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Forum -> Household Management

Insulating a room

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malky800

Tue, Dec 08 2009, 7:25 pm

I rent a house and there is one room that has 2 walls that is the outside of the house with a window on each side. that room is freezing cold in the winter. Even when the central heat is on , it does not warm up the room.
Any good ideas on how I can insulate the room myself without too much construction?
Has anyone tried those plastic things around the windows? Does it help, if I find it's the walls that are freezing themselves?

Tehilla

Tue, Dec 08 2009, 7:27 pm

Good question, got that problem in my house, and we pay for heating. It's crazy expensive in the winter, and I didn't find the plastic things helped us, and the windows are not the best (not the worst either B"H).

In the heat of summer it's the same problem with ac bills, and in the winter when I sleep there's a breeze next to my head...

KAlex

Tue, Dec 08 2009, 7:46 pm

Thick curtains and wallhangings? They've been used for centuries for this...

Shalshelet

Wed, Dec 09 2009, 12:22 am

We have the same problem. This year we're going to try weatherstripping some of the windows, and putting up plastic on others. Anyone have good advice on how to get the sticky tape off the walls? (We've used plastic in the past, and it was murderous Exploding anger

trying to clean it up afterwards!)

chocolate moose

Wed, Dec 09 2009, 10:53 am

Make sure your windows are closed and locked on all sides. We have used the plastic and it's very helpful.

Meema2Kids

Wed, Dec 09 2009, 3:32 pm

We've used the plastic too. It seems to work better on smaller windows than larger.

You can also get foam insulation to put behind your outlets.

Use strip insulation for any gaps around windows or doors.

Mommastuff

Wed, Dec 09 2009, 7:44 pm

how about a small room heater?

Tehilla

Wed, Dec 09 2009, 7:45 pm

Mommastuff wrote:

how about a small room heater?

for me, I can't leave that in my kids' room. and aside from the fact that the plastic didn't work well for us...I try at least a few times a week to open the windows for 10 minutes in order to get fresh air circulating. it's important.

I think I'm going to look into thick curtains.

NotInNJMommy

Wed, Dec 09 2009, 7:50 pm

for kids room, flannel sheets and long underwear and I'm about to hang thermal drapes iyh this weekend.

for our room, plastic (but kids already got in somehow and ripped 1 window so it's put back on but not very well...) on the windows and electric blankets on the beds.

Tehilla

Wed, Dec 09 2009, 7:52 pm

my kids are dressed in fleece. but they both come out from the covers. anyway, there was something wrong with our heat.

50-60 in a room is not ok, but B"H my landlords are working quickly to get it all fixed!

NotInNJMommy

Wed, Dec 09 2009, 7:52 pm

Yes 50-60 is very very cold.

greenfire

Wed, Dec 09 2009, 8:05 pm

you can always make several holes and put in spray insulation ... but then you have to fix the holes ...

plastic works if you get the good kind - I like the Frost King shrink film that you blow dry tight ... although it won't help if the outer window frame is not caulked properly cause air can blow in through there ...

dd2 refuses the plastic cause her kitties like to rip them up to shreds ... we're looking for some sort of curtain that will alleviate this problem ... or material to make them ... I think the room might get too dark and dreary and as is she wakes up so late ...

you do have to be careful with heaters and electric blankets ... lucky I was putting plastic in dd1 room and found that not only does she blast her electric heater - she caused a short in the outlet which is a total fire hazard ...

NotInNJMommy

Wed, Dec 09 2009, 8:18 pm

Yes, the electric blankets are only for dh and me, we are very careful about them, and they have automatic shutoffs after 10 hrs.

greenfire

Wed, Dec 09 2009, 8:46 pm

NotInNJMommy wrote:

for kids room, flannel sheets and long underwear and I'm about to hang thermal drapes iyh this weekend.

what type of thermal drapes ?? and where did you get them ??

NotInNJMommy

Wed, Dec 09 2009, 8:57 pm

I found them at walmart.

Like this.

There are also liners that can be used with existing curtains.

The price at that link is very reasonable. Better than what I saw at the stores 6-8 weeks ago here.

Target also carries these types of drapes, but slightly more expensive.

Tehilla

Wed, Dec 09 2009, 8:58 pm

yasher koach thanks NotinNJ

mums_the_word

Wed, Dec 09 2009, 9:24 pm

Can you explain how those plastic window covers work? The wind blows right through our windows. Brrrr

greenfire

Wed, Dec 09 2009, 9:33 pm

notinNJmommy - oh they're also black out curtains ... I've heard of those ... I will check into them for sure ... and might also go to jo-ann fabrics to check out material prices as well since I don't need the length ...

greenfire

Wed, Dec 09 2009, 9:35 pm

mums_the_word wrote:

Can you explain how those plastic window covers work? The wind blows right through our windows. Brrrr

you put tape that it comes with on all four sides of the window frame ... you put the plastic on ... then you blow dry it to shrink in place ... then it won't blow with the wind and be noisy or be too thick that you can't see through ... it's worth your comfort Idea

NotInNJMommy

Wed, Dec 09 2009, 9:38 pm

they make them in 84" and 63".

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