For the most part, energy leaks or loss around windows (leaks that don’t have to do with the windows themselves: the panes, the construction, the actual unit itself) comes down to two main areas – the frame itself and the insulation around the frame.
Energy can be lost whether the window is brand new and just installed (and thus installed incorrectly) or if the window is older.
If the frame is compromised, the energy is lost through the frame itself, through the gaps in the wood or plastic. In most cases, though, …

By: Robin Green
If your windows are ancient and aren’t doing a passable job of keeping heat inside your home in winter (or keeping it out in warm weather), maybe it is time to consider having new, energy saving windows put in. But new windows, especially good quality energy efficient ones, can be prohibitively expensive. This means that it can take a long time for them to pay for themselves in energy savings. For the amount of cash you would pay to replace the windows in a single big room, you …

So the last experiment was disappointing, because it appeared that plastic did very little to prevent heat loss for your leaky hallway window. Things aren’t looking so good for the thin plastic as insulation.
Luckily, we have another scenario. Plastic over part of a window has come “undone” giving us the perfect side by side comparison of surface temperatures over a window with and without plastic – without interfering sunshine and the heat from solar convection.

This question is important to many homeowners and renters because we believe that placing plastic over our windows will halep us save energy on cold winter days and nights. Some plastic makers claim that plastic adds at least 1R value to the window.
I doubt this to be true. But using the information presented in the home energy audit kit, we can easily see heat loss with and without the plastic to see how much of a difference it makes.

Right now, it’s a real buyer’s market out there. Interest rates are very low (if you can get approved) and real estate prices are plummeting. New home construction and remodeling have stopped. And the economy is still trying to shake off the cold, so to speak.
So, ideally, if you are looking for a new home right now you should be looking for features that will save you money on your energy bills. You can’t afford to have high energy bills.
When you look through a house, keep energy efficient thoughts in …

The easy answer to a drafty or old window that no longer insulates well is to “cover it in plastic.” And that still is probably the best possible answer for most situations.
Most situations?
Yup. I said most situations for a reason. Here’s why. You need to know how the window is losing your home’s energy to effectively make the right repair choice.
For example, putting plastic over a window when its the outer frame that loses energy will do next to nothing except obscure your view of the outdoors.
Okay, so how can …

One of the most challenging problems for homeowners is with the placement of a heat register, radiator or other heat source under or near a window. The problem is compounded with every degree the temperature plummets outside.
Understanding the problem
To figure out how to fix the problems, we have to understand what is going on. Warmed air always rises (and conversely cold air falls). Since warmed air will always rise from the heat source it will gravitate upwards. Under most circumstances, when a heat register is on a wall, the warmed …

When you are buying a new home, here are some things to look for to ensure you keep your energy bills low:

Look for energy efficient appliances. Most of the time they will still have the energy guide sticker on them. Check the efficiency and relative costs.
Check the age and condition of the delivery ducts and vents
Ask what the last HVAC job was. If someone installed central air or a new furnace after the home was built, there is an excellent chance the installer did due diligence and inspected the house …

This one puzzles the heck out of me.
We’ve talked about how a lot of heat escapes through the windows. Heat vents blow heat into a room. Why then, would anyone place a heat vent directly under a window?
Argh!
A lot of heat will be wasted, and the room will always feel colder than it should.
Luckily, there is a very easy solution.
Go to your local home improvement store (like a Lowe’s or Home Depot) and get a clear heat deflector. They run $5 – $15. These have little magnets on …

Am I really asking you to pick out and install some curtains?
There’s a very, very good reason, aside from being fashionable.
Which I’m not.
Curtains, especially the heavier fabric ones, are good insulators. They retain heat very well, and also block a lot of cold air.
Try this. If you have curtains, on a cold day, stand near the window with the curtains drawn. Now feel behind the drawn curtain, between the window and fabric. I guarantee it is much colder. The curtains are stopping the colder air from entering …