All About Window Insulation

Winter: Plan 'B'

When winter nears and you aren't ready with a few thousand dollars on window insulation, it's time to devise some contingency plans.  If you just want to seal up your older windows nice and tight, start by reglazing them.  Window glaze is the putty that attaches the glass to the sash.  Over time, this becomes hard and cracks.  Your window will be loose, poorly insulated, and dangerous.  Scrape out the old glaze and clean the seam thoroughly.  Apply new glaze with a caulk gun and paint it when dry. 

Fifty-dollar fix-it

These quick ideas to help insulate your windows may be enough to get you through the season.  The first things to try would be caulk, weatherstripping, and plastic film.  Caulk comes in several varieties, so don't get stuck with the wrong kind.  Silicone is the most durable and versatile caulk, but it sets quickly and is not forgiving should you make a mistake.  Latex and acrylic caulks clean up easily and can be painted. 

Weatherstripping and plastic film should do the trick after caulking.  They are cheap and quite self-explanatory.  But beware when weatherstripping, sometimes you can create gaps by insulating a side of your window.  Plastic film, when applied correctly, gives great results.  When applying insulating film, clean the area where you will stick the tape very thoroughly.  Handling the film is frustrating enough, you don't need it to peel away as soon as you think  you're done.  As a last resort, heavy drapes do a surprisingly good job in holding back cold air.  Don't expect a miracle, but every bit helps. 

Window pain

If you have been living in an old home or apartment for long, you know that there is no replacement for quality windows.  Thorough window insulation of old windows will give you comfort and lower utility bills, you should probably start saving for some double paned, argon-filled replacement windows.

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