Insulating shades hold heat in or out

In the past you have discussed insulating curtains which may be purchased to conserve energy and reduce home fuel bills. We have an 185 brick farmhouse which we would like to carefully insulate, particularly around the windows. Will you please descirbe "insulating curtains" and where they might be bought? Robert F. Ober Geneva, Illinois

There are many kinds of window coverings which are designed to reduce heat loss during cold weather or heat gain in the summertime.

One such product is called a Window Quilt insulating shade and is made by the Appropriate Technology Corporation, P.O. Box 975, Brattleboro, VT 05301. It is made from a polyester fabric, with a sheet of tinfoil in the middle, and quilted together by an ultrasonic welding machine. The shade is claimed to reduce heat loss by as much as 80 percent.

Another product is made by the Insulating Shade Company, 17 Water Street, Guilford, CT 06437 and is called High "R" Shade. It is made of five layers of plastic film that expand to form air spaces when the shade is rolled down. Other energy-saving shades are on the market as well.

By the way, a good book that is jampacked with all kinds of good tips for the energy-conscious homeowner is called: "Home Energy for the Eighties" by Ralph wolfe and Peter Clegg. It is published by Garden Way Publishing Company, Charlotte, VT 05445. Phone number: (802) 425-2171. Cost for the soft-cover 264 -page book is $10.95.