Has anyone ever made and/or installed interior storm windows? Any advice?

[CottonBear]

I have a 1970 home with old, leaky, multi-paned, double sash wooden windows. I can't afford new windows or storm windows at this time. I need to keep cold air out. Because of my HOA association rules, I can't install DIY plastic storm windows on the outside of the windows. (I could install "store bought" storm windows" but I can't afford those right now.) I want to install the interior storm windows in the two upstairs bedrooms. There are two windows in each room. I have standard window screens on the outside of these windows. I open the windows in nice weather to let fresh air into the house. I need removable interior storm windows so that I can open the windows in case of an emergency. The pressure fit windows in the Mother Earth News DIY project that I found (see link below) seem to be a good idea.

Link to a Mother Earth News DIY project here: http://www.motherearthnews.com/do-it-yourself/storm-windows-zm0z10zhun.aspx
I think that I could make these storm windows but with screwed together frames instead of the fancy joints as shown. (A comment on the site describes this method of construction.) I have only basic tools and minimal carpentry skills. I do have a drill and a circular saw. I'm not sure how durable the shrink film is but it seems fairly inexpensive. I already have a lot of 1x1 and 1x2 scrap lumber, screws and other hardware and some basic carpentry tools.

I found a really cool article on DIY "bubble glazing" from someone in Australia. http://mtbest.net/bubble_glazing.html
However, although it looks totally awesome, I doubt that these bubble wrap interior storm windows could survive two cats and a three year old little boy.

Any advice y'all might have would be much appreciated. I need to reduce my heating costs and keep my home warm/non-drafty for my child. Thanks in advance.

BTW, I tried installing foam weather stripping to seal the windows. My little boy uninstalled it almost immediately. I have window blocks that prevent the bottom sash of the window from more than 4" so he can't fall out but that was enough room for him to get his little hand onto the sill and peel off all of the weather stripping from the bottom of the windows.

BTW, I love this group! I check it out almost every day.

CB

[Warpy]

1. I've never done this but it should work very well

and be invisible enough that the HOA's collective panties would stay unwadded.

Even the cheesy heat shrink plastic kits from home improvement stores create an appreciable difference, so the interior windows should do so. Just be aware that the sills can be damaged pretty quickly by condensation and you might end up replacing your windows sooner rather than later.

While bubble glazing would work, the HOA whiners would be able to see it and complain.

[CottonBear]

2. Thanks for the reply. The windows are old but the exteriors of the windows are newly painted.

The HOA contracts for painting of the exteriors of our homes (mine was painted last summer) and I have recently painted the inside of the windows.

That said, I've already had so much interior condensation over the years, that I think reducing it can only help keep the old window frames in OK shape at this point in time.

The windows have individual panes of glass so I need to install a "sheet" of something over the overall inside of the window frame. I need this for the winter months mostly but the storm windows would help in the summertime when I run the AC. I live in the Southeast. We get some really cold weather, mostly nice and temperate weather and then brutally hot and hunid summers.

No one in the HOA minds what you do on the inside of the windows. (We can even put up political signs! I'll need an Obama 2012 sign soon!) It is the exterior improvements that require approval and I'm OK with that HOA rule.

I will take your advice and keep an eye on condensation after installation. Thanks again! CB

[MADem]

3. I used those hardware store shrink-wrap jobs in a rental a few years back.

Paired with some heavy thrift shop drapes, they really made a difference. AND I used bubble wrap (didn't know it was fashionable, I was just being cheap) in the bathroom for insulation and a bit of privacy (I was only there for a relatively short while).

Those interior storm windows look interesting--easier than exterior storms, certainly!

Of course, if you've got a curious lad, you'll probably want to have him "help" you put them up, so he will hopefully be less inclined to take it down.

[CottonBear]

4. Having my little guy help is a really good idea! He loves to help and learn to do things.

Today, we baked pumpkin cookies and he helped to measure, pour, mix and stir the batter. Of course, he enjoyed eating them too! However, I thinked that he liked making them more than eating them.

I was already thinking of using some heavy thrift store drapes from my favorite local thrift store. I hope that my son is old enough to NOT want to pull them down. He's really big, curious and strong and he's been into everything. (He pushed the screens out of the second story windows and then made holes in the bottoms of the screens when I had them reinstalled and nailed onto the window frame from the outside.) Mini blinds and curtains have not been possible up to this point in time due to the dangers of the blind cords and the possibility of him pulling down the curtains and rods. I just have valences over the windows in his room right now. I'm ready for more privacy when we want it. We have a nice view of our garden and the woods from my son's room, but our neighbors can see in the windows at night when we have the lights on.

I will have to use the film installed on a framework as shown in the DIY link because my windows have individual panes of glass separated by wood frame molding. So, it's not really possible to easily put film on every pane. Even if I did that, there is still the problem of air coming in around the edges of the entire window frame.

How did you put up your bubble wrap on your bathroom window? Did you use packing tape or doublesided tape or some sort of framework? See, you had no idea you were so fashion forward in your interior decorating! I'm glad to know that bubble wrap and film really do work well.

The bubble wrap installation in the link in my OP looks great. I have no idea where to get bubble wrap that wide and long. I'm sure someone is disposing of some somewhere though.

Thanks so much for the feedback.

[MADem]

5. I used duct tape to keep that bubblewrap in place--also to keep it together (I had a bunch of pieces

taped together--it wasn't real pretty, but it did the trick--I was only there for awhile, and I just didn't wanna be COLD). For the shrink wrapped windows, I put the kit over the whole window--which means I had to say goodbye to the windowsill during the cold months. That was fine, though, I slapped up those drapes and just kept 'em closed, mostly, except on a really sunny day and then I used the passive solar to help warm the place up--it really did make a difference in the warmth, these tricks. I also put a few of those "sand stoppers" here and there where I felt a draft (big long noodles of fabric filled with sand) and that helped, too.

[CottonBear]

6. What we we do without duct tape!

I might try putting large sheets of bubble wrap and then film over the entire frame and windowsill for the windows in my room. I can live without window sills for a while. Plus, I haven't recently painted the window frames in my room. Painting is on my to do list but I can wait until summer to do that. In the event of an emergency, I could just pull the film and wrap right off.

I may have to try the film on a separate wood frame method in my son's room. I don't want to damage the paint by sticking the film to the frame directly.

Sand noodles might really help too. I could make those from some thrift store fabric. A trip to my favorite local thrift store is a must for this weekend! There is a really big fabric and sewing section. I bet I could find some drapes and sturdy curtain rods, hooks and rings too. As a nice bonus, all purchases benefit a local, non-profit shelter for abused women and their children.

Thanks for the great ideas.

BTW, Here's a link to DIY durable and affordable exterior storm windows:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Modern-Homesteading/1977-11-01/Low-Cost-Storm-Windows.aspx

[northoftheborder]

7. Yes, I retrofitted a historic house with interior lucite type panels.

This house was built in 1884, and original windows had to be maintained to keep the architectural integrity of the house. And it had a LOT of windows, very loose, drafty. I can't remember the name of this product - would have to look it up, but a local man had this business franchise. It was very successful, can hardly be seen at all, even from the inside. The tall many paned, double sashed, windows were covered by a single panel of slightly flexible plastic with it's own narrow frame which snapped into an inconspicuous installed frame on the window sash. Easily removed for cleaning or opening the windows. I highly recommend it. Look in the Old House Journal online - you might find the name of the product.

[CottonBear]

8. Thank you for this great information on a unique product.

I will have to research it online. I'll post a link to any information that I find on the product. It sounds like a durable and removable solution for my storm window needs. Thanks!