Are the windows in your home starting to get up there in age? If so, you might want to consider replacing them to make your home’s windows more energy-efficient.
You won’t have to worry about figuring out how to insulate windows when you have brand-new windows in place. New windows will provide you and your home with all the insulation you’ll need.
Replacing windows in your home can be an expensive undertaking, though. It can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to up over $1,000 to have a single new window installed in your house.
If you can’t afford to pay that kind of money to have your home’s windows replaced, learning how to insulate windows is a better option. Here are the steps you can take to do it before the worst of winter hits.
Stick Window Film Over the Glass in Your Windows
Hold your hand up next to the glass in one of the windows in your home. Do you feel cold air coming into your house through it?
Most newer windows won’t allow cold air to come into a home like this. They have two and sometimes even three panes of glass in them to provide you with more than enough insulation.
But many older windows only have a single pane of glass in them. And that pane of glass doesn’t usually do much in terms of stopping cold air from outside from coming into your home.
To combat this cold air, you should learn how to insulate windows by sticking window film over the glass in each of your windows. This film will work wonders for those experiencing insulation issues in their homes as a result of having older windows.
Window film can also stop the sun’s UV rays from shining into your home in the summer, and in some cases, it can even offer up privacy from the outside world depending on what kind of window film you buy.
Replace the Weatherstripping Around Your Windows
Windows have weatherstripping around the outside of them that’s designed to form a tight seal and stop air from leaking into and out of homes through windows. But over time, weatherstripping can start to break down and eventually fall off altogether.
Walk around and look at the weatherstripping in your windows. If it looks like it has seen better days, take the time to replace it so that you don’t have to worry about old weatherstripping allowing cold air to sneak into your home.
It might take you an entire afternoon to replace the weatherstripping on all your windows. It’ll also require you to make an investment in the weatherstripping materials you’ll need to do it.
But the time and money that you put into adding new weatherstripping to your windows will be well worth it in the end.
Fill Gaps and Cracks Around Your Windows With Caulk
While you’re walking around your home and taking a closer look at the weatherstripping around your windows, you should also check out the outside of your windows for any gaps or cracks that might exist. Do this both inside and outside your home.
These gaps and cracks, no matter how small they might be, can allow cold air to work its way into your home in the winter. They can also welcome moisture into your home in some instances.
You can eliminate gaps and cracks from windows in a hurry with caulk. A bottle of caulk will only cost you a few dollars, but it’ll make a lot of your window insulation issues go away.
Place Draft Stoppers at the Bottom of Your Windows
You can caulk all the gaps and cracks in and around your windows that you want. But if you don’t do anything about the small gaps that exist between your window sashes and your window frames, it might all be for naught.
Buy or make a basic draft stopper that you can place in front of this gap. It’ll prevent cold air from leaking into your home, and it’ll also serve as a decorative touch for your windows.
Hang Heavy-Duty Window Treatments Over Your Windows
Do you have window treatments hanging up over all your home’s windows at the moment? If not, it’s time to change that in the name of window insulation.
Most people think that window treatments are only hung up to provide homeowners with privacy and to make the inside of a home look nice. But they also play a huge role in insulating windows and stopping cold air from getting into a home in the wintertime.
Ideally, you should look for heavy-duty window treatments to hang up over your home’s windows in the winter. Heavier drapes or curtains will usually work best as far as stopping cold air in its tracks is concerned.
Inspect Your Windows for Insulation Issues Every So Often
As long as you take all the steps listed here, your windows should hold up just fine this winter. These steps will provide them with all the insulation they’ll need.
But you should get into the habit of making sure there aren’t any insulation issues by inspecting your windows once every few weeks for any signs of trouble. If you feel any cold air coming through them, you will have to do more work to insulate them better.
In addition to monitoring your windows, you should also make sure you’re maintaining your home’s heating system. Have furnace service done prior to the start of the winter season to keep your home cozy all winter long.
Learning How to Insulate Windows Could Save You a Fortune
If your home’s windows aren’t insulated enough, you could end up paying a ton of money to heat your home this winter. Avoid this by learning how to insulate windows and taking steps to do it.
You’ll love how much more comfortable your home is when your windows are insulated. You’ll also love how your energy bills are so much lower than they would be otherwise.
Read our blog to find more home improvement tips that you can put to good use this winter.
