Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I am really pleased with this plastic. It has cut down on the drafts in my room, but I don't notice much improvement in the way of blocking the cold. I don't think there has been much of an increase in the "R Factor". I did put this up by myself. I am short, and had no problems doing it. I have a 23 year old Andersen sliding door. I would love to replace it, but have to take the cheap route. When looking for the source of drafts, I used a lit match, and the wind coming through the cracks would blow the match out. The first thing I did was to use some removable rope-type caulk to seal the huge air leaks. I didn't want this plastic to be billowing. I wiped all the painted trim with a paper towel saturated with rubbing alcohol. This was recommended to prep the surface for the tape. Because my sliding patio door didn't have any base trim to attach the tape to, I had to get creative. I purchased a piece of white PVC trim (1 1/2" x 1/2") and cut it just a smidge larger than I needed. This held it in place by tension. I have carpeting in the room, so I couldn't attach trim to the floor. This trim was even with the rest of the wood trim around the door. This allowed me to run tape on all four sides. The door itself is recessed about 1 1/2" from the other trim. Although the 6 ft. trim piece fits with tension, I cut another piece of the trim to back it up and fill the gap. I used sticky back velcro to hold it in place. I am hoping to upload a photo to show how I handled this, as it is hard to describe. I should mention that I removed the door handle. The inside handle is connected with screws to the exterior handle. I thought the exterior portion of the handle would fall off, but it didn't. I reinserted the screws into the holes to make sure that the other half of the handle stays put. I put all the tape on the face of the painted wood trim (and the PVC trim piece by the floor) and pushed it on really well, rubbing my thumb over and over it. Then I let it rest for a few minutes to make sure it had set. I removed the protective paper from the top strip of tape only, and attached the plastic. I then did the same at the bottom. Finally one side, then the other. Removing the protective paper as I went along. I put a lineup of dining chairs all along so that I could just walk sideways and easily reach the top without having to re-position a step stool. Kinda like scaffolding. A short person has to be creative. I used a hairdryer according to directions. There are videos online to help you understand that part. I worked from the edges to the middle. I had enough plastic left over to do another narrow window. I also purchased the XL size kit and did a couple windows that were each over 9 ft wide. And I did them by myself. It would be easier with a helper, but I'm just sayin', that if little old me can do it alone, and not get it all twisted up, so can you. I will say that I wish I hadn't stretched the film taught to begin with, since the heat shrinking did cause that bottom trim piece to pull out of position a bit. I don't think you're supposed to pull it taught when taping. Learning curve. It sealed up tight as a drum, and crystal clear. It is a great solution for those who can't afford window replacement. UPDATE: December 2019. I continue to use this product. One “Patio Door Kit” covers my slider plus an additional 24” wide window. I also buy the same brand in the XL size, which allows me o cover the two 9 Ft. Wide windows as seen in the photos. Every winter, on a windy day, these will billow out like spinnakers, but stay in place. I have had some minor spots on the wood trim where paint pulled off, but it’s a fair trade for tape that holds under stress. I did end up putting a couple (well, 3) screws into that trim piece at the slider threshold. Yup, just drilled right through the carpeting. That trim piece gives me a point of attachment for the slider, so it is worth it. Yes, it is a pain to evenly distribute and shrink wrap this stuff, but it is worth it. I should also mention that to smooth out the creases, hold the hair dryer close and when the film is hot, rub it with your hand.