insulating single glazed windows?

[tiredoffreezing]

Hi,

I just asked about the heating in another forum here but that made me realize I could actually use some advice with the window insulation as well.

We were thinking of trying to insulate the windows with something removable like these draught excluder foamy things, but I am not sure that that would actually work with sash windows? Is there something I could temporarily somehow attach to the windows that stops the draft coming through between the frame and actual window? (They're wooden and not all of them actually open since some strings are broken and haven't been fixed yet).

There are also a few other windows that only have a small upper part that opens, the rest is just static. One of the frames is metal (why??) and incredibly cold. I assume that the draught excluder thing could work with these windows, though.

But basically, what can I get to insulate these temporarily? And what would that be called so I know what to look for?

 

[AronSearle]

If you insulate them from the inside, then condensation could occur on the back of the insulation as the frame and glass will be much colder.

 

[tiredoffreezing]

Thanks for the reply, but it's not really bringing me much further, unfortunately. I definitely gotta do something, and the way it is at the moment is that the windows are completely covered with condensed water each morning. So any improvement would be good.

I got some foil called "thermo cover" to simulate double glazing which isn't bad. Haven't managed to put it up on all the windows yet and with some it works better than with others due to the frame etc., but the one where it worked best is completely condensation free in the mornings now. And while attaching the last bit of foil I could feel the draft coming through the closed window quite heavily. So that's an improvement, but I wonder if there's not something else I could put around where the frame and window close in order to reduce the draft in the first place before it reaches the foil. I assume that would help it even more. But I'm not sure what to look for?

 

[Rad1o]

When we moved into our house we had some windows like yours.
I guess a room has been pantry in the past with a drafty metal frame in a wooden frame. I took the metal frame out and siliconed a sealed DG unit in.
Some windows with single panes - mainly leaded windows we did not want to loose - I put a thin DG unit in front on the inside and sealed the whole thing in and put a thin wooden trim on to make it look like part of the window.
On some of the bespoke joiner made top openers I put another single pane in from the inside. It felt warmer but moisture got in through the frame and we had condensation between the panes.

Eventually we replaced them all with triple glazed timber /aluclad inside tilt and turn windows. What an improvement. I would ditch the sash windows. They are ancient.