Page 6 RAIN July 1980 C INSULATION ) Thermal Shutters and Shades, by William A. Shurcliff, 238 PP~, 1980, $12.95 from: Brick House Publishing Co. Inc. 3 Main Street Andover, MA 01810 In 1977 I managed to get my hands on a bootlegged copy of the·manuscript for the original version of Thermal Shutters and Shades . I was working in a_program that 1 taught people,why and how to insulate their homes and provided them with the materials to do so. After attics and side- . walls were insulated, doors and windows weatherstripped and caulked, ancl storm insidefac • of aide va1aw• quilt pane 1"d doors and windows repaired or replaced, we got around to such innovations as) nsulated window coverings. . Shurcliff's manuscript was a gold mine of ideas and models. The new version is still that, with "over 100 schemes for re- . . ducing heat loss through windows," but he's improved his ~ppendices to include equally valuable references and lists of materials, equipment and suppliers. I have two criticisms, however. His description of the electromagn.etic spectrum and radiant h_eat loss is still too complicated (though I can't imagine a way to simplify it) and his"Conclusions"·are so important • that_I'd have suggested they be "Introductions" instead. A good example of this is his inclusion of "Priorities" in Conclusions. The "Priorities" are "the cheapest and easiest first," i.e.: 1) turn down the thermostats and dress more warmly, 2) insulate the attic or roof, 3) "stop air-l_eakage at windows, outer doors, attic and base- .ment," etc. a side valance _panel Anyone preparing to make or buy insulating covers for their windows should first read Shurcliff's "Conclusions," then his chapter on the "Economics of Shutters and Shades." Remember, too, that the economics can be greatly improved by buying materials 'in very large quantities. Start a block club to buy in bulk. Contact manufacturers·and try to get special deal_s. We found that we could get bolts of "irregular" Polarguard for much less than the retail cost. The irregularities were slight but the savings were not. -CC Movable Insulation: A Guide to Reduc- •ing Window Heat Loss_es in Your Home, by William K. Langdon, 1980, 400 pp., $9.95 paper, from: 1 Rodale Press Inc. Organic Park Emmaus, PA 18049 William Langdon admits to having the benefit of Shurcliff's early version of Thermal Shutters-·and Shades to build on, and -his own ~oq_k is an excellent partner to its model. Both books cover the basics: the economics, how to calculate heat loss (the two have different methods, Langdon's is the more traditional), the basic design criteria, the basic drawbacks of using window insulating devices, and good bibliqgraphies. left dowel han~ wooden dowel (mounted on inside ) ·1 valance panel ow side casiny A note about those drawbacks: none of the higher R factor (more insulating) rigid board type materials can be considered safe in your home regardless of manufacturer hype. Thermax, for example, is an isocyanurate foam product (similar to that used in airplanes as insulation) and when burned it gives off lethal cyanide gas. Thera tace of side valance panel) with U-shaped cutaway . wooden strip added to hold shade snug against top casing wooden strip fitted behind shade track to seal in air when shade is down optional wooden strip flttad in front of shade track to seal in air when shQ is down ½" wooden dowel to hold pull cord b frame 2½" 6" 3" Insulation rlining rr-11-;;-;.__ 2½" Figure Al·2a: Exploded views of valance and shade track. Figure Al:2b: Exploded view of shade fabric. l. OUTER AND INNER FABRIC b FIBERFILL AND VAPOR BARRIER Outer fabric and With outer fabric and outer fabric lining~----~ fiberfill tt'w,·:,;, ,r ~ ·£:::::,::~~:, C Vapor barrier and fiberfill are laid out oil too of outer fabric and lining envelope for basting. b&W,l~~=~•:,.rrMtr -- outer fabric lining are sewn lining envelope inside out, The fabric envelope with vapor barrier and fiberfill basted in place is ready to be turned right side out. together inside out. corners are trimmed, and seams are pressed back.
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