Drafty windows make your house cold in winter and waste energy, which pushes heating bills higher than they should be. Most drafts can be reduced with weatherstripping, caulk or plastic film. When the windows themselves are worn out, vinyl replacement windows are the permanent fix.
How to Find the Source of Drafty Windows
On a cold day, hold your hand near the edges of each window. You will feel cold air where it is coming in. Check along the sides of the sashes, where the two sashes meet in the middle, and along the bottom at the sill. Make a note of each spot so you know which fix to use where.
Quick Fixes for Window Drafts
V-seal weatherstripping
One quick fix is plastic V-seal weatherstripping applied along the sides of the window sashes. The window can still open and shut with the V-seal in place.
Rope caulk
Old window sashes can shrink and leave gaps. Rope caulk is soft and sticky and can be pressed into a crack and molded to fit. You can pull it out again in the spring.
Shrink film
Shrink film is clear plastic sheeting that you attach around the window with double-sided tape and then heat with a hair dryer. It shrinks tight, seals off drafts and creates an insulating buffer of air. In spring, use rubbing alcohol to loosen the tape so you do not peel off paint.
Draft snakes
If cold air is leaking in under the bottom sash, a foam and fabric draft snake can seal it. Cut the foam tube to length, slip the washable cover over it, lay it on the sill and close the window onto it.
A cracked pane
A small crack in a pane can be filled temporarily with clear nail polish. It hardens and steadies the glass until the window can be replaced.
Longer-Lasting Repairs
Replace loose or missing glazing
On older wood windows, the putty that holds the glass can dry out and fall away. Remove all of the old putty, take out the pane and lay a bed of fresh putty. Press the glass gently into it.
Add glazing points, the small metal points that sit in the sash and secure the pane, pushing them in with a flat screwdriver. Then apply a long, thin roll of putty around the glass and smooth it with a putty knife. This is a warm-weather job.
Add storm windows or panels
Storm windows seal out drafts when they are put up each fall. PVC or vinyl press-in storm panels are easy to install and remove. Some you can fit yourself and others need to be ordered to size.
When to Replace Drafty Windows
All of the fixes above treat the symptom. Windows that are worn out and past their useful life should be replaced. Signs include rotted or warped frames, sashes that will not close tightly, fog between the panes and drafts that return every winter no matter what you seal.
New vinyl windows are made to fit the opening and have insulated glass, so they stop drafts at the source and there is nothing to tape up each fall.
Drafts are not always from the windows. If you feel cold air near the front or back door, a new entry door or a storm door may be part of the answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my windows drafty?
Usually because weatherstripping has worn out, caulk or glazing putty has cracked, or the sashes and frame have shrunk or warped with age.
What is the cheapest way to fix a drafty window?
Rope caulk, V-seal weatherstripping and shrink film are all inexpensive and can be installed in a few minutes per window.
Is it better to repair or replace drafty windows?
Repair makes sense when the window is sound and the leak is small. If the frame is damaged or you are sealing the same windows every year, replacement is the better long-term choice.
Stop the Drafts for Good
If you think replacing your windows is the best way to end the drafts, consider Aladdin. We have been working on Connecticut homes since 1949. Contact Aladdin to get an estimate or call (203) 776-9996.