exterior insulated shutters..

kenora · 03-05-14, 11:45 AM

I came across a great article by a Finnish gentleman (can't recall just name) he uses removable insulated shutter on the exterior of his AK net zero home.
it looks like an easy way to insulate my windows.
I am away for weeks at a time in the winter and hate knowing my windows are leaking heat into the -30c atmosphere.
I want them to be easy to install and remove. . I wad thinking a hook and eye system for the top to hang on and s latch of some kind on the bottom..
planning on r20 xps and 1/2 inch plywood frames.
Any other ideas?
..

ecomodded · 03-05-14, 12:24 PM

Here's a idea for you - hinge your insulated fitted shutters so they can be easily swung closed / swung open. you may find that in the long winters month nights you can use them while your on site in cold weather.

Either way putting them up and down would be easier.

added a few more thoughts for the construction.

I would try to make them as lite as possible, 1/8 inch plywood double layer for the hinge & clasps areas. mount them on a strip screwed or otherwise fastened to the house just outside the window frame, to provide full coverage of the opening.

One shutter per window would give a seamless as possible coverage, although at the cost of esthetics, a split shutter with a good seal may be little harder to construct but will be more traditional and pleasing to the eye. Although if I was in a very cold place I would go with 1 shutter per window and count myself smart not pretty..

ecomodded · 03-06-14, 02:40 PM

Or .. more like you were thinking.. i think.. Make a rigid foam insert that you store when not needed then pops into the window frame, being secured by a latch. Skin it with 1/8" plywood possible 1/16 inch plywood if you can find it..

kenora · 03-06-14, 04:16 PM

I'm building a "test" model this week.. going to start with 3" of EPS, 1 1/2" that fits inside the brick mold bonded to 1 1/2" that overlaps the brick mold. 3/8" plywood box frame with some unknown as yet covering on the exterior (something cheap, light and Wx resistant).

Mikesolar · 03-07-14, 06:43 AM

EPS has a much lower embodied energy than XPS and is much cheaper so that is good. Check in with any insulated steel door makers that may be in the area (I know, you are in Kenora), as they may have window cutouts that can be used.

There are a lot of houses in Germany that have these shutters on little rollers like the barn door type which they latch from the inside. Of course, they don't often use casements that swing outside either.

buteman · 04-11-14, 02:27 AM

I know you say you are fitting them on the outside but just a thought about putting them on the inside.
If you do only want then while you are not staying there then fitting them on the inside would have the advantage that they do not have to be weather proof.
Also fitting might be just a matter of having holes drilled in the side walls of the window, putting the shutter in place and inserting pegs into the holes to hold them in place.
Of course you could still use them at night while you are there anyway.
Let us know what your results are, it's got me thinking about doing this myself now. It might not get that cold here in Scotland but energy costs are soaring so it could be a good saving.

kenora · 04-11-14, 10:34 AM

Thanks for the input...

I am committed to the exterior side since (at least in this bitterly cold climate) putting them inside (I have in the recent past) results in HUGE condensation issues since it insulated the inside glass pane from the room air... the inside glass pane (usually warm) gets VERY COLD and the inside moist air condenses and causes huge ice buildup.

So outside it goes.

I have already built the Mark 1 shutter and have yet to hang it;

I learned from that experience and will change some things...
Mark 1 is framed in 3/8" plywood with 3" EPS and that's its pretty heavy at 22 lbs and that's for my smallest window (37" W X 54" H) those are outside measurements at the brick mold).
Built as a single panel it uses the same 37" of wall space beside the window in the retracted/stored position. That added the complication of getting my wife's approval (again) since the inside surface when on the window is now displayed to the world when stored.

I am going to modify it to what I hope is a more suitable design (for my wife)...

that is a vertical folding shutter, hinged at the very top and mid line so that it acts as both a shutter when closed and an awning when opened.

There is a bit more design work to do but it will work and look better..

Daox · 04-11-14, 10:40 AM

Good stuff Kenora. Can you post some pictures to show better how it was constructed?

kenora · 04-11-14, 10:54 AM

K...soon as its built

ecomodded · 04-11-14, 12:48 PM

Using the thinnest lightest wood or material you can for framing and skinning will help keep the weight down which should be paramount to the design.

03-05-14, 11:45 AM	#1
kenora Lurking Renovator Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Kenora, ON Canada Posts: 26 Thanks: 21 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	exterior insulated shutters.. I came across a great article by a Finnish gentleman (can't recall just name) he uses removable insulated shutter on the exterior of his AK net zero home. it looks like an easy way to insulate my windows. I am away for weeks at a time in the winter and hate knowing my windows are leaking heat into the -30c atmosphere. I want them to be easy to install and remove. . I wad thinking a hook and eye system for the top to hang on and s latch of some kind on the bottom.. planning on r20 xps and 1/2 inch plywood frames. Any other ideas? ..

03-05-14, 12:24 PM	#2
ecomodded Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Vancouver Island,Canada. Posts: 1,037 Thanks: 116 Thanked 100 Times in 87 Posts	Here's a idea for you - hinge your insulated fitted shutters so they can be easily swung closed / swung open. you may find that in the long winters month nights you can use them while your on site in cold weather. Either way putting them up and down would be easier. added a few more thoughts for the construction. I would try to make them as lite as possible, 1/8 inch plywood double layer for the hinge & clasps areas. mount them on a strip screwed or otherwise fastened to the house just outside the window frame, to provide full coverage of the opening. One shutter per window would give a seamless as possible coverage, although at the cost of esthetics, a split shutter with a good seal may be little harder to construct but will be more traditional and pleasing to the eye. Although if I was in a very cold place I would go with 1 shutter per window and count myself smart not pretty.. Last edited by ecomodded; 03-06-14 at 02:36 PM.. Reason: add

04-11-14, 02:27 AM	#6
buteman Lurking Renovator Join Date: May 2011 Location: Barrow upon Humber Posts: 8 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	re:insulated shutters I know you say you are fitting them on the outside but just a thought about putting them on the inside. If you do only want then while you are not staying there then fitting them on the inside would have the advantage that they do not have to be weather proof. Also fitting might be just a matter of having holes drilled in the side walls of the window, putting the shutter in place and inserting pegs into the holes to hold them in place. Of course you could still use them at night while you are there anyway. Let us know what your results are, it's got me thinking about doing this myself now. It might not get that cold here in Scotland but energy costs are soaring so it could be a good saving.

04-11-14, 10:40 AM	#8
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Good stuff Kenora. Can you post some pictures to show better how it was constructed? __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

03-06-14, 02:40 PM	#3
ecomodded Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Vancouver Island,Canada. Posts: 1,037 Thanks: 116 Thanked 100 Times in 87 Posts	Or .. more like you were thinking.. i think.. Make a rigid foam insert that you store when not needed then pops into the window frame, being secured by a latch. Skin it with 1/8" plywood possible 1/16 inch plywood if you can find it..

03-06-14, 04:16 PM	#4
kenora Lurking Renovator Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Kenora, ON Canada Posts: 26 Thanks: 21 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	I'm building a "test" model this week.. going to start with 3" of EPS, 1 1/2" that fits inside the brick mold bonded to 1 1/2" that overlaps the brick mold. 3/8" plywood box frame with some unknown as yet covering on the exterior (something cheap, light and Wx resistant).

03-07-14, 06:43 AM	#5
Mikesolar Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Toronto Posts: 958 Thanks: 40 Thanked 158 Times in 150 Posts	EPS has a much lower embodied energy than XPS and is much cheaper so that is good. Check in with any insulated steel door makers that may be in the area (I know, you are in Kenora), as they may have window cutouts that can be used. There are a lot of houses in Germany that have these shutters on little rollers like the barn door type which they latch from the inside. Of course, they don't often use casements that swing outside either.

04-11-14, 10:34 AM	#7
kenora Lurking Renovator Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Kenora, ON Canada Posts: 26 Thanks: 21 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Thanks for the input... I am committed to the exterior side since (at least in this bitterly cold climate) putting them inside (I have in the recent past) results in HUGE condensation issues since it insulated the inside glass pane from the room air... the inside glass pane (usually warm) gets VERY COLD and the inside moist air condenses and causes huge ice buildup. So outside it goes. I have already built the Mark 1 shutter and have yet to hang it; I learned from that experience and will change some things... Mark 1 is framed in 3/8" plywood with 3" EPS and that's its pretty heavy at 22 lbs and that's for my smallest window (37" W X 54" H) those are outside measurements at the brick mold). Built as a single panel it uses the same 37" of wall space beside the window in the retracted/stored position. That added the complication of getting my wife's approval (again) since the inside surface when on the window is now displayed to the world when stored. I am going to modify it to what I hope is a more suitable design (for my wife)... that is a vertical folding shutter, hinged at the very top and mid line so that it acts as both a shutter when closed and an awning when opened. There is a bit more design work to do but it will work and look better..

04-11-14, 10:54 AM	#9
kenora Lurking Renovator Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Kenora, ON Canada Posts: 26 Thanks: 21 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	K...soon as its built

04-11-14, 12:48 PM	#10
ecomodded Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Vancouver Island,Canada. Posts: 1,037 Thanks: 116 Thanked 100 Times in 87 Posts	Using the thinnest lightest wood or material you can for framing and skinning will help keep the weight down which should be paramount to the design.