Winterizing Windows
Posted By Houston Decorator on December 13, 2010
With the gloomy economy and Christmas right around the corner, it seems like more and more people are looking for ways to save money. As winter steadily approaches, one relatively easy way to cut costs is reducing the amount of heat escaping your house through leaky windows.
Windows can account for up to 40 percent of a home’s annual heat loss. Here are some tips aimed at making your home more energy efficient. Please keep in mind these are general tips. Winterizing your windows ultimately depends on the type of windows you have, as well as their age and condition. If there are any concerns whether these suggestions will be effective in winterizing your windows, it’s best to consult a window service professional.
Locating the leaks
The first step is to check whether your windows are experiencing any air leakage, which is best to do on a cold and windy day. One common method is lighting a candle. Hold the candle approximately four to six inches from the window. A faltering flame indicates you have a drafty window at hand. Another way to check for air leaks is to blow hot air at a window with a hair dryer while someone else is standing outside with a lighter. If the flame of the lighter flickers or burns not, then the window in question needs some maintenance.
Fixing the problem
Window frames are more often than not the culprit behind air leaks. So the obvious place to start in trying to eliminate the leak is tightening the window frame. If leaks are still present, try caulking around the perimeter of the window casing. It’s best to do this on a dry day, as moisture is known to reduce the effectiveness of caulk. If caulk has already been applied to the leaky areas, remove the old stuff with a scraping tool. Once removed, apply the caulk liberally around the leaky areas, wiping away any excess. To fill in any gaps between the wood siding and window frames, use wood filler. Paint over the filler with weather proof primer followed by a coat of paint to add extra protection against the elements.
Weather-stripping is another way to seal leaky windows. Available in a variety of materials, weather-stripping is applied between the frame and window sash and is very effective in reducing air leakage. An inexpensive and easy type of weather-stripping is pressure-sensitive adhesive-back foam, which is available in rubber and plastic in varying thicknesses. Talk to a heating and cooling professional to find out what type of weather-stripping will work best for your windows.
For installing pressure-sensitive foam weather-stripping, first make sure to cut a piece long enough to cover the length of the area between the sash and frame. After cleaning the area where it will be applied, proceed to peel back the paper on the weather-stripping as you push the strip into the gap.
If weatherstripping or caulking doesn’t fix the leak problem, inspect the window panes. Use silicone or window caulking around the perimeter to seal any loose panes.
Putting some of these methods into use should increase the energy efficiency of your home, but in some cases, it might be best to just purchase energy efficient replacement windows, and leave the work to the professionals.
Karen A Lauer is the author of this article about energy efficient windows. Air-Tite Home Products specializes in replacement windows, siding, roofing, and custom doors.
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