Windows with drafts can make your house cold in the winter and waste energy. This can make your winter heating bills significantly higher than they should be. You can identify the sources of drafts by placing a hand near a window on a cold day.
It is relatively easy to seal a drafty window by following these tips.
- One quick fix is to add plastic V-seal weather stripping along the sides of the window sashes. The window will still be able to open and shut with the V-seal in place.
- Old window sashes can shrink and allow in drafts. You can apply rope caulk to cracks. It is soft and sticky and can be molded to fit the gap. You can remove it in the spring.
- Shrink film is clear plastic sheeting that is heated with a hair dryer and shrinks to create a tight seal. It can be applied with double-sided tape. Shrink film seals off drafts and creates an insulating air buffer. You can use rubbing alcohol to remove it in the spring and avoid peeling off paint.
- If you have a cracked window pane, you can temporarily fill it using nail polish. It will harden and stabilize the glass until you can have the window replaced in the spring.
- If cold air is leaking in through the bottom of your window, you can seal it with a foam and fabric draft snake kit. Cut the tube to the length you need, slip the washable cover over it, place it on the sill, and close the window.
- For a more permanent solution to drafts, you can replace glazing that is loose or missing. Remove all of the old putty, detach the pane, and add fresh putty. Press the glass into the putty gently. Add glazing points, small metal points that are put in the sash to secure the pane. Use a flat screwdriver to push the points into place. Apply a long, thin roll of putty and smooth it into place with a putty knife. Do this in warm weather.
- You can seal out drafts with storm windows. Put them in every fall to keep your house warm all winter.
- PVC or vinyl press-in storm panels are easy to install and remove. Some can be custom-fit yourself, and others need to be ordered.
Old, worn out windows that are past their useful life should be replaced. If you think that replacing your windows is the best option to permanently eliminate drafts consider us.
