Thermal Cover-ups: Part II

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COVER-UP NO. 2:
BEADBOARD PANELS

Probably the biggest "energy thief" in American homes and apartments is the sliding glass door. Happily, though, its correction is one of the simplest and least expensive home fix-its you can perform to save a few bucks on your heating bill.

All you'll need is a piece of 3/4" X 4' X 8' headboard for each glass door panel you plan to protect . . . 36 six-inch-long magnetic strips (these can be salvaged from the self-sealing gaskets in junked refrigerators) . . . and a tube of 3M Super Weatherstrip Adhesive (Part No. 08001), which can be purchased at a hardware or auto parts store. Again, spot-check to make sure the adhesive won't melt your foam before making widespread use of the product.

To make your panel, simply measure the height and width of each glass door frame—right to the outer edges—and cut the insulation boards to these dimensions. Cover not just the glass itself but as much of its aluminum casing as possible, since the metal transfers heat to the outdoors, too. Even if you own a wood-cased door, it's a good idea to cover the frame. The air space thus formed between the pane and the headboard adds to the cover's insulative effect.

Once the panel is trimmed to size (you did make snug cutouts for handles, latches, or anything else that would prevent the sheet from fitting flush against the frame, right?), go on to glue half (18) of your salvaged magnetic strips to the door's framework . . . placing six at either side of each large glass pane, plus three at the top and three at the bottom.

Next, take a soft-lead pencil and coat the face of each strip with graphite, then position the polystyrene sheet in place over the frame so that the board picks up the pencil marks at each magnet's location.

Now, using a single-edged razor or a small utility knife, cut a channel at each smudge spot and cement the remaining 18 magnetic strips so that they'll serve as mates to those on the door. Remember that, in order to make the panel fit flush against the frame, each pocket must be twice as deep as the thickness of one strip.

Your heat-stopping device is now ready to install. As with the pop-in models, you can jazz up these $10 wonders with decorative fabric, wallpaper, or a latex-based paint.

Whatever route you choose to limit the heat loss from your home's glazing, remember to store the polystyrene panels carefully during warmer weather. Don't expose the cover-ups to dampness, and set them away from high temperatures to prevent them from becoming warped. Then they'll be as good as new next year, when it's time again for those annual chores of getting in the wood, raking up the leaves . . . and putting in the thermal shades!

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