best way to seal windows to save energy this winter?

[phatj]

I bought a roll of thick plastic sheeting from home depot. It was next to the kits that you shrink with a blow dryer. I bought a big roll of plstic sheeting instead because it was thicker by 1.5 mm and you get more of it for the same price.

So what's the best way of applying these to the windows in my apartment? Just staples to the window frame?

 

[Colt45]

double tape it then shrink i think?

but if you bought just straight poly it wont shrink, and will look like ******.

 

[SagaLore]

I would have gone with the thinner plastic that shrinks when you heat it. Its not the plastic that is insulating your windows, but rather the air it traps inside.

 

[chusteczka]

double-sided tape.

A proper seal at the bottom is more important than a proper seal at the top.
This is because an improper seal at the bottom will allow cold air from the window to fall into the room while an improper seal at the top will allow warm air from the window to rise into the room. The purpose of the plastic sheeting is to prevent the window from cooling the inside air and making the room cold.

 

[Tweak155]

I just did the heat-shrink, double sided tape method. It works pretty well.