If your home or cottage never seems to be warm enough during these frigid winter months, there’s a good chance that your windows are old and drafty. Older windows can turn any comfortable home into a nightmare of drafts and high heating bills during the winter, leading to homeowners trying just about anything they can to keep the warm air inside where it belongs. If you haven’t yet gotten around to replacing your old drafty windows, there are temporary measures you can take to keep your home warm this winter.

Apply caulking around your windows
Caulking is one of the most common ways to insulate your windows during the winter months, working to block drafts from entering from outside. You’ll have to begin by removing any old caulking, dirt, and grime around the window’s outer perimeter. Once the surface has been sufficiently dried, simply apply new exterior-grade caulking between your window’s frame and exterior trims boards or the siding. Exterior-grade caulking generally features silicone content that will stand up to the elements for a longer period of time.

Make smart use of window coverings
Heavy layered curtains and other window coverings like cellular shades and blinds are a stylish and effective way of reducing the effects of leaky windows. Window treatments reduce the amount of cold air entering your home through old drafty windows, adding some extra insulation to your windows. The downside to using heavy curtains and window coverings during the winter months is that on colder days you’ll be sacrificing letting sunlight into your home for insulating your windows against the entry of cold air.

Install weatherstripping around the window sash
Weatherstripping is a cost effective and easy to install solution that’ll help you close the gaps in and around your windows, serving as an air-tight barrier that will seal off many of the drafts in old windows. Weatherstripping comes in many different sizes and materials, with options that are ideal for windows of any type and size. While weatherstripping can last for long periods of time, regular window operation can cause it to wear down and detach from window sashes.

Good old fashioned insulation film will help reduce heat loss
Insulation film is the most popular way for homeowners to insulate windows during winter months, standing as a tried and true method of keeping cold air out. Insulation film is a plastic sheet affixed to the interior of your window with double-sided tape and then heated with a hair dryer to shrink it down to size and remove any wrinkles that may allow cold air to leak in. Insulation film is one of the most cost-effective ways of insulating windows, but comes with one major caveat – views are completely obstructed by the plastic film, and windows will not be accessible while the it is in place.

Draft stoppers
Another affordable but slightly less effective way of insulating windows for cold weather is to make use of draft stoppers. These can be quickly installed on the bottoms of windows and doors to lessen the flow of air leaks. Draft stoppers come in various shapes and sizes, acting as a cheap and dirty way to keep your home warmer until the spring. If your old drafty windows are making your winters more uncomfortable than necessary, it’s time for you to replace them. The winter is the perfect season to book your window replacement, as businesses become busier in the spring and summer, making it difficult to have your windows replaced before the cold weather comes around again. To book your free consultation with Muskoka Window & Door Centre, contact us today.