We've blogged about a bubble wrap "stained glass window" before, but bubble wrap also works as a great insulator when it's cold. See how to use leftover packaging to decrease your heating bill, after the jump...
According to Build it Solar, bubble wrap is often used to insulate greenhouses during the winter — so why not use it at home, too! As an alternative to insulating shades, bubble wrap provides a pocket of air to prevent cold and heat from moving in and out of your home.
While it obviously doesn't provide the regular view you're used to, it does skew the view inside, thus preserving your privacy.
Recommendations from Build it Solar include using larger bubbles and using a film of water (applied via spray bottle) to get the bubble wrap to stick. Evidently, it will stay in place after application - no tape or anything.
Alternatives to bubble wrap insulation for your windows that might look better can be found via ThisOldHouse.
Build It Solar Via LifeHacker.
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such a good idea if you don't mind looking out of bubble wrap. probably a fun effect when holiday lights are up and reflecting through all the bubbles...
you could even color the bubbles with perm markers for kids rooms.
I may do this on a window that has a sheer curtain over it all the time..no loss to the view anyway!
With the application of a little mist, is there any concern for mildew? I think the bubble wrap has a modern, fun feel, actually. Interesting.
Yeah, I agree - this looks a lot better than wrapping the windows with regular plastic!
This is perfect for my basement windows.
Probably wouldn't have to worry as much about mildew if you used a mildly soapy mix or something similar.
I love the idea of color the bubbles in.
I did this to my two windows in my loft bedroom. Wow this stuff is amazing. It really does work. I used much smaller bubbles though but still works great, and am still surprised that it stuck to the window with just water. Only problem I found was cutting it to the right size. I did that for my first window, but my second I just did it a bit bigger then the actually window. Both ways still work. Haven't had to turn my heat on all day!
Plus it looks really cool and gives you lots of privacy.
Thanks for the tip, read it some days ago and today finally got around finishing half of my windows. Water mist was used.
I wish I would have known this trick awhile ago. Even if it doesn't work as good as typical window plastic, the ease of putting this up is well worth it. I hate dealing with double sided tape that doesn't stick to the walls and pulls paint away when you remove it. This looks so much better as well.
I did this on my windows after reading this post.
It's doing a wonderful job at insulating, but it's difficult to protect the delightfully tempting bubbles from children and our kitty! Our sliding door has been pulled off multiple times and everyday I check, there are more and more little popped spaces!
Also, we live in an extreme climate (the interior of BC) so I found that the spray solution only worked for a few hours until the solution froze from the inside and everything started to fall off. I used a few discreet pieces of packing tape to hold it up.
:)
This coming winter will be my third year I have insulated with bubble wrap. I leave it up year around in my bedroom even though I have wooden shades; it really insulates well and gives privacy too. It drops my electric bill by 1/3!
@Mangogirl that's wild to hear it drops your electric bill by 1/3!
There's also professional bubble wrap insulation:
http://www.ecofoil.com/All-Products/Double-Bubble-Insulation
You wouldn't put it on your windows but you can put it other places. It also has reflective radiant barrier foil to reflect the heat back at the source.