Would temporarily replacing inner screens with sheets of plex-glass save heating costs?

significant? probably not. You might save what it will cost in the Plexiglas.

Reply to
SQLit
Loading thread data ...

This is done, not quite as you describe.

What you describe will be half ass but cheap

To do it right - Take your screens into an old fashion hardware store. The one that has a screen/window repair service in the basement. Ask them to make you storm windows that match the dimensions of the screens. There may also be kits at the Blue, or orange, store to do this yourself. They hardware store may also be able to order you safety glass which will look a lot better.

Plexi glass flexes a lot, scratches easily and will look shabby after a year or two.

I worked for years in a dark basement making and fixing windows and screens at an old fashioned hardware store.

Reply to
No

Why don't you just wrap the screens in clear plastic, and stick them back in?

Reply to
Goedjn

My casement windows don't have a very good seal around the screens, good enough to keep out the bugs but not good enough to prevent air infiltration and water vapor to get past the insert. I think you will find enough air and water vapor will get past to condense and freeze on the outer thermopane glass and cause more problems than you solve.

Reply to
EXT

My house has casement windows, with dual pane glass. The windows have screens on the inside. The screen frame units can easily be removed by hand in about 5 seconds. Suppose I were to have sheets of plex-glass cut to the same size as the entire screen frame, and, for the heating season, removed the screen frame and simply slide in the plexi-sheets where the screen frames normally go. Would having the sheet of plex-glass there result in significant savings on winter energy costs, or would it not be worth the trouble? Would doing this harm the windows in any way due to heat buildup from sunlight, etc.?

Thanks,

JY

My original melodic anti-religious alternative rock songs can be heard here:

formatting link

Reply to
jymusic

You would have nothing more than storm windows. It should be fine an reduce heating cost.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

You had better take into account the thermal expansion of the plexi if you do this. Due to shading effects, the expansion/contraction may not be uniform either.

Reply to
Grandpa

I cut the wire out of the screen inserts to some Andersen windows last year, then added shrink film over both sides of the insert frame, then added cheap storm windows, with another layer of shrink film over the storm frame inside the glass, so these windows have 2 layers of glass, then 3 shrink films, then another layer of glass. They've held up well, with glass protecting plastic, and the optical quality is good.

Nick

Reply to
nicksanspam

You want the best air tight seal to be on the inside window, so that moist home air doesn't get between the inner and next pane and cause condensation. This might cause a problem with your idea. I'd try with one window to see if this is a problem.

Reply to
Jeff

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.