So? Don't Sit by the Window!

Sunny windows feel good at my house. I bask like a cat in my sunny addition, with skylights overhead, sliding glass door and big windows on two walls. And then the sun goes down, too soon on these winter days, and the fun is over. Windows feel cold, not because they're drafty, but because of radiant losses, which make me want to turn the heat up. Higher temperatures aren't really the answer, though. The same transmitting properties of glass that make it a great solar energy collector also allow my body heat to radiate through it to the outside at night. I can put on a sweater or a "fleecy" vest, but any exposed skin feels cold when i'm near the glass.

How do you turn a window into a wall? And back again the next day, when the sun is streaming through those windows and warming the room? Relax. It's not magic, and it's doesn't have to break the bank. You can do it on a grand scale, with motor-driven insulated shades, blinds or curtains; or you can get out your old machine and have a go at sewing them yourself. And if you don't have much money or much time or much artistic shizzle and if you bleed when you think of sewing, you can cover your windows seasonally with shrink film and declare a moral victory. It's ok. You don't have to be Martha, or even Bob Vila to win at this energy game. We'll be back soon to go into detail on these options.