Will window shrink-wrap make a noticeable difference in heating bill in house with single-paned windows

I'm curious how well the window shrink wrap really works. I moved into an older house (1927) in Lincoln, Nebraska, this summer. It's all single pane windows with a window screen and a storm window, as well. We have about 20 windows, so I'm estimating a cost for shrinkwrapping to be about $50-$100 with a couple hours of labor, too. I also just think the plastic shrinkwrap looks a little ugly, but if it'll save me more than it costs to install, it might be worth it. I've found some research just saying to replace the windows, but that's not feasible right now.

Best Answer

You will almost certainly save $100 on your heating costs by using film, assuming you install it well and stop drafts through the window seals. It may also make the home feel more comfortable, which can be the primary benefit.

Also, properly installed film is virtually invisible. You hardly know it's there.

In my former home here in Minnesota we put the tape on the face of the casing, applied the film, shrunk it, then trimmed the edges close to the tape. My wife usually did the job and could do it in a few hours. It was a no-brainer for us even with storm windows over the single-pane double-hung units from the 1950s.