Not nessesary....I believe this is done, shrinking, so the plastic doesnt move back and forth and making a racket with pressure changes..........such as a windy day/storm. Also will make visability through it a little better. Up to you if you can put up with that.....can always blow dry it later on :-)
I have in the past--they work well. At least the 3m products do, the no name brands tend to have el shitto tape.
Nah, not necessary. It's for aethetics both inside and out. If they're covered by drapes and not facing the road, you can leave them as is. If you prepped the surface as directed before putting down the tape, and you're using the 3m window kits, my experience is that the extra tension is no problem at all. On budget kits with lousy tape though, your concerns are well founded.
I've used 3M window kits for many years now and they work great. Don't bother wasting your time and money on any other brand because, frankly, nothing comes even remotely close to 3M quality. Trust me.
I have six, fixed windows equipped with wooden storms. Three years ago, I installed 3M window kits on both the inside and outside of these units (the outer film is protected from the elements by the storm). Heat loss through these windows has been effectively cut in half.
I attached these films directly to the window frame itself (not the outer trim) which means they virtually disappear from view. This is their third season and they're still in excellent shape. Once a year I reshrink the inside film with a hair dryer to remove any wrinkles and that's about it.
See:
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I estimate these kits save me about $200.00 a year on my heating bill.
I've used them. After using the hair dryer, it tightened the film up such that it looked 'cleaner'/'nicer'. I can't speculate whether or not it's necessary, but I think following the manufacturers instructions is OK.
An air space is required. However, these windows are true divided lights, so the plastic film rests on top of the mullion bars. These mullion bars provide a one inch air space between the window glass and the plastic film on either side.
Hi Paul.... Based on your thread, I will install them on my windows...but I am not following you. Did you put them on the interior and exterior of the windows? I have storm windows outside...Where would/how would I do anything to the exterior? Also, I saw your pic and it looked really nice...but where did you start the coverage? It didn't look like anything was attached to the frame.
Also, what did you mean by this? What are true divided lights and what are mullion bars?
Could you please post some more pics if not too much trouble? Thanks for your help on this and have a nice NewYears...
They go in the interior of the windows. Someone who had my house before me used them, I can see the glue residue. I can't imageine that they actually did anything, since there was no insulation in the attic at the time.
As mentioned, I installed these kits on both the inside and outside of each window. The outside kit is protected by a wooden storm; without a storm window to protect it, the exterior film would be damaged by high winds and ice and snow.
The supporting tape was applied along the outside edge of the window frame as shown in the picture below. It's difficult to see this, but the sticky tape is aligned with the inside edge of the window jam (the flat surface perpendicular to the window) .
See:
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These windows are made up of several smaller pieces of glass held together in a wooden frame; windows constructed in this manner are often called "true divided lights" because the glass is "divided" or separated by these wooden cross members or mullions. By comparison, most windows made today use a single piece of [thermo pane] glass and attach "fake" mullion bars to reproduce this look, e.g., snap on grills. So, basically, with true divided light windows, we have several individual pieces of glass held together by a structural framework (i.e., the mullion bars), versus a single piece of glass with an added (and purely decorative) wood or plastic trim.
In my case, the glass is set back about an inch or so inside the mullion bar and this provides the insulating air space on both sides of the glass. Due to the added depth of these cross members, the film is suspended on top of mullion bars and not the glass itself. In any event, so long as the outer edge of the window frame has some depth to it and sufficient width to accommodate the sticky tape, these window kits will work well.
I thought that the tape and the film would all stay completely parrallel to the window. I didnt think you could put the tape perpendicular to the window, thus the film being perpendicular to the window for about 1/4 inch and then changing directions where it is parrallel to the glass to cover the window. The reason I was asking, I have old raise up window sashes with a 2-3 inch ledge at the bottom. I am planning on using the film from the molding to molding, to get complete coverage of the window(Forfeiting window use). I wasnt sure how to deal with the ledge accross the bottom though. Now I guess I can just put the tape along the ledge. According to your pictures, that heat gun dows a great job! I cant even make out the film.
Check these out:
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I saw them on the net yesterday. I am considering them, but at 75 dollars a pop, I am not certain that I want to take the gamble. I am wondering if the compression fit will be tight enough to completely seal the window when you consider minute imperfections of the window frame. What do you think of them?
You're most welcome. Just to clarify a key point, if I may. The tape was applied to the face of the window frame -- parallel to the glass
-- butting up against the inside edge of the window jam. However, bear in mind these are *fixed* windows as opposed to operable. I don't believe you can use the method I described with double hung windows because there is no continous vertical surface upon which to apply the sticky tape. I think this is why I left you scratching your head, so my apologies for the confusion.
With double hung windows, your only option is to apply the film to the outside edge of the trim and around the bottom ledge, as described on the packaging.
I've heard of inside storm windows but I'm afraid I don't know anyone who uses them. In terms of general appearance, they would seem to be the hands down winner and if you have old and leaky windows, they would presumably make a room a whole lot more comfortable. Another plus is the convenience factor -- I take it they are fairly easy to put in and take out with each passing season and over the long haul they should save you money compared to the alternative of buying new window kits each year.
I appreciate it's no small investment, so you might purchase a set for the window (or windows) that are in most need of help; ideally, a small room where it would be fairly easy to determine if they are working as well as had been expected. This way, you will be in a position to judge the quality of their construction and the responsiveness of the company without risking a large capital outlay. If you are pleased with their performance and the company's service, you could then begin to target other areas of your home.
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