［Unit Project 2］Measures against cold winter

How are you doing in winter? What do you think about winter in Niigata? I think winter in Niigata is very cold with a lot of snow and strong wind. I have lived and experienced the cold in Niigata. Also, many people use a heater with high temperature, and they usually pay high electric bills in winter.

I have a good idea that will help you from these problems! The idea is way of making warm room by improving window and doesn't use more electricity. My mother told me it when I feel cold last fall. She likes doing "DIY" means to make or build something by myself, so she knew good way that I make by myself. It was easy to improve the window and I could do it by myself as well. I always feel warm in my room that is improved the window and it helps me in winter. 

Therefore, I'd like to introduce this way to you who will spend the winter in Niigata.

You will need: 

・One pair of "Dannnetsu curtain liner" which is insulation curtains made of vinyl: 225 cm length and 100 cm width (to keep warm air inside room)

・"Attaka board" which is polyethylene foam board: 57 cm height, 200 cm width and 8 mm thick (to prevent cold air in through window)

・Insulation tape: 2 mm thick, 16 mm width and 7 m length (to prevent condensation on window frames and increase heating effect)

・3.5 m measuring tape (if don't have, use a ruler)

・Scissors

・Memo pad

・Pencil

・Step stool

(If window size is about 195 cm height 155 cm width)

("Insulation" means that prevent cold air going into a room and don't lose warm air in a room) ("Condensation" means that water drops which are usually made on window because warm air in a room becomes cool by cold air of outside)

1. First of all, measure size of window's height and width by using the measuring tape or the ruler, and understand the size. (Making note of it on the memo pad by using the pencil is good to understand it.)

2. After understand the size, prepare the insulation tape, the insulation curtains and the polyethylene foam board that match the size for the window, for example, going shopping to get them in a home improvement store. Then, start to make winter version of window to keep warm in a room. 

3. First, put the insulation tape on bottom of window frames that become low temperature while fitting width of the window frames, and cut end of the insulation tape with the scissors. Then, put on the several insulation tapes to cover all surfaces to the bottom of the window frames.

4. Next, remove lace curtains that have been hung already together with hooks to ready for hanging the insulation curtains. (Using the step stool is helpful when it is hard to remove)

5. After remove the lace curtains, leave the hooks are attached to the lace curtains, and hang all holes of the insulation curtains to the hooks. 

6. When ready for hanging the insulation curtains with the lace curtains, hang the all hooks with the two curtains to curtain track rollers which were hanging the lace curtains before step 4. Then, close the insulation curtains and lace curtains. 

7. After hang the insulation curtains and the lace curtains, adjust bottom of the insulation curtains to touch about 15cm of the bottom on floor by using the palm of hand like stretching it.

 

8. Finally, set up the polyethylene foam board between the lace curtains and blackout curtains like wall. Then, adjust length of it by folding and stretching if it is big or small for the window’s width. 

In this way, our room having well insulation makes it difficult for warm air in a room to escape outside and cold air to come into inside room from outside. Also, even if you use a heater, you can use it with appropriate temperature that is not too high and Ministry of the Environment (Japan) promotes 20℃ in winter. You can save electricity. The winter version of the window helps us, and we can help environment as well. 

If you improve window to make warm room, you can choose the one of the polyethylene foam board that matches your room. There are various colors and patterns of it in home improvement stores, 100 Yen shop and online. For example, my room is basically white and beige, so I have been using the polyethylene foam board of beige to match. I recommend this idea. 

Please try to make warm room by my way! You will definitely live comfortable in winter.