Clear Comfort Intelligent Insultation stick on double glazing?

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Clear Comfort Intelligent Insultation stick on double glazing?

(7 posts) (6 voices)

Started 4 years ago by PeterLane
Latest reply from cool at home

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PeterLane
Member

Hello Everyone

Firstly great to see the forum up and running! I moderate on a property site and am active on a diet site so I can say from experience this format is invaluable for sharing knowledge and will help boost our ATA membership via the promotion.

My question is has anyone used or has experience of the Clear Comfort Intelligent Insulation stick on double glazing product? Interested in performance, ease and durability.

The site is http://www.clearcomfort.com.au/index.htm

Essentially you fix a clear plastic file to an existing window and then heats shrink it tight. The trapped air provides insulation.

Site claims costs comparison as Double-glazing a conventional window costs $489, while the same window treated with Clear Comfort insulating membrane costs $24 (however this assumes no labor cost and that you are doing it yourself).

Energy savings are harder to compare, the site states independent checks says 11% better for cooling, 17% better for heating,, 12% less interior fading and five start rating.

I am interested as I have new home to be built adjacent to another heritage home as I am going to use heritage recycled windows ( double hung timber) and virtually no double glazed windows exist of this vintage to buy.

Naturally I am cynical of company claims but it meets my needs so I am keen for independent opinion or experience. Potential issues I see are:

Durability of the film against damage such as tears (I have 3 year old girl), regular cleaning and long term life/yellowing.

Appearance, does it look ok or like you have put glad wrap over your windows?

And does it actually make a significant difference as opposed to a good set of curtains or the more expensive option of actually fitting a second pane of real glass.

Thanks for reading and all feedback (no matter how minimal) is welcome. Product has been around for while so I hope there are some out there with a comment. The site mentions a member Michael Linke, Melbourne VIC as a reference. Is Michael still active?

Lastly if you want like to keep your opinions confidential please feel free to email me.

Regards Peter

Posted Thursday 8 May 2008 @ 2:49:54 am from IP #
ghostgum
Member

This was used on the ABC TV Carbon Cops show.
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/carboncops/facts.htm
Episode 3 - The Renters

If you do need to buy new glass for the window frames, then you can choose glass that has better insulating properties.

Film coatings on the surface may be slightly better than the original glass.

You might still be able to get double glazing done on the frames, but using thin glass and a smaller air gap may make it less effective. Our house has 4mm glass / 8mm gap / 4mm glass in Aluminium frames. It just uses thinner rubber packing between the glass and the frame than if you had single glazing.

Posted Friday 9 May 2008 @ 4:14:22 am from IP #
PeterLane
Member

Thanks Ghostgum.

Since my post I have investigate dand found some comment overseas gives it wrap but notes some limitations. So I am considered adding another pane of glass as well as I got the windows on Ebay at a very good price so I can afford to retrofit to double glazing.

Must look significantly better. I aksed Clear Comfort for pic of the final product stating because the ones on the website are too small to which they replied go to the website?!? I would have thought if it isso good ( they claim almost clear) they would have clear pic of before and after?

Thanks Peter

Posted Friday 9 May 2008 @ 11:48:41 pm from IP #
Roger
Member

Hi Peter,

I bought a sample pack from Clear Comfort. I havent tested it as yet, but it is enough to do a small window so you can see what the finish is like before buying enough for the entire house.

Given its price, it's worth testing but given its nature I think its application is limited to windows that dont get regular use etc. You might want to consider a combination of solutions.

Roger

Posted Wednesday 11 Jun 2008 @ 1:24:27 am from IP #
Lisa Lozano
Member

What did you do?
Have you tried magnetite magnetically seals a pane of glass to your existing window.

regards
AKA Simmo

Posted Wednesday 10 Feb 2010 @ 11:25:32 am from IP #
Buzzman
Member

Peter
If you are contemplating fitting double-glazing into older verticl-sliding sash windows, depedning on the thickness of the sash frames themselves, you may be ablt to router out the rebate for the glass up to around 10mm.
As the existing rebate should be 10-12mm that ought to give you enough for standard 16mm double-glazed panes (4mm glass X 2 + 8mm spacer).
To clarify, you would router out the rebate front to back.
This should not appreciably weaken the strength of the window sash.
It's an option.
Cheers
Buzzook
PS: If your handyman skills don't reach to this level (it is a precision job) you could have the sash frames bead-blasted or soda-blasted to remove old paint and take the cleaned frames to a joinery shop and have them do it for a reasonable cost.

Posted Thursday 11 Feb 2010 @ 4:29:31 am from IP #
cool at home
Member

I've been impressed with Magnetite (with whom I have NO financial or personal relationship.... for the record) and it is much cheaper that double glazing. Great impacts on sound reduction too. Can we installed on timber or aluminimum frames - not to everyone's taste but have used it twice on properties and residents have been very happy.

Posted Sunday 14 Feb 2010 @ 12:50:19 pm from IP #

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