Happy Birthday, Mom Royuk!! She’s our ‘between’ birthday girl!
Ok, I’ve been keeping this topic secret for awhile, but I’m ready to come out in the open with it. My obsession with temperature has reached a new level. A couple of weeks ago I started to put that shrink-with-a-hair-dryer plastic sheeting on the windows at the top of the stairs. I finished one window, then got out the handy-dandy thermometer to check the difference between a plastic-covered window and a regular window. I wanted to feel the satisfaction of stopping the heat in the house from leaking outside.
Guess what? No difference. None. Exactly the same temperature as the other windows. I felt betrayed!!!! Sure, if the window is drafty, the plastic will stop the air from moving, but we don’t have such drafty windows. This problem required some thought.
You should know that I’m not a fan of curtains. The only curtains we have are the ones in the living room that came with the house. I’ve read about how having heavy drapes that seal off the windows can stop heat loss, but I wasn’t about to go out and spend money on curtains. So…. here’s the first test window.
Yes, that’s a comforter. Can you say ‘trashy’? Laugh all you want, but it’s for science, not for beauty. This ugly thing is currently blocking sixteen degrees from leaving the bedroom. Cozy warm side:
Here’s the reading behind the curtain… er, comforter:
So, in conclusion: Get curtains for the winter!. I have other windows in various stages of experimentation (pictures available upon request), but even having regular curtains (or ‘towels’) on a window can make a significant difference. Block the gaps at the top & bottom, it’s even more efficient!
I’m glad that Lloyd hasn’t kicked me out yet. I’m also glad that we don’t have people dropping by that would judge me by my window coverings. It’s good that I’m going crazy now while I can still enjoy it.
A comforter for you window? Would that be called a Womforter?
Lauren-You’re not going crazy … you’re just getting old … these are the things old people do for fun … just wait ’til 40+ … then the things we do for fun really gets going! I’d share, but I want you to be surprised.
BTW: I think your womforter looks quite nice in the window, but some younger people might think you’re senile if they catch you sleeping with no covers while your blanket is in the window.
Do you think it’s a little dangerous to make your room into an absolute lightless cavern? I mean, you people have narcoleptic tendencies already! Won’t this just aggravate the issue?
Temperature obsessions.
Curtain aversions.
Now, light avoidance?
*sigh*
Surprisingly, a fair amount of light comes through the comforter! (Absolutely no light comes through the dark blue towels in one of the experimental rooms.)
Will you have a Superman womforter for Brad’s room when he comes to visit?
This craziness can also be explained with being poor. When I was first out of college and couldn’t afford curtains for my first apartment, I found an old Strawberry Shortcake sheet that I hung in my window. I can only imagine what the neighbors thought… See, your womforter with snowflakes isn’t so bad.
I want to know why the plastic didn’t work better. More experimentation, please.
We’re trying to help her, not encourage her.
You’re supposed to encourage creativity! Help should only come when I’m creative enough for the nuthouse.
I think Kristi needs to share her experience with plastic on her windows in Minnesota. If she doesn’t, I will.
Go ahead; you’re a much better storyteller than I. Remember, folks, Deborah doesn’t embellish; she only tells the facts. After that, we can share the recycling story.
I’ll keep it short. Kristi wanted my help putting up the plastic in one of her windows because it was incredibly drafty. So I went to her apartment to help, checked out the window, and fixed the problem by CLOSING the window. HA!
Brilliant!