Improve Your Single-Pane Windows' Insulation With Window Treatments This Winter

Single-pane windows are notorious for being poor insulators, because nothing except a thin layer of glass separates the air outside from the air inside. According to USwitch, up to 20 percent of a home's heat can be lost through single-pane windows. Double- and triple-paned windows are much better at keeping warm air inside during the winter (and outside during the summer), but they're expensive to install. If your home has single-pane windows, and you can't afford to upgrade them to double- or triple-pane windows, you can create a similar insulating effect by installing window treatments over your windows.

How Double- and Triple-Pane Windows Work

Double- and triple-pane windows are provide more insulation than single-pane windows, because double- and triple-pane models trap air between their layers of glass. When heat escapes during the winter, it travels through at least two layers of glass and one layer of air before it gets out of the house.

Mimic a Double-Pane Window by Trapping a Layer of Air

You can mimic a double-pane window by installing a window treatment that will trap a layer of air between your single-pane windows and a window treatment. While blinds, curtains and shutters will trap some air when they are closed, shades are the best choice for this purpose. Blinds and shutters have little spaces between their slats that will let some air through, thus reducing how much they trap against the window. Curtains don't provide as tight a seal, as they are loose and flowing.

When installing shades to improve insulation, you should look for shades that are as wide as will fit inside your windows' frames. This way, the airflow around the sides of the shades will be minimized. Additionally, placing shades as close to windows will further reduce airflow.

There are two types of shades that are particularly effective at insulating against heat loss during the winter. First, dual shades, which have a reflective white side and a heat-absorbing black side, can be turned so that the black side faces out during the colder months and absorbs sunlight. (In the summer, these shades can be reversed so that the white side reflects the sunlight and reduces solar heat gain.) Second, quilted roller shades have multiple layers of fabric that help trap air in the fabric itself.

Mimic a Triple-Pane Window by Adding Curtains

Curtains, as mentioned, don't trap air as well as shades do. Curtains do provide some insulation, though, and they can be used along with shades to create a triple-pane-window-like effect. Just as the three panes of glass in triple-pane windows create two air pockets, air is trapped between the curtains and the shades, and between the shades and the windows when both treatments are installed on windows.

As with shades, the gaps around curtains should be as small as possible so that airflow behind them is minimized. To do this, you can do the following

• select curtains that are at least wide enough to easily overlap your window frame when closed
• use curtains that graze either the window sill or floor
• make sure there isn't a gap between the curtains when they're closed

Additionally, curtains made of heavier fabric will provide better insulation than ones made with lighter fabric, such as sheer curtains. Heavier curtains often cost more, though, so the increase comes with a financial trade off. You'll have to determine what curtains you can afford based on your budget.

As winter worsens and cold temperatures set in, prevent your home from losing up to 20 percent of its heat through single-pane windows. You may not have the budget for replacing each window, but you can create a similar insulating effect by putting up window coverings like shades and curtains—and you can even install them yourself. These window treatments can be installed for very little if you're on a budget, and they'll save you money every time it's cold outside.