Saving Energy with a Window Insert

This time of year, many homeowners with older homes are frustrated with the cold and the high cost of energy needed to warm them. Newer homes with vinyl clad windows don't have the same problem, because vinyl window frames have a better energy rating than either aluminum or wood frame windows.

Of the two, aluminum and wood frames, aluminum frames are definitely the least energy efficient windows. Because they are a metal, the cold passes directly through them, making the windows the coldest places in the house, except the basement or an unheated garage. The only solution so far has been to either cover them with a layer if plastic sheeting, or pay to have them replaced.

Another alternative is to build or buy a window insert. A window insert is a sheet of clear Plexiglas or some other clear plastic that is cut and framed to fit inside the window casement. The insert adds another layer of draft-proof insulation between the window glass and the inside of the house. These are especially effective in a window that lacks an exterior storm window.

If you need to save money and energy on your heating bills every year, consider install window inserts wherever you can. They are far more inexpensive than replacement windows and offer similar energy savings.

They don't require any special tools to install them, so anyone with even a small amount of do-it-yourself talent can easily install and remove them as needed.