Window and door treatments

Diagram of effectiveness of curtains
Diagram of how window coverings work.

Any door or window with access to outside should have any drafts sealed up. There are many options to cover your windows and doors and help keep the heat out and the warmth in.

Draft stoppers

Effective seals around doors and windows are a really good start. This is something that can be done for any rental property

Older style houses often have issues with drafts under doors. You can make door snakes to fit the space. Filled with clean sand, you can make them as big as you need and they won’t move. 

Door snake in front of door to keep drafts

Window Covering Alternatives

Bubble wrap is a very cheap and effective way of insulating windows that are not used frequently or if you are in a rental. Just spray the window with water and apply the wrap with the flat side to the window.

Bubblewrap being used as insulation on a window

Hanging a piece of fleece, blanket or duvet over a curtain railing over a are also a great form of insulation. 

Hanging fleece in front of a window

Blinds are another form of window covering. Honeycomb blinds are the most effective but you can add another layer to what you have to keep the warmth in.

Honeycomb blind hanging down
Honeycomb blind.

Curtains

There are many options when it comes to making curtains. The most effective have multiple layers with thermal backing material and a pelmet. If you don’t have a pelmet then having your curtains reaching the ground will stop the air flow. Don’t forget doors with glass as these need to have some form of covering too. You can also use curtains to close off rooms when you don’t have a door. This means you are only heating the area you are using.

Curtain used to closed off part of a room
Using curtains hung across the ceiling to reduce the size of a room.
Door with curtains on glass panes and home made door curtain
Door curtains can be used to cover the whole door or you can put curtains on the glass panels.

Curtain blankets are another option for windows and doors. You can instructions on how to make one at  How to Make a Window Blanket