Window Winterization: How to Insulate Your Windows For Winter

The on-set of cold weather brings unwelcome winter drafts to many homes and businesses across America each year. Homes with old and poorly sealed windows allow for an easy transfer of heat from the inside of your home out, making way for cold, drafty and uncomfortable conditions throughout.

There are several inexpensive ways to insulate your windows for winter and make your home more comfortable in cold weather:

Caulking – This should come as no surprise to any home owner. Every homeowner knows that caulking your windows is a simple window winterization method, yet many homeowners fail to tackle this each and every winter. Caulking is simple, fast and inexpensive. With the proper tools, almost everyone can make their window caulking look professional. This is among the least expensive ways to insulate your windows for winter.

Window Insulation Film – Window insulation film is a plastic shrink wrap material that fits over the interior of your window frame with double sided tape. It is then heated to shrink the film. This will block out air leaks and reduce drafts in your home. This method is cheap and fairly simple, but can require some patience to install on large or oddly shaped windows. It also can make your windows look cloudy or bubbly.

Rubber Weather Seals – Rubber weather seals are another simple and inexpensive way to winterize your windows. You can buy rubber weather sealing at nearly any hardware store and install it in minutes. Simply cut strips to fit your window then peel and stick to your window to fill any gaps. Although effective, this method can look unattractive and possible leave a stick residue behind when removed.

Heavy Curtains – Heavy curtains over the window do not keep cold air from entering your home, but they can help to prevent the movement of cold air past the curtains themselves, eliminating drafty conditions. Heavy insulating curtains are versatile and can be matched to your home’s décor, making them an attractive option for homeowners concerned with aesthetics.

Draft Snakes – Draft snakes are fabric snake-shaped objects that can be placed on a window seal to form a barrier between the window and the interior of your home. You can find them at most major retail stores, or you can easily create one yourself by filling fabric with an insulating material.

Any of these five options is an effective and inexpensive way to winterize your windows, but none are a great alternative to replacement windows. Replacing your home’s windows with newer, more energy efficient windows will greatly cut down not only on cold winter drafts in your home, but also energy loss – resulting in lower energy bills.