With the rising prices of electricity and gas bills, more and more Portuguese are wondering how they can heat their homes without radiators, or at least more economically. The starting point to avoid wasting heat is to insulate the windows from the cold. Here are some tips that can help.
It's often pointless turning the heating up to maximum if the windows don't do their job of retaining heat and letting in the cold from outside. In this way, not only will the house not heat up, but it will also significantly increase the price of the bills at the end of the month.
Insulated frames and double glazing
As we've already mentioned, window frames are essential for insulating the house from the cold outside, as they are the most important element in guaranteeing thermal insulation. It's very important to check them regularly and replace them with new, energy-efficient ones. Installing them, however, can be quite expensive (PVC is still recommended).
For those on a tight budget, there is another cheaper and very efficient solution: installing double glazing. Many new buildings are equipped with this technology. How does it work? There are two pieces mounted in the window frame with a gap between them, in which there is an insulating channel filled with gas: the more space there is between the panes, the greater the thermal insulation.
Watch out for joints
Another aspect that should not be underestimated when insulating windows from the cold is the seals, as they are very prone to deterioration and the effectiveness of the thermal insulation depends on them. Joints should be checked at least twice a year.
How to insulate glass
An effective but little-known method of keeping the house warm is to apply a thermal insulation film to the glass, which reduces heat loss due to radiation. There are two types, the first is a transparent film that is applied directly to the glass and reflects sunlight, retaining heat. The second type, instead, must be applied to the window frame to create an air space between the glass and the film, essentially acting as double glazing.
Source: idealistanews