Are you a homeowner or renter with drafty windows? Are you watching your energy costs rise and know there is money literally going out the window? Is window replacement not in your budget or within your ability?

Whether a homeowner or renter, there are practical drafty window solutions that you can employ to improve your home insulation and reduce your energy costs. Let’s take a look at a few cost-effective, DIY drafty window solutions to improve your home’s energy efficiency and comfort.

Why Windows Get Drafty

Feeling a draft through a window in your home can be frustrating. But what causes it? Simply put, a draft from a window is caused by air leaks, which basically means your windows are letting outside air in and inside air out. There are several reasons though for why an air leak happens. Windows, even good ones, wear out over time. Windows can crack or even shrink with age. The glazing putty eventually deteriorates too, shrinking and falling away.

The caulking that helps seal windows and keep out drafts can also degrade over time and stop doing the job it is meant to do.   Knowing the causes of the drafty window in your home means you can take steps to stop drafty windows from running up your energy costs and making it difficult to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home’s interior. Let’s take a look at how to make windows less drafty by addressing how to stop air leaks.

Drafty Window Solutions: Repair, Replace, and More

If your windows are old, drafty, and causing your energy costs to spike out of control, it may be time to look at budgeting for window replacements. An investment in newer, more energy efficient windows can raise the value of your home and significantly lower your heating and cooling bills. It is, however, a big project and not an inexpensive one either. It may be something to start saving for and something that can be done room by room instead of your entire house. If you are a renter, though, replacement is most likely not within your control.   Outside of replacement, though, there are several solutions for drafty windows that can help cut your energy bills and also help keep your home’s interior comfortable too. One of the main issues with drafty windows is not the window itself, but the window’s framing. Often, the air leaks are caused by improper sealing around the window. Focusing on repairing and reinforcing the seal around your window can help reduce drafts. Below are easy and cost-effective ways on how to deal with drafty windows.

Drafty Window Solutions: Draft Stoppers, Thermal Curtains, and Weatherstripping

Draft Stoppers

One simple way to stop a window draft is to use draft stoppers or draft snakes. These long tubes are filled with a dense material that acts as insulation to keep out drafts when placed along the bottom edge of your window.

Thermal Window Coverings

Another simple solution is to install thermal curtains or blinds. These window coverings are designed to add an extra layer of insulation over your window.

Weatherstripping

Weatherstripping is another simple drafty window solution. It is a plastic strip that you install along your window sash to improve your window’s insulation. It can be bought fairly inexpensively from a home improvement store.

Drafty Window Solutions: Window Cracks and Window Wrapping

Covering Window Cracks

If you are experiencing a draft through window cracks, it does stand to reason that covering the cracks will improve your windows ability to prevent air leaks. Believe it or not, clear nail polish can cover very small window cracks. It is not a method to try, however, if you have a window coating because the nail polish can damage it, making the problem worse.

Window Wrapping

If you live in a colder climate and know that there are months when you will not be opening your windows due to freezing outside temperatures, then wrapping your windows with specially designed shrink film can be a fairly simple solution for drafty windows. The film is mounted to your window frame using double-sided tape and then gently heated so it shrinks, creating an airtight temporary window seal. Shrink film kits can be purchased from DIY stores.

Drafty Window Solutions: Sealing Up Drafts

Reglazing Windows

Sealing a drafty window can be a good solution to air leaks, especially when the glazing around your window has deteriorated. This DIY project takes a bit more time than some other solutions, but is well worth the effort. Remove your existing putty, clean the frame, and replace the old putty with new glazing. You will find that the new glaze will act as a much better window draft sealer than the old, degraded glazing.

Replacing Window Caulking

Both the interior and exterior of your windows are also sealed with caulking. Checking the integrity of these seals and replacing those that have deteriorated can go a long way in preventing air leaks that cause drafty windows. Caulk is fairly inexpensive and can be purchased from most home improvement stores. Remove the old caulking, clean the surface around the windows, and apply the new caulk.   Both reglazing and caulking are projects that you can do on your own, but if you are not comfortable with DIY projects, it can also be something to hire a professional to complete.

Drafty Window Solutions: Interior Storm Windows or Inserts

Another drafty window solution that can help improve your window’s insulation properties is the use of interior storm windows or inserts. The inserts are easy to install, fitting directly into your existing window frames from the interior side. While the inserts increase your windows ability to keep out drafts, they do not visibly change the look of your windows, helping you maintain your home’s aesthetics. This can be a big bonus, especially on more historical properties.

Benefits of Insulated Windows from Climate Seal

If you are looking to preserve the aesthetic integrity of your home’s windows, but also improve your windows’ insulation properties, insulated interior window inserts from Climate Seal are the way to go. As one of the most effective systems on the market, this home upgrade is cost-effective and easy to install. The lightweight acrylic glazing combined with a magnetic system is unique on the market and allows for a stronger, more efficient seal than other products.

The thermal barrier created by Climate Seal’s interior insulating window system is one of the best and most cost-effective drafty window solutions on the market. The list of benefits is long. The system improves a home’s insulation, maintains its aesthetic look, cuts down on air leaks, helps maintain a comfortable interior temperature, and lowers energy costs. All for a fraction of the cost of window replacement.