The $20 Japanese Window Trick That Keeps Heat In Your Home All Winter, by Hiro Endo on YouTube. 19 min 11 s.
- Video length
- 19 min 11 s
- Time to do it
- 1 hour
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Walk the house after dark and hold your hand near each frame and pane. Note the coldest window and start there.
Seal the gaps you find around the frame with weatherstripping or a thin bead of caulk. Do this before you cover the glass.
Fit a clear shrink film kit to the clean window. Cut the film to size, press the double-sided tape around the frame, stretch the film and shrink it tight with a hairdryer.
For windows you never look through, mist the glass with water and press bubble wrap on, bubbles against the glass.
Close your curtains at dusk so a layer of air sits between the cloth and the cold glass.
Stop the cold at floor level by laying a draft stopper along the bottom of the door or window.
Wipe condensation off the glass every morning so moisture does not soak the frame.
Close the outside layer, such as a storm window or shutter, at night and open it again in the morning.
Tips and common mistakes
Film is a seasonal fix, not a repair, so replace cracked glass and worn seals properly.
Leave at least one window in each bedroom that opens from the inside in an emergency, and do not film that one shut.
Treat the kit as comfort, not a promise on your heating bill, since no kit guarantees a set saving.
A stuffy room holds more moisture, so air the room briefly in the morning before the film fogs up.
Questions
Will this lower my heating bill?
It cuts drafts and traps a layer of air at the glass, but no kit promises a set saving. Expect a warmer room rather than a guaranteed number.
Can I put film over a window I open?
Shrink film seals the window shut for the season. Keep at least one openable window in each room, especially bedrooms.
Why does the film keep peeling off?
Dust and damp stop the tape sticking. Wipe the frame dry and press the tape down firmly before you shrink the film.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
