Russell Moore
Member
Does anyone know where I can obtain some clear, non biodegradable (20mm +- bubbles) bubble wrap?
I only need 20m of 750mm wide wrap to insulate some windows. Bunnings only sell the small bubble wrap, as do most storage and removalist places.
A store in Western Sydney is preferred, or an internet seller, and yes I have tried to search the net, but without success so far.
Thanks, Russell
LanceTurner
Key Master
Always check ebay, here's one supplier (50 metres rolls though): http://cgi.ebay.com.au/NEW-750mm-x-50M-meters-Bubble-Wrap-Roll-20mm-Bubbles-/310223174569?cmd=ViewItem&pt=AU_Envelopes_Bags_Boxes&hash=item483abdfba9
And these guys can cut to length: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/NEW-BUBBLE-WRAP-BUBBLEWRAP-PACKAGING-1-5M-X-3METRES-/230455175330?cmd=ViewItem&pt=AU_Envelopes_Bags_Boxes&hash=item35a832e8a2
Russell
were you able to get the 20mm bubble wrap last winter & if so, how effective did you find it? I've just done some windows this week (using small bubble size). There seem to be differing views re bubble size efficiency so am interested in your & others comments.
I need some to purchase a bit more & found this site the other day:
http://www.ozbubblewrap.com.au/bubblewrap-750mm-x-50m-roll-20mm-bubble.html
Russell Moore
Member
cw nsw, sorry I never did find a place to supply a small amount of 25mm bubble wrap, so I never bought any.
guy
Member
when i lived in sydney i tried it , the place i was living in had a huge air gap under the house. regardless it was incredibly hot inside in summer and freezing cold in winter.
i had a go bubble wrapping the windows, it did no good.
unless you can draught proof the doors and flooring no bubblewrap in the world will help you.
another thing that will help will be sunshine entering through the windows during the day.
the other thing is the fire risk, all that plastic sheeting on the windows could get risky, make sure you don't use candles around the place.
i could still feel a draught of cold air right next to the bubble wrap.
i'm guessing you are renting. you could try and insulate whole rooms, just make sure you put draught excluders under doors. if you have a plasma tv in the mix you'll end up heating the room as well.
guy, thanks for your comments - I guess there are a few people out there though who do find bubblewrap useful.
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Conservation/bubblewrap.htm
I'm having fun 'tweaking my systems' and this year will incorporate more bubblewrap into the scheme than I have previously 
Last winter I achieved a reduction of 1.74kWh/day from the previous year,(even though 2009 was milder). That reduction was in part due to improving my draught management.
Russell Moore
Member
cw nsw,
I just put up some of the 20mm bubble wrap I purchased from the company on your link.
It came in a 50m roll, 75mm in width, $65 all up. Thanks for the link.
First night with the wrap, quiet cold outside, getting down to 2ºc tomorrow morning. It does feel warmer, especially near to where I am typing this message, as I am close to a big window, now covered in the plastic wrap. The large north facing windows are still wrap free, because we need to let the sun in during the day, and it is already insulated with heavy curtains and pelmets during the night.
On one small section of a split window, I placed some wrap on the outside, if it stays put, I might try doubling up the other windows, with one layer inside, and one layer outside.
sunnymiller
Member
I checked inexpensive 'small bubble' wrap on a sliding window. In winter fixed it on inside one window and outside of the other. Results: the window with wrap outside felt quite cool to the touch; the one with wrap inside felt room temperature.
Note: As is commonly done, I fixed the wrap to the frame rather than the window, so there are 2 places with still air gaps - between the glass and the first layer of plastic then there's the bubbles and finally the second layer of plastic. So this could be seen as triple glazing.
Later I purchased a roll of 'industrial grade' bubble wrap and used it to triple glaze clerestory windows. I did this in late summer when the air in Perth was very dry. Before the bubble wrap went on, I put small packs of silica gel in the gap between glass and plastic. The effect feels the same, in winter the aluminium frames feel cooler than the bubble wrapped windows.
I intend to stick some thin wood 'veneer' to all possible aluminium in the inside, hopefully this will form a thermal break and further improve the performance.
Incidentally, after about 8 months the double-sided sticky came away from the frame at only one point about 20 mm long. This was in autumn and I just pushed it back together and for over a year now no further unsticking has happened anywhere.
We have windows elsewhere looking out to the garden etc, which have 'comfort plus' or glass double glazing but because the clerestory windows are high up it's not so important to see clearly thru them. The bubble wrap double glazing has really more of a translucent rather than transparent effect.
