Budget Solar Retrofitting

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Purchase some high-quality caulk (latex, silicone or one component urethane as appropriate) and relentlessly pursue a crack-sealing mission. It is one of the most effective expenditures you'll ever make. Don't overdo it; more isn't necessarily better, just be sure the caulk makes it well into the confines of the small crack or space to be sealed. Heating the tube in warm water to 100-110°F often helps its flow rate. Use an old sock with a hole in its toe to cover the tube to keep it warm. Gaps wider than 3/16" - 1/4" should be sealed with a one-component spray foam.

Fifth: Tackle the reduction of heating and cooling costs that are beyond the obvious tune-art, of your mechanical equipment and major exterior gaps. A start is to follow the common regimen used earlier in the century of closing drapes and curtains to exclude heat or cold. More to the point is a reduction of solar gain in summer which can be at its peak after 2 pm through southwesterly or western windows. Fortunately, the awning industry has returned in most parts of our land and the outside application of shading combined with the use of a whole house fan getting its air from the non-sunny side, can go a long way toward naturally cooling your space. Daily reductions of 8-10°F are easily possible with just this method. A large maple tree planted in the appropriate western space can be nearly as effective. It is best to manage energy gains or losses on the surface you are trying to control. While outside devices work best for excluding summer's heat, inside insulation work best to keep heat in.

Consider insulating the inside of some of your non-sunny windows. It may be possible to forgo a few windows (in a closet or seldom-used room) for the winter. An inexpensive all-season insulation can be a piece of 1/2-1" rigid foam, tightly fitted inside the window, and left from Nov.-March. This same foam can be backed with a thin piece of old paneling or plywood and covered with cloth to be made more attractive; or if you feel the sacrifice of the window would be too drastic, then install the foam on Sunday night and remove it Saturday morning, or use it on a nightly basis. If you are keen to combine recycling with budget retrofitting, you could use "bubble-pack" or "foam packing peanuts," to loosely fill plastic bags. Use the bags as fillers between the storm window or door and the main unit. Remember not to violate proper fire exit routes in the process, and keep in mind that many of these materials are flammable. In order to install inside window insulation, you'll need to do better than the typical drape, curtain or shade of the past. The modern approach must involve a device that is sealed at all edges, as one of the most important part of the insulation package is the air trapped between the device and the window.

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