Window Insulation Film UK


Fixing Instructions Back to: Ordering Information


Window Insulation Film - Unpacking and handling

The film is very thin and easily damaged by hard objects. When unpacking do not use a knife to slit the package open because the film is likely to be cut.
It is advisable to lay the film on a soft surface (eg. old carpet) when cutting to size.

Window Insulation Film - Storage

It is VERY IMPORTANT to store the film in a location where it will not be exposed to direct sunlight or radiators because the rise in temperature can be sufficient to cause some premature shrinkage.

Window Insulation Film - Separation

The film is supplied centre folded with a width of 0.8M or 1.0M and it opens out to 1.6M or 2.0M after separation. The film is tightly stuck together because of static and is tricky to separate.
Choose the side which is 0.8M (or 1.0M) wide and start the separation process at the middle point.
Moisten thumb and fingers and rub the edge of the film between them until it separates.
(This can take a minute or two and you will notice that the friction increases until the film separates.) The folded edge can be recognised because it is a bit crinkly when the film is laid flat.
Another way to separate is to use two pieces of sticky tape about 3 inches long.
Make a tab on each piece by folding back the last half an inch on itself.
Stick them to opposite faces of the film and crossing the shortest side at a right angle.
Rub down the tape so that it sticks firmly. Then pull apart.
Do not separate the film completely until you are ready for installation
(see step 7) because the inside surfaces facing the glass will attract dust and the dust will get enclosed.

Choice of Double Sided Tape

If you are providing your own tape choose a tape with good shear resistance eg. builders tape. Most of the cheap tapes in the local shops are designed for stationery and will not give good results. If the frame is wide enough use 25mm tape if available because the film will be less likely to pull off when shrinking.

Materials / Tools Needed for installation

1) A cloth and a roll of paper kitchen towels ( for wiping dry and rubbing down)
2) A snap off knife for cutting and trimming
3) A penknife is useful for lifting the corner of the adhesive tape backing paper
4) A hair drier for shrinking the film
5) An electric fan heater is useful for drying out the frame. The hair dryer can be used but it takes much longer and is not as effective
6) A roll of 25mm cheap sticky tape (for testing the adhesion and frame moisture)
The double sided tape can be used but it is more expensive

Initial preparation

1) If you are doing several windows its a good idea to do the first one as a test and leave it for a day or two to check that the film does not detach.

2) If possible choose a day when the weather ouside is not too cold because this will reduce the rate of condensation. After wiping off the frame using the cloth the window and frame should be warmed using a small electric fan heater for about 30 minutes at a safe distance (about 6 feet). If you are using the fan heater with an extension cable make sure the drum is fully unwound to avoid overheating. It is much more difficult to remove the moisture from metal framed windows because the cold metal attracts fresh moisture very quickly. Metal frames must be smooth and any rust blisters need to be sanded off.

3) Grease should be removed by wiping using a kitchen towel and some meths or white spirit.

4) Continue wiping using the kitchen towels. You can tell when the moisture has been removed because the paper towel remains stiff instead of going limp.

Tape Adhesion Testing ( very important )

The film is more difficult to install in winter because moisture condenses on the frame and destroys the adhesion of the tape which causes the film to detach.

Choose a painted interior door frame as a standard for comparison.
Wipe a section with a paper towel to remove dust.
Stick a small length ( about 4 inches) of ordinary single sided sticky tape tape onto the frame and rub it down. Notice how the tape pulls off very easily. This is because of moisture, dirt and grease on the frame.
Inspect the surface of the tape. Notice the dirt and grease which has been pulled off the frame.
Wipe off the frame with a paper towel and clean with meths or white spirit.
Warm up the section of frame with a hair dryer and stick on a fresh piece of tape while the frame is still warm. Then pull on the tape. Notice how the tape sticks much better when there is no moisture. The tape should make a buzzing sound similar to the sound it makes when you pull it off the roll.

Window Insulation Film - Fixing

1) The frame should be cleaned with meths or white spirit to remove grease and dried out using the fan heater. Pay special attention to the lower corners and warm them up with the hair drier. The corners are important because they are the points of maximum tension and because moisture accumulates in the cracks at the joins. Often there is rough or loose paintwork in the corners which must be removed.

Lay a line of ordinary sticky tape along the bottom edge of the window, rub down and then pull it off. This will remove any residual dirt and loose paintwork and prove whether the frame is sufficiently dry to continue. The amount of pull resistance should be as good as the trial on the door frame which you did earlier. This might seem wasteful of tape but single sided tape only costs about 50p per roll and it does prove that the frame is clean and dry.

The adhesion test should be carried out on each side of the frame immediately before applying the double sided tape. This is because fresh moisture from your breath will condense on the frame while you are working.

2) After testing the adhesion run the hair drier slowly along each frame edge to warm it up then quickly apply the double sided tape to the same position. (This reduces the time available for fresh moisture to condense)
Repeat for each side in turn. Be careful not to touch the sticky side with your fingers because this creates a layer of grease which reduces the adhesion.

3) After applying the tape rub it down using as much pressure as possible.

4) Remove the backing from the top piece and about six inches from each side piece at the top end.

5) Cut the window insulation film allowing a couple of inches margin all the way round.
Its a good idea to cut the film to an accurate right angle so that the overlap remains the same width all the way down the window. Otherwise you can run out of overlap near the bottom of the frame.

6) Start to separate the two layers of the film.

7) Separate the first 12 inches along the entire width of the window.
Leave the remainder of the film stuck together.

8) Present the window insulation film to the top of the frame so that the two inside surfaces face the window (The outer surfaces of the film will be dusty so these need to face the inside of the room so the dust can be wiped off)
Attach the film using very little pressure so you can pull it off to make adjustments.
Allow about two inches of margin and check that the margin is the same width all the way along the top.

9) Be careful not to let the film touch the adhesive tape until you are ready.
It sticks to the film very strongly.

10) Do not pull the film tight. Just concentrate on avoiding creases crossing the line of tape.

11) Peel off another six inches from each side and gradually work side to side down the window.

12) Peel off the last few inches and the bottom tape while holding the film away from the tape with the other hand. Attach the bottom of the film.

13) Carefully rub down the film onto the tape all the way round. Do not use a hard object.

14) Trim the excess film with a snap-off knife. Care is needed because the film can tear across the line of the tape.

15) A hair dryer is used to remove wrinkles. Start in the corners and work towards the centre. Some people use the electric fan heater to speed things up but obviously this cannot be recommended because it could be dangerous.

Any questions ?

Please Contact Us or phone 01270 876196 (open evenings and weekends)

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