Inner North SEE-Change presents: Winter-wising your Windows

You’re probably after ‘Clear Comfort’.

I got a sample pack from them and did a bit. Definitely works, although some kinds of windows would be tricky. But it looks fairly daggy up close. And its nowhere near as clear as window glass, so don’t use it on the windows you look out of all the time. Would be great for high windows- as long as you can get a stable ladder up there to do some fiddly installation with very sticky, non-removeable tape.

There’s also a heat-shrink transparent film which provides a kind of temporary double glazing. It was shown on Better Homes and Gardens a couple of weeks ago. I have checked a couple of hardware stores, but haven’t yet found it. Don’t suppose anyone knows a supplier in Canberra?

Being a former warm climate person this was a learning experience. I think I’ll off, buy some wood gear and knock me up a set of pelmets. Double glazing might be out of reach for me for the moment but these are not. Thanks very much for the info.

Always happy to learn new cold climate living skills 🙂

We have a set of high, strange shaped windows which defy curtains, but give fantastic sunlight at this time of year/lousy heat retention at night, which could benefit from double glazing.

A local business pops up when ‘double glazing’ is punched into Google, using clear vinyl, double sided tape and heat gun to effectively double glaze windows.

Sounds promising, but does anyone have any experience/feedback to give?

Sepi – Why pelmets are expensive I can’t imagine. You don’t need a kit – I knocked up some rather nice ones with some pine planks, moulding and paint. About $50 for the whole house. Anyone with a vague modicum of handyman skills should be able to do it on their ear.

I’ve got roller shutters on most of my windows and find them great for keeping the house warm in Winter and cool in Summer.

My builder who is an award winning builder in Australia, and sits on the ACT Energy Regulators discussion panel (exact name ???) told me that in a lot of instances, a home only needs to be fitted with 1-2 windows double glazed to reach the 5 or 6 star energy rating (given the rest of the home is efficient). Seems like a rort to me, considering I had my (new)house completely fitted with double glazed, cedar windows & doors (nth facing house), and still get the 6 star rating where other lesser fitted homes also get 5 or 6 stars. The energy rating system is long over due for an over haul, so that genuinne energy efficient homes compare on a real scale.Anyway, I highly recomend double glazing, cedar, pelmeting. You will notice the energy bills and comfort levels drop and fall respectfully, for an initial reletivly small cost outlay.

Pelmets and rubber backed curtains have done a good job in one room in our house – pelmets are really expensive though. I’m surprised magnet mart doesn’t have any do-it-yourself type kits for them.

I looked at the energy rating report for our house, and windows are the area where we can make the biggest difference to our rating. Pelmets and curtains sound easier than double glazing, but would be interesting to compare the cost and energy efficiency.