How to Keep Cold Air from Your Windows

The coldest months of the year need not be spent worrying about the comfort of your home. Learn techniques to block cold air from coming through your windows.

When trying to keep your space warm during the cold winter months, having a draughty window could frustrate your efforts. Even if the window is in perfect condition, having insufficient seals is enough to let in cold air to affect the inside temperatures. So, how do you ensure your house stays warm even during the coldest seasons? This article explores simple, handy solutions you can explore.

Why Do Windows Let in Cold Air?

Here are some of the factors that could make your windows bring in cold air:

· Damaged seals

· Dirt

· Old window panes

· Damaged locking mechanism

· Dropped sash

· Poor insulation

Generally, windows and doors are never entirely airtight and wear and tear can reduce their insulating properties.

Seven Ways to Keep Cold Air From Coming Through Windows

Here are a few tips to help prevent the entry of cold air into your house through your windows:

1. Cleaning Seals

Inspecting and cleaning the seals around your windows would be a significant first step to keeping cold air out of your home. This action ensures the seals close properly. So how do you do this? First, open your windows before running a vacuum cleaner along the seals. Afterward, wash the seals with a solution of dish soap and warm water.

2. Secondary Glazing

This ought to be among the best strategies to keep away cold air. The solution is permanent and also improves your house’s aesthetics. What’s more? If you are wondering whether you can also use secondary glazing in heritage properties, the answer is yes. You can discreetly install it on the insides without interfering with the appearance on the outside.

The popularity of secondary glazing can be attributed to the fact that it offers controlled ventilation. Sealing your windows makes your house susceptible to humidity build-up, which could result in dampness, condensation, and consequent mold growth. Because secondary glazing comes with ventilation vents, it does not cause an accumulation of moisture inside. This way, you get to enjoy a warm home without having to worry about moisture build-up.

3. Draught Snakes

Draught snakes are a DIY method that also helps keep away draughts. They are fabric tubes with a filter such as dried rice to weigh them down. The good news is you can make them in the comfort of your home. Once you’re finished, place them at the window cill to bar entry of draughts. Draught snakes are effective at preventing entry of cold air at the base of the window.

They are also cheap and add a color accent to your room. Their only downside is that they can only be used at the base of your window. For this reason, they won’t be able to block draught coming through the frames or the sides of windows.

4. Insulating Curtains

While hanging curtains is often overlooked, it is also an effective way of keeping away draught. Curtains serve the role of insulators for your windows. They can keep away cold air as effectively as they block out excessive sunlight. To achieve maximum insulation, consider going for thick or lined curtains. While velvet drapes have proven more effective, you'll be okay with any polyester or cotton curtain, provided it has a lining. Ensure they hang from the ceiling to the floor. By coordinating your curtain color with your room's color palette, you can add to your room's visual appearance. This way, you get both insulation and aesthetics out of this solution.

5. Weather Strips

These are another affordable way to prevent the entry of cold air through your windows. Weather strips are self-adhesive strips that you can find at your local retail store. You can choose between three types of weather strips: foam, compression, and V-type. Of the three, foam strips last the longest and are also the easiest to use.

All you have to do is stick the strips along your window frames. This is undoubtedly one of the simplest and most effective solutions, with the only downside being that they don't offer a payment solution. Besides, you risk peeling off layers of paint as you remove them.

6. Re-Caulking

If you aren’t planning on opening your windows for a long time, you might want to consider caulking along the edges. This action shuts the seals. However, even if you do not intend on taking such a drastic measure, you could still use caulk to block any damaged areas of your window that could bring in cold air.

Re-caulking windows helps to block out cold air completely. You can opt only to cover the damaged areas or all the sides. Caulking is a convenient and flexible technique, but your windows could look unsightly if the application isn’t done right.

7. Window Insulation Film

A window insulation film is a sheet of plastic that shrinks when heated. You can easily find these films in a convenience store near you. All you have to do is stick the plastic to the inner frame of your window before using a hairdryer to heat it, shrinking it and making it cling to the surface. While this is an incredible way of keeping out cold air, the film creates a cloudy layer over the window glazing blurring visage. Besides, an insulation film will be easily noticeable. Resultantly, you might want to consider a more aesthetically pleasing or discreet way to block cold air coming through your window.

Final Thoughts

Other solutions that will help prevent draughts include installing shutters, using window insulation kits, fitting weather stripping, and even replacing your windows. The key to keeping your home from cold air is identifying the sources of draughts and blocking them. You will find that while some solutions offer both aesthetics and functionality, some only offer one of these. For this reason, it is crucial that you understand your needs and preferences before going for any of the options discussed above.