Reduce your energy costs by draught proofing your sash windows, and have a more comfortable house as well as lower utility bills. Sounds good – now you have to asses the need, count the cost, and decide which method will fit best with your house, your level of skill, and your budget.
Sash windows, usually made of wood, are the kind found in older homes, and in many newer ones, too, since this style appeals to many homeowners. There is usually a top section and a lower one, either equal in size or with a stylish difference. The lower sash, or both, can be raised and lowered to allow the breeze to blow in.
Once the windows get loose in their frames, the putty around the individual panes of glass loosens, and the caulking underneath the exterior trim no longer holds fast to the wall of the house, draughts begin to be felt. The insulating effect of the window is lost to a great extent, and heating bills rise.
Replacing the windows in a house is an expensive proposition, and new windows may not match the period of an older house. For either reasons, you may want to fix your existing windows. Your options will be to effect temporary blocking systems, such as weatherstripping, or to repair the windows and the fabric of the house so the whole is as good as new.
Temporary solutions may be simply blocking the air coming in from outside, or escaping from the warm interior to the outdoors, with weatherstripping. A common kind is felt strips with adhesive on one side. You simply press the strips in place, closing the gap between a window and its surrounding frame. This can reduce draughts and heat loss, though it may not be completely effective. Weatherstripping can also be made of foam or the plastic, pliable cord that comes in rolls and is pressed into place like clay.
Weatherstripping can be hidden from view if the trim is removed from around the window, but this is beyond many homeowners, who sacrifice appearance for heat retention during the winter months. There are also kits that contain air tight plastic sheets, that homeowners can tape to the inside of windows and then shrink to fit, using a hair dryer or other heat source. Even heavy curtains can block draughts in a similar mechanical manner.
A better way is to take the time and trouble to dismantle the window, remove the outer trim and repair or replace the caulk that fills the gap between the frame and the wall. The inner trim can be removed as well, to weatherstrip around the frame on the inside without leaving the stripping material in plain sight. Old putty should be removed from each pane and new putty applied, and even the pulleys, sash cords, and beads can be replaced. A good thing to add in this complete renovation is hidden, stiff brush strips that allow the window to slide open and shut but make a tight seal against the weather.
Reduce your energy costs by draught proofing your sash windows, either yourself or by getting professional help, and reap the rewards of comfort and energy savings.
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categories: environment,carbon footprint,draught proofing,sash windows,construction,building,property,house,home,environment,double glazing
