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Winter in Melbourne is usually a pretty miserable affair, and this one has been particularly brutal so far.
My house is just nine kilometres from the CBD, but as far as I’m concerned, it might as well be the Snowy Mountains — it often feels colder inside than outside.
This week I measured the temperature in my living room for the first time.
The thermometer showed it was about 12 degrees inside. Outside, though, it was 15 degrees.
That’s well below the “safe and well-balanced indoor temperature” of 18 degrees Celsius recommended by the World Health Organization during cold seasons. And many people — babies, the elderly, those who simply feel the cold more — require warmer temperatures, so the range is really 18 to 22 degrees.
I’ve been wearing extra layers while working from home and still feeling pretty cold, so I’ve been running the heating quite a bit too — more than in previous winters. But conscious of the pressure on the network — and with power prices set to rise significantly — I realised I needed to do something to better insulate my small, cold 1930s house.
The quickest and cheapest method, as a first step, has been to draught-proof the windows.
Why is draught-proofing your windows so important?
When it comes to heat loss, windows are a major culprit.
According to the government website Your Home, “up to 40 per cent of a home’s heating energy” can be lost through windows.
Sustainability Victoria advises that a “single pane of bare glass can gain or lose up to 10 times more heat than the same sized area of uninsulated wall”.
“The law of thermodynamics says heat wants to go from hot place to cold place, and it will find whatever path it can to do that,” says Philip Oldfield, head of school at UNSW Built Environment.
“And all it takes is a gap — a little bit of space where insulation isn’t installed, a gap around the window — and you’ve got a weak spot in there,” he says.
You can find gaps by running your fingers along the window frames and architraves and feeling for colder spots or air flow. An old trick is to hold a candle close to any suspected gaps and see if the flame flickers (only do this if curtains and blinds can be safely tied away).
Easy and (somewhat) elegant: Insulation film
If you’ve ever wondered why you get condensation on the inside of your windows in the morning, it’s because of heat transfer, says Steve Turnock, program manager at Geelong Sustainability, the not-for-profit behind domestic energy-efficiency website Energy Tips.
When it’s cold outside and “warm, moist air inside meets the [cold] glass, all of a sudden it drops in temperature,” says Mr Turnock.
“That [heat transfer] deposits its moisture on the glass … So ideally, what you’re trying to do by adding double-glazing … is preventing the air inside from getting to the windows.”
Double-glazed windows are standard in many northern European countries, but not Australia. They’re also expensive and require expert installation, so are not an option for renters or home owners on a budget.
A cheaper alternative is to buy insulation film, which is “basically industrial [cling] wrap,” says Mr Turnock.
This transparent material is applied with double-sided tape and sealed with heat from a hair dryer, creating that gap you need between the window and the warm air inside. The overall look is pretty subtle too.
This product can be hard to find in your local hardware store, so you may need to order it online, which is what I did.
I’m going to try this option for my big, north-facing bedroom window to maximise the amount of sunlight during the day, which will help warm the house.
Cheap and dummy-proof: Bubble wrap
I remembered reading a couple of ABC articles from a few years ago featuring advice from scientist and building energy assessor Jenny Edwards, who recommended bubble wrap as a budget option: “The still layer of air trapped in the bubbles gives a cheap double-glazed-type effect”.
It’s dead easy. Just cut a piece of bubble wrap to fit each windowpane, then spray the glass with water and apply the bubble wrap flat-side down. (The water helps it stick to the window.)
I did this in my living room and was pleased to find that it increased the base temperature by one or two degrees, and seemed to reduce heat loss when the heating was on.
It’s not aesthetically pleasing, but the overall effect was less ugly than I anticipated.
Upsides are that it’s easily removed, reusable, and, according to Edwards, it also helps to prevent heat from coming in in the summer, which is something I need on very hot days.
Buy some second-hand curtains
“The key thing [when insulating windows] is curtains and drapes, and that need not be an expensive exercise,” says Matt Genever, interim CEO at Sustainability Victoria.
“Obviously, you can invest a lot [if you want] … but go to the op shop and see what’s there. Close-fitting drapes really make a significant impact on heat loss through the window.
“The thicker the better is what you’re looking for, rather than a specific kind of material.”
He also recommends looking for curtains with thermal backing (usually vinyl material on the side that faces the window), which are extra insulating.
Also, pelmets aren’t merely decorative — they help minimise heat loss by reducing the amount of warm air inside that comes into contact with your windows.
If you can’t install one permanently because you’re renting, Mr Genever suggests simply draping a scarf over your curtain rod.
I saw some good curtains in my local op shops, which hadn’t occurred to me as a possibility before Mr Genever mentioned it.
And a quick search online revealed a dedicated second-hand curtain shop a few kilometres from my house, so see if there are any near you (I have my eye on a cute floral set for my living room windows).
Consider corflute
One use for all that leftover election corflute? Insulation. This option was recommended in a couple of energy efficiency and sustainability groups I joined online.
Simply cut a piece to size to cover your window.
But if you don’t like the idea of your local MP looking over you while you make dinner or watch TV, you can buy new corflute from building suppliers and hardware shops.
Like bubble wrap, this option isn’t beautiful. But it is easy to take up and down throughout the day, so you can maximise the sunlight and warmth coming into the house.
It’s also a good option for the bathroom and kitchen, where condensation can accumulate.
Other insulation tips
- Even the tiniest gaps in doorways, floors and architraves will allow warm air to leak out, so seal as many as possible. There are lots of step-by-step caulking guides online, and caulking guns are pretty easy to operate. Transparent sealant is forgiving for beginners!
- Both Mr Genever and Mr Turnock emphasised that warm air escapes through doors, especially at the bottom where there might be big cracks. Doors seals are easy to apply, and many come with adhesive backing (no nails required). If you aren’t permitted to install a seal, try a door snake or a rolled-up towel.
- The right ceiling insulation can save you “up to 20 per cent on your heating and cooling energy costs”, according to Sustainability Victoria. Consider getting new insulation with a high R value.
- Only heat the rooms you’re using, not the whole apartment or house.
- Insulate your body with warm, properly layered fabrics.
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