How Do I Stop Cold Air Around Windows ?

Discussion in 'How Do I?' started by Joanna Newton, Nov 12, 2021.

  1. Joanna Newton

    Joanna Newton Very Well-Known Member
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    Temps are starting to fall so this is already becoming a problem. Wondering if members who are handy with home maintenance issues agree with my conclusion:
    There doesn't seem to be anything wrong (damage, etc.) with the window panes or storm windows, but even when they're all tightly closed it seems like they're all wide open in two rooms. Nothing whatsoever keeps the cold and draftiness out. While the windows are too high up for me to reach or even really see from the outside, my conclusion is the very old frames need to be replaced. Agree, or some other explanation???

    A couple of years ago I had a small room thermometer, and it was more than 15 degrees colder in the bedroom than in the living room because of this problem.

    The heating system and heating vents all work properly.
     
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  2. Teresa Levitt

    Teresa Levitt Veteran Member
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    you could hold off til warm weather comes back to redo frames by using shrink wrap...it's sold at Walmart..home improvement stores too 20211112_125121.jpg
     
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  3. John West

    John West Very Well-Known Member
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    If there's cold air coming in around your window frames, it seems that you should be able to feel it and know exactly where the leaks are. I remember thinking the same as you years ago but the problem was weather seals around the doors.
     
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  4. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
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    I think many utility companies provide assessments. Check to see if that is done in your area. I have had it done a couple times and it helped a lot. Both times they told me my windows were compromised, but it didn't make economic sense to change them as the payback would be 100 years or so. The comfort factor is different though. The pros may be able to give you hints that are less expensive than window replacement. It could be just caulking or seals as @John West said above.
     
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  5. John West

    John West Very Well-Known Member
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    I just remembered that when I had the problem, I got one of these - a non-contact, infrared thermometer.

    [​IMG]

    They're not very expensive and I used it to find the exact points where cold air was coming in.

    Note: I borrowed the image. I do not have a pool.
     
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  6. Nancy Hart

    Nancy Hart Supreme Member
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    Joanna, this is a long shot, but could your windows have been installed before, say, 1945?

    If so, they might be rope and pulley windows. Those have a big cavity inside the casings. I had them on my house. Storm windows helped a lot but never quite kept the draft out because of those cavities. They are difficult to insulate without taking off the front facing boards.
     
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  7. John Brunner

    John Brunner Senior Staff
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    I've used these. I had a house built in the 40s as Nancy Hart described. When I installed those films nice & tight, they would billow into the room when the wind blew. They make an effective cheap fix, and except for possible aesthetics, can be left up all year round. With your curtains, you may not even see them.

    On a windy day, try lighting a candle or some smoky incense by the window to test for a breeze coming into the house. Heck, if they are single pane older windows with no storm windows (or even with them), the cold can conduct right through the glass.

    Part (but not likely all) of the problem could be that the heating vents need to be adjusted...choke them back in other rooms, open them up a little more in the chilly room. You may get some relief by making a seasonal adjustment (southern-facing rooms need more a/c in the summer, northern-facing rooms need more heat in the winter.)

    Do you know what direction those windows face? Anything north/northwest is gonna be facing the chilly winds in the winter. If it's time for new windows and you gotta piecemeal the project, start with the ones on that side of the house.

    @Yvonne Smith mentioned some heavy insulating curtains she found at Amazon that she liked. Those would also make an inexpensive quick partial fix, in combination with the plastic sheets.
     
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    Last edited: Nov 12, 2021
  8. Ed Wilson

    Ed Wilson Veteran Member
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    A strong heating system should be able to overcome any draft if it’s set high enough. Where is the source of heat in relation to the windows? A picture of the windows would help.
     
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  9. Faye Fox

    Faye Fox Veteran Member
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    It sounds to me like possible old aluminum single or dual pane windows that have lost their seal. Those old aluminum frames drew in the cold even if caulked around the frame. I would replace them with new dual pane windows with vinyl or wood frames and seal around the frame with a good heavy bead of silicone caulk before installing the window.

    Also using the flame and/or smoke test, watch where the draft is sucked toward. Sometimes ceiling light fixtures don't have much insulation around them. I would suggest getting a roll of 4" fiberglass insulation, cutting squares and getting in the attic, and placing these insulating blankets over all the ceiling electrical fixtures. It will really save big on heating.
     
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    Last edited: Nov 13, 2021
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  10. Don Alaska

    Don Alaska Supreme Member
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    If you are insulating around fixtures, watch for hot fixtures as retaining the heat around them can be a fire hazard.
     
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