Do you put plastic over your windows?

I'm talking about house windows here. When I was growing up we put plastic up over our windows in the winter. I’ve done if most of the last 10 years, but I haven’t this year. It’s really cold here in MI now, and yesterday we had wind almost 40 mph! I did have to turn the heat up just a bit. So that got me thinking. My windows are Andersen casement windows, double pane. A few years ago I pulled all the trim off my windows and insulated around the window frames. Should I be putting plastic up? Seems to me there’s no insulation to be gained from the plastic, that the plastic is only to stop drafts. My friend said the air trapped between the plastic and the window acts as an insulator.
I’m sure somebody here did his/her thesis on this very subject, so I’m turning to the collective wisdom of the hive.

For as much as the plastic pulses on my Windows, I'd be stupid not to cover them up.

I started when I was off in an old trailer, and just started again last winter in my house. The wind has actually blown the plastic off one of my Windows(cheap harbor freight blue tape didn't help), so I like to think it's keeping a lot of wind out when they're covered. I've noticed I've been keeping the pellet stove on its lowest settings with plastic up, usually it would be pretty cranked up to compensate for draft.

I really don't think there's much insulative value to it, but cutting wind coming in or heat going out is good enough of a reason.

I used to do it in Ottawa, especially the crappy old windows on my house. Made a big difference. Stops drafts and adds an air space.

Do one window then see if a FLIR camera can see a difference.

My grandmother used to do this in her WW1-era house in Canada due to leaky windows, but if your windows don't actually have any leaks (and a modern window on a house that sees winter certainly shouldn't) it probably won't make much difference. The trapped air theory makes sense, but it's already a double-pane window, so you're deep into the diminishing returns.

Not on my current house. Wouldn't help much, if at all. There is one window I thought about it on, but then I just closed the door to that never used room--that window is older than all the rest, since it is an odd shape.

In some old apartments and houses I lived in I sure did. Made a huge difference. There was one apartment I duct-taped styrofoam into, then put the plastic on. Ahh, college hovels.

Really don't think it will help much over the double casement windows.

I added plastic over a couple of basement windows, but they are single pane crank open jobs. Very drafty. Upstairs is all the newer double pane windows so don't need it there.

Not mine, but like these.

I'd like to, but I guarantee 10 minutes after I finish my kids will have poked holes in all of them.

On a windy day, does a candle flicker when you hold it near the window frame? I was going to suggest a cigarette, and watch the smoke, but you might get beaten to death by CPS if you did that.

No, but i have good windows. Andersen casements are mostly not good windows, unfortunately.

Biggest downside is adhesive left on your trim that doesnt come off, ever, until you throw the trim in the fire

slefain wrote: I'd like to, but I guarantee 10 minutes after I finish my kids will have poked holes in all of them.

Amen brother!

Keith Tanner wrote: I used to do it in Ottawa, especially the crappy old windows on my house. Made a big difference. Stops drafts and adds an air space. Do one window then see if a FLIR camera can see a difference.

I'll do that. I'll post the results here. I have a FLIR in my pocket right now.

Drafts are one thing, thats convection.

Conduction is another. If you have an absence of draft, put your hand on the window. Is it cold? If so, you are loosing heat due to conduction.

To put it another way, why insulate your attic? You are creating a thermal barrier for conduction. This is what the air trapped between your window and the plastic does.

I did in the last few apartments that had crappy windows, I havent done it in my house. Thinking about it though. I need to get some Great Stuff foam and seal a few places too.

I also live in MI. Some years I put it up, some years I don't. Last night was cold and drafty. Maybe this weekend I will do it. Can't say I know the impact to the heating bill, but it definitely improves comfort.

What about this type inside kits?

https://www.youtube.com/embed/62YHdL3oj9s

That's what I used, the heatshrink inside stuff. Pretty much invisible when installed well. You can buy their tape by the roll.

I used to in college, but I don't know if I waited too long and the walls were cold or if it was something else about the paint but I had a terrible luck getting them to stick.

Last house had fantastic Anderson casement windows and literally zero drafts. Now I'm back in a old house with E36 M3ty old aluminum frame windows. But not plasticing, i should be replacing windows starting next summer.

Not in my current home (built 2007) but on my previous 1904 house I used to worry about the ancient single pane windows. I had an energy efficiency study done on the old place (by a guy who is a longtime family friend, and whose only line of work is the audits, he doesn't do repairs/upgrades, so I'm sure he wasn't BSing me.) YMMV, but I was a bit surprised by his thoughts.

His advice was to focus on drafts and gaps first. He said that many folks presume old windows are low-hanging fruit when chasing better thermal efficiency, but he said that any window (even a modern multi-pane) is a poor thermal insulator compared to an insulated wall or ceiling, and that heat is lost much faster through convection than through conduction, so the maximum gains to be had are fairly small in the big picture. He suggested first doing lots of little things to keep the warm air from leaking out the house (usually upward) and cold air from coming in (usually down low.)

He suggested first going nuts with adhesive weather seal, spray foam, door weatherstrips, and the like. He suggested better sealing around/under all doors, around doorknobs/locks on hollow doors, any opening windows, any holes for utilities coming in/out, and chasing down basement/attic/crawlspace drafts. He also suggested verifying ceiling insulation thickness/placement where accessible, and/or adding some additional blow-in insulation. He smiled and said, when you are done with all those tasks, call me again and we can talk about your windows. :)

I was only in the house one more winter before selling it, but it felt warmer than previous years with plastic on the windows.

My old house has combination windows (storm with screen) and my addition has double pane windows. checking with an infrared thermometer should no real difference.

Sealing the old windows helped a lot.

KyAllroad wrote: I used to in college, but I don't know if I waited too long and the walls were cold or if it was something else about the paint but I had a terrible luck getting them to stick.

Cleaning the sills well helps a lot. You also want to put the tape in shear instead of tension.

Pull the screen off, cover screen in plastic, reinstall screen, trim excess.

Drink beer.

In reply to DrBoost:
On the next windy day crawl around on the floor, right next the windward wall and see how much draft you feel down around the baseboard trim. You might be surprised to find it's actually draftier than your windows. My experience has been that most homes aren't well sealed at the floor and foundation levels. Some contractors focus on the area around the windows, but don't do a great job sealing other areas.

Keith Tanner wrote: That's what I used, the heatshrink inside stuff. Pretty much invisible when installed well. You can buy their tape by the roll.

That's what I used before the new windows. Be sure to give the hair dryer breaks if it is a big window. Or you will owe your wife a new hair dryer

I do. Our house is 102 years old this year, and the windows, while of the newer vinyl variety, are drafty. It definitely helps our comfort level.

So I put the FLIR1 to use, here's the results.
Here's the window in question:

Here's the same window with the FLIR camera:
Of course you notice how the bottoms of the windows are dark blue. The center window is a bit worse.
Here's a close up of that center window. Looks like the window isn't seating properly, or the seal has damage:

Here's the window after the plastic had been up for about 20 minutes:

I figure it looks the same because the temps are more or less the same. Like others have said, the conduction should be reduced because of the air gap, and I know there are drafts that are taken care of because the window sill is warmer, by quite a lot.

Random cool shot:

I went around the house and played with the camera. Some cool things. I was standing on the hardwood floor. Then I took a few steps and turned around and say my footprints! Cool.
Anyway, I went into my daughters room to look at the walls and windows since that was the room my wife I had. It was always cold.
Northwest corner of the room. Looks like the insulation has settled:

Same corner, just focused on the west wall. Looks worse than the other angle:

Aaaaaand the north wall

Here's the south wall of the house. The orange box is the TV. This was taken 9-12 months ago?

The previous owners had insulation blown in the exterior walls. Looks like it didn't do the trick. I don't know what the next step here is.

I want a Flir to play with!