How To Seal Drafty Windows

If wintertime winds have you reaching for your overcoat—while you're inside the business firm—it's fourth dimension to seal up some windows and doors. Air gaps not only allow the cold in; they let the rut to escape, leading to unnecessarily high energy costs.

Whether you have sometime windows that demand replacing or newer ones that take some wear, these easy fixes for drafty windows and doors volition have you warm and toasty, and your heating neb lower, in no time.

How to Keep Cold Air From Coming Through Your Windows and Doors

Some areas of the country are decumbent to fickle wintertime weather. 1 day it's 15 degrees with howling winds and 2 days subsequently y'all're exterior in just a sweater. If you live in a more temperate climate you may not want your windows sealed shut for half-dozen months. The following fixes will stop the drafts and leave your windows and doors operational.

1. Lock Your Windows and Apply Weatherstripping

Person applying weatherstripping to window.

The most important thing people forget to do when winterizing the home is to lock the windows. Window locks pull the sashes together, endmost up the space that air leaks through.

If your windows are big, consider installing two locks a few inches from the outside edges rather than just one in the center, to become the gap closed all the style across the sash.
Earlier endmost the locks, pull downward on the tiptop sash of your double-hung windows and insert some weatherstripping along the top edge.
And so, push information technology the sash upwardly as tight every bit you lot can before locking.

2. Weatherproof Your Exterior Doors

Person adding weather strips to the bottom of a door.

Did you know that a ⅛-inch gap around the perimeter of a door will allow in as much air equally a small window open up halfway? If you feel drafts effectually your doors, employ weather strips to the sides and top and new door sweeps at the bottom.

three. Reglaze Loose Windowpanes

Bank check the glazing on your sometime wooden windows. If y'all accept chunks missing or loose panes, reglaze before the temperatures dip beneath the 50s.

four. Apply Concrete Barriers on Drafty Doors

Door snakes are long tubes filled with sand that are placed the pes of a door to block drafts. If a door snake isn't sufficient, attempt hanging an old quilt over your door to block drafts from the perimeter.

five. Layer Your Window Treatments

Floor to ceiling window with view of trees outside.

Combining blinds (hung on the inside of the frame), sheer curtains, and heavy drapes should provide plenty protection for all weather.

When information technology's frigid outside, keep everything closed. If information technology'due south common cold (merely not frigid) and the room gets directly sunlight, enhance the blinds, open up the drapes, and allow the sunshine in to help warm the space. As well, pairing a cornice with close-plumbing equipment drapes that hang snugly to the window reduces airflow by 25 percent.

If you live in the great white North, rarely venturing out for fear of frostbite, y'all probable won't mind having non-operational windows in the winter. For safe, though, be certain to proceed at least one window in each room operable. Edifice codes crave that basements and sleeping rooms have at to the lowest degree one functioning means of egress. The post-obit easy fixes, while reversible, volition keep yous warm and draft-free for the entire season.

6. Fill in the Gaps to Seal Windows

Person using a gap filler to seal drafty windows.

If you lot take gaps in your windows that y'all tin can insert a fingertip into, fill them with gap filler. Capitalist Rod is a cream rope that comes on a roll and in various sizes to fill large gaps. Press it into the gaps and trim with scissors.

seven. Utilise Temporary Caulk to Drafty Windows

Temporary caulking seals cracks like nothing else. You lot tin can buy it in a tube, like regular caulk, or on a roll.

Mortite is a clay-similar substance on a roll that you press into windows gaps, sealing out winter winds. In the summer, simply peel information technology off to open the window.

eight. Insulate Windows by Covering with Plastic

Window insulation kits that seal the window with a plastic film are available from your local hardware store and online. These kits include plastic sheeting that you affix to the jambs with double-sided tape. Once in place, heat the plastic with a hairdryer, shrinking it to look like another glass pane.

If you're not ready to replace your windows, these like shooting fish in a barrel fixes volition get you by. You may even wish to combine a couple of them—doubling up will help retain estrus and protect you from the strongest winter winds.