Insulating Victorian Sash windows and old flat in general.

amber1979

I'm trying to minimise my heating bills in an old Victorian flat. It has enormas, beautiful but drafty sash windows and electric storage heaters (grr). I'm lining the curtains this weeked, but is there anything else I can do?

babyblooz

My husbands frugal aunt used to hang two pairs of curtains at the same window, using those little plastic hooks.

She said it made the room a lot warmer, and it saves storing them as well. I think she did it in all the rooms. She would hang the longest at the front and the shortest ones at the back if they were different sizes.

You can also use bubble wrap cut to the size of the window pane. Just spray the back of it lightly with plain water and the suction holds it to the glass. So easy to do and easy to take on and off.

If its the draughts then a quick easy answer is to cover the draughty part with masking tape. If you press it lightly against your clothing it will take away some of the stickiness and then you can cover the gaps with it, and easily remove it when the cold weather has gone. Taking some of the sticky away means it shouldnt pull the paint off the windowframe.
Also google 'window quilts' if you can sew. They use them a lot in areas of Canada where they have sub zero temperatures.

Good luck!

Artytarty

Draught excluder along the bottom of the door perhaps?

amber1979

Bubble wrap is a great idea as is the masking tape. I've looking at expensive tape and film from a DIY shop that's specifically made for this. Didn't think of bubble wrap!

babyblooz

Bubble wrap is fab on frosted windows like in the bathroom because it doesn't look any different on the outside. I did my downstairs loo with it and it did make a difference! It was the warmest room in the house lol!

LondonDreamer

Get the film from eBay. I have huge Victorian windows as well, and one pack (around a fiver) does easily two of them, plus an extra pack for the smaller windows at the back. I prefer the film to bubble wrap as I still love looking at my windows and it doesn't detract from them at all. I don't know if I can link directly to the seller I got mine from, but search for "stormguard double glazing film" and you should find them. :money:

The preparing for winter threads have lots of great ideas, but they're pretty big. Here's what I've done specifically relating to heating:
- Lined the curtains with cheap fleece (ebay again)
- Turned an old rag style rug into a draft excluder
- Taped thick card over the keyhole (a magnet might work if you don't have brass fittings)
- Put double glazing film on all windows
- Close curtains as soon as there's no sun on that side of the house

Also if you have rooms with differing sizes and are able to reorganise them, spend more time in the smaller rooms. They're called cozy for a reason! I turn our second bedroom into a lounge for winter, as it's so much easier to keep warm than the massive, high ceilinged lounge. We still have the telly downstairs but I think one really cold day will be enough to convince DH to move it. :rotfl:

amber1979

That sounds great. Particularly since my DP looked at me in horror when I suggested bubblewrapping the windows!

valk_scot

Do you have working shutters? If so use them. If not, double curtains for definate. I used to do this in our first flat...I'd put a thin curtain rail as close into the glass as possible and put up thin curtains, either in cream or coloured cotton lining, then line and interline the main dress curtains. You need a stout rail for very long three layered curtains btw. You can also put a few strips of sticky backed velcro round the edge of the frame and the matching section on the main curtain lining, to close up gaps on the side. Finally, make the main curtains long enough to puddle slightly on the floor. Pelmets are good to and were originally designed to stop drafts coming over the top of the curtains. Think Victorian...suits big windows and the Victorians knew a thing or two about keeping their houses warm.

The other thing to do is close the curtains and doors then wander around with a lighted candle. This will show you where drafts are still sneaking in and you can bung them up. Common culprits are the chimney (if not in use, shove a bin bag stuffed with shredded paper up it a short way), cracks in floorboards, under doors and keyholes or window frames.

YYou can also renew the draught seals

SailorSam

Easy low-cost DIY secondary glazing

bluesindy_2

Oh so envious of your sashes! used to have them years ago in a rented georgian house, always had ice on the inside of the window in winter!. Thick curtains are definitely the way to go as well as secondary double glazing. They must have been a hardier bunch of people all those years ago. Good luck x