Uses for Mylar Emergency/Space Blankets

[Shamrock1121]

Those inexpensive Emergency/Space Blankets made out of a thin layer of Mylar, found in the camping department (around 99 cents each), have a lot of uses. Please add your's....

-Karen

1. The obvious... I've got them tucked away in the glove box of each vehicle, the 72-hour kit, etc.

2. I used them as the vapor barrier layer when I made insulated window quilts for another home we lived in.

For a how-to: http://learningstore.uwex.edu/pdf/B3064.pdf

3. I read recently that you can tape a cut-to-fit sheet of these blankets to a window to reflect the heat during the summer. I wondered if it could also be applied with water with a drop or two of soap in it (spritzed on the window) and a squeege to smooth it out, like the expensive solar window shade material sold in rolls at home improvement stores for application to windows?

[Katrina-Sisu]

My grandma used to put one of those metallic sun visors for your car under her matress pad when she slept. It reflected her warmth back to her and she didn't need the heating on so much.

Maybe that would work for the space blankets too?

Kat

[Gracie]

Hi Karen, That sounds like a plan :) Have never tried anything like that, but, wonder what would happen if you use a window for a 'trial-run', using a smallish square of the mylar using the tape, and another strip on another spot of same window using your soap solution and squeege, also, any other way you might think would work. Then see which works the best. You know, you have me wondering how this could work for insulating during the winter months. Please, would you post how this turns out. Gracie

[Shamrock1121]

Hi Karen, That sounds like a plan * :) *Have never tried anything like that, but, wonder what would happen if you use a window for a 'trial-run', using a smallish square of the mylar using the tape, and another strip on another spot of same window using your soap solution and squeege, also, any other way you might think would work. *Then see which works the best. *You know, you have me wondering how this could work for insulating during the winter months. Please, would you post how this turns out. *Gracie

Gracie -

Years ago in another home we lived in, we put the reflective solar film on windows on the west side of our house with pretty good results to help keep the heat out of the house. That's why I thought the water application might work, rather than using tape.

If you have south-facing windows, you WANT the passive solar (warming) from the sun in the winter, so you want to take off the solar blanket covering in the fall/winter/spring.

We replaced our window screens last year with solar screen that blocks 80% of the UV rays, so I don't think using the space blankets on our windows would be all that beneficial. I also have energy efficient honeycomb Levolor blinds on the windows and have bubble wrap on most of the windows from last winter. We decided not to take it off windows we keep covered with blinds in rooms that are rarely used....

So if you are looking for something inexpensive for insulation in the winter, bubble wrap is a good option.
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Conservation/bubblewrap.htm.

-Karen

[Gracie]

Hi Karen, I certainly do appreciate your suggestions and web sites for insulating windows, as could actually use them in our home. It was an older home when I was a little girl, and we've been here many a moon :). Gracie

[TheUnboundOne]

Dear Shamrock1121,

There must be something to mind-reading, because I have done this since 2003 when I moved into my apartment and it works both for reflecting heat in the Summer and for keeping in heat during the Winter...and it serves as a tin-foil beanie for the house.

;D

[Maranna]

I have a 20+ year old dog and she's always cold no matter what time of the year, I"ve been thinking about using one of those emergency blankets under her blanket, maybe the heat would reflect back and kep her warmer.

[garybail]

i covered one side with duct tape and use it as a lean too for winter camping
also in boots during winter hikes and ice fishing

[Paw_Paw_Drew]

You can also put it over an ice chest to reflect some of sun off it and help keep it cooler when camping or on a picnic.