Don’t glaze over. Windows and skylights are all about getting light into your house but they can also create a hothouse in summer and an ice-box in winter. Try these GIY projects.
If you want to keep your house cool in summer without cranking up the energy-hungry cooling you have got to stop the sun hitting the glass. Here's a cheap way that works.
Trickiness rating: EASY
Windows are the weakesk link (thermally speaking) in the average house. They cause more heat gain and loss than any other area of your home - even when they're closed.
To stop this you have to insulate them - double glazing, heavy curtains or some form of secondary glazing that traps a layer of still air. In this GIY project we insulate a timber sash window with a plastic film called Clear Comfort (this is an Australian product but there are a wide range of similar and cheaper products available in the US).
It is affordable (between $5 and 12/m2 depending on the brand), easy to install and really makes a difference.
Trickiness rating: EASY