Last winter, I put bubble wrap on my windows. Should I leave it on for summer?

[Simon Ferrol]

As per title, last winter I put cheap bubble wrap all over my windows, and it worked. The temperature inside raised a couple of degrees, which was just enough to go from absolute freezing to having to turn the heating on only a couple of hours a day, vs on the whole day.

The temperature now in about 20 degrees inside during the day and 17 at night (if the weather keeps this way).

Should I take the bubble wrap off or leave it on?

If the temperature goes up, I can just open the windows.

Would bubble wrap also protect against excessive heat or make it worse in summer?

SF

[Jeff Layman]

It'll make it worse. Polythene is said to be transparent to infrared, so the heating effect of the sun's rays will not be stopped by it. The rooms will get hotter. Also, cheap bubble wrap is very unlikely to have any UV stabiliser included, so after a few years at most will start to disintegrate. It is best to remove it over summer and put it back for winter..

[The Natural Philosopher]

Do what everybody else does. In peak summer heat draw the curtains and close the windows

[Colin Bignell]

When I used to use it for insulating a greenhouse, it was usually brittle by the time I came to take it down next spring.

[Colin Bignell]

... and walk around the house naked :-)

[The Natural Philosopher]

Rubbish.

The curtains stop solar gains and the closed windows stop hot outside air. By doing this butopening windows at night, I can keep indoor temps down to about 25-27°C even on 30°C days

[Colin Bignell]

Those are walking around the house naked temperatures for me. Less clothes washing to do as well.