Save money on heating bills with DIY sash window insulation and help protect our environment. The estimates of the amount of energy lost through improperly installed or restored sash windows are staggering. It is important for all homeowners to pay attention to the problem of leaky windows, for their own energy cost savings and for the good of all.
Why do sash windows let heat escape, and air conditioning as well during the hot months? Wood swells and shrinks with the change of seasons, and the frames and putty get loose around the glass. The channels where the sash weights lie are often sources of air leaks. Also, the frames may lose their seal with the interior and exterior walls and leak around the outside of the whole window unit. Metal window frames, although moisture proof, are not as insulating as wood, which is a poor conductor of heat and cold.
Further restoration methods can be simple or complex, although all of them are within the scope of a dedicated DIY homeowner. Sometimes all that is needed is a new latch on each window that will hold the sashes tightly together, preventing the outside air from sneaking in. Making sure that all individual panes are tight, with sound putty, will prevent leaks in that quarter.
Weatherstripping can also be put around the frames and in the sash channels. To put new weatherstripping around the frames, the molding or trim around the window must be removed. This will expose the area where the window meets the wall. The joins may be sealed with one of the many forms of weatherproofing, pressed, nailed, or taped into place and with the corners sealed with spray-on foam.
Most leaks involve loose sashes in the frames, and often the frames themselves will no longer fit tightly in their spaces in the walls. The sashes may be tightened with new latches that bring the sections together tightly to keep air from entering. To stop leaks around between the sashes and their frames, or around the frames where they meet the walls both inside and out, weatherstripping must be applied.
Whether you decide to replace old windows, dismantle them and stop up the leaks, or restore and improve your existing windows, you may qualify for energy tax credits and rebates that will help offset the costs. Of course, the energy savings and the increased comfort of your home will be added benefits.
Save money on heating bills with DIY sash window insulation and enjoy life without the cold drafts that remind you that you are heating the great outdoors as well as your house.
Why do sash windows let heat escape, and air conditioning as well during the hot months? Wood swells and shrinks with the change of seasons, and the frames and putty get loose around the glass. The channels where the sash weights lie are often sources of air leaks. Also, the frames may lose their seal with the interior and exterior walls and leak around the outside of the whole window unit. Metal window frames, although moisture proof, are not as insulating as wood, which is a poor conductor of heat and cold.
Further restoration methods can be simple or complex, although all of them are within the scope of a dedicated DIY homeowner. Sometimes all that is needed is a new latch on each window that will hold the sashes tightly together, preventing the outside air from sneaking in. Making sure that all individual panes are tight, with sound putty, will prevent leaks in that quarter.
Weatherstripping can also be put around the frames and in the sash channels. To put new weatherstripping around the frames, the molding or trim around the window must be removed. This will expose the area where the window meets the wall. The joins may be sealed with one of the many forms of weatherproofing, pressed, nailed, or taped into place and with the corners sealed with spray-on foam.
Most leaks involve loose sashes in the frames, and often the frames themselves will no longer fit tightly in their spaces in the walls. The sashes may be tightened with new latches that bring the sections together tightly to keep air from entering. To stop leaks around between the sashes and their frames, or around the frames where they meet the walls both inside and out, weatherstripping must be applied.
Whether you decide to replace old windows, dismantle them and stop up the leaks, or restore and improve your existing windows, you may qualify for energy tax credits and rebates that will help offset the costs. Of course, the energy savings and the increased comfort of your home will be added benefits.
Save money on heating bills with DIY sash window insulation and enjoy life without the cold drafts that remind you that you are heating the great outdoors as well as your house.
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