How to make airtight seal on windows
If you're feeling the cold of winter in your house, you might want to make your windows airtight -- eliminating any drafts and saving money in heating costs. There are several ways you can do this.
Windows generally come in three types: single or double-hung, where the window slides up and down; horizontal sliders, where the window moves from side to side; and casement, where you turn cranks to open or close the windows. Window frames can be wood, steel, aluminum or vinyl.
First, you can caulk where the window frame meets the wall. You can also caulk where the window glass meets the frame, going just halfway around.
Doing that, "you get a 100 percent seal on that half of the window," says Dave Robinson, owner of Renaissance Total Comfort Systems, a Fresno, Calif., company that focuses on home energy conservation.
He recommends using clear latex sealants for caulking. If you want to caulk all around where the frame and glass meet, you can, but that will seal the whole window shut. Just remember to leave at least one window in a room available as an exit in case of a fire, he says.
There also are window kits that come with clear film sheets that provide another barrier layer.
They attach to the window frames with adhesive strips; then you have to tighten the film with the heat from a blow dryer.
Dennis Jennings, a hardware department customer service associate at Lowe's in Fresno, used the kits on his windows before changing to double-pane windows.
"It works. It gives you a good barrier from the cold. It's great for older homes with single-pane windows." he says.
Then there's weatherstripping. There are numerous kinds of weatherstripping, including flat foam strips and rubber tapes with "D" profiles.
The one Robinson prefers is made of polypropylene. You bend it in the middle to form a "V"-shape flap and attach the adhesive strips along the edges of your windows.
It's the "universal best type" that will fit most windows with any size gap, he says. Most weatherstripping products are self-adhesive, and they come in different sizes and thicknesses.
Be sure to measure the gaps where you plan to place the weatherstripping before you buy any. Where you put the weatherstripping depends on the particular one you use as well as the type of window. But before you apply it, clean the surfaces so the strip will stick better.
Weatherstripping products can cost between $2 and $10, depending upon the size.
If you'd like one more option, you can try clear tape, Robinson says. "You're just trying to stop air," he says. "Any way you can do it would be good."