moist air through a heat exchanger, to warm the incoming air. (Outdoors air is usually dryer than indoors air, as being colder it's naturally holding less moisture.)

You're still pumping your nice warm air out of the house, but you're recovering a fair bit of the heat from it. Not only do you solve your mould problems, but dryer air takes less energy to heat up from scratch, so iiuc MVHR is actually a net power-saver. But it's only worthwhile in a well-sealed home: if you live in the average colander you already have more ventilation than you need.

Btw, draught-proofing is a different issue from insulation.

Insulation = stop/slow heat travelling through solid objects like walls, windows.
Draught-proofing = stop air flow.

So a Ziploc bag is draught-proof, but not well-insulated.
And a crocheted jumper is good insulation, but not draught-proof.

[harbingerofdoom]

Tianc I understand the difference and we certainly have more ventilation than is needed!
I am trying to reduce the ventilation issue (which is quite easy).
The insulation issue is rather harder with sash windows (single glazed) in very good condition.
I have bubble wrapped a selection of windows and will be monitoring their behaviour over the next week (quite cold and normal household functions).
I have BBWd 2 bottom sashes,front door window and the leaded window above.
Intend to do rooms on the side of the house that are north facing. In some years the curtains are never drawn. Weekend job.

[LackaDAISYcal]

Mandy, do you live in my house? :o
We get mould on the actual frames as well, which are cold to the touch and themselves stream with condensation. I have started my daily wipe them all down routine.
Unfortunately we have a knackered roof which is higher on the list of priorities than the windows.

[LackaDAISYcal]

Will be interested to see how it works out harbinger...keep us posted :)

[PigletJohn]

you say you get bad condensation. Do you drape wet washing around the house?

Is there an extractor fan in the bathroom?

[Tianc]

Sorry, just trying to cover all bases and I can bore for Britain on this subject.

Another one interested to know how well the bubble wrap works out.

[Yankeecandlequeen]

Have you tried a bowl of salt on the window sill to soak up the moisture? I have older DG windows & it worked for me last year.

[harbingerofdoom]

Update (in rantdom order).
I have some moisture traps that used calcium chloride crystals. They do collect water but do not seem to make any difference to the windows themselves.

The bathroom doesn't have a fan, window is thrown open and door shut. (No place for one in wall, window between chimney breast and airing cupboard.)

DD2 came home from uni on Saturday with all of her washing! Certainly a lot more than normalwashing machine never seems to be off So not a 'normal' week.

1st night no cond
2nd night LESS cond on bubblewrapped windows
3rd night all wet, but again I would say much less on the wrapped windows.

Is this something to do with dew point or things like that?

[harbingerofdoom]

57 inside
90 outside
1 at moment

[PigletJohn]

90 what?

57 what?

1 what?

[harbingerofdoom]

Humidity and temperature.