Eight Steps for Window Weatherizing

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SAVE ENERGY: Eight Steps for Window Weatherizing More Reduce, Reuse,

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Adapted from 547 Ways to be Fuel Smart, by Roger Albright.

The average unweatherized house in the U.S. increases the heating

bill by 25-40 percent.

 

 

 

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That difference could be very expensive this year, because the price

of natural gas is twice what it was a few years ago, and oil is now

$30 a barrel. Some experts estimate that if it is a severe winter,

those who heat with gas are likely to pay 22 percent more than last

year, and 17 percent more for those with oil. Now more than ever,

window weatherizing is a chore worth attending to, because with

weatherizing you could make up the difference of the current high

cost of heating.

 

The west-facing windows are most likely to catch the prevailing

winds, so do them first; the north-facing windows will be exposed to

the coldest air, so do them second. The east-facing windows are

next. Southern windows, facing the sun, are probably the least

vulnerable, so they can wait till last.

 

-Can you hear your windows rattle in a heavy windstorm? Yes? Then

you have an important weather-stripping job to do. Do little breezes

sometimes move the curtains even when the windows are closed? Yes?

Then you need both weather stripping and caulking.

 

Two types of products that are easy to install are rope caulk and V-

seal weather stripping. The rope caulk is applied in the fall and

removed in the spring. With rope caulk in place, you cannot open the

window. The V-seal is applied on the window jamb and enables you to

open and close the window while it is in place.

 

Note from Annie: Once you have identified the air leaks you are

going to need to fill them in, and this is where you need to be

careful not to add any unwanted pollution into your home from

volatile organic compounds in caulking. The caulk that lasts the

longest and also has the fewest additives is 100 percent silicone.

 

-- Do you have some windows that you never open? Consider shutting

them with a permanent seal. Close them securely, then caulk around

all four sides. Add a single-pane storm window and install a bead of

caulk. The end result will be as airtight as the double-pane fixed

window you call a picture window in your living room.

 

--Cracked panes in your windows, or missing putty around the glass,

will let cold air leak through. Get replacement panes for cracked or

broken panes and tighten up.

 

-- Don't use putty, use plastic glazing compound. Putty dries out,

cracks, and falls away. That's probably why the window needs to be

repaired in the first place. A good glazing compound will hold up

for at least 10 years before cracking and costs little more than

ordinary putty. It's worth the price.

 

Take a glob of glazing compound and roll it between your hands until

it takes the shape of a piece of rope. Then line it into the wedge

made by the glass and the window frame. This makes a better seal

than trying to press the compound in a dab at a time. For larger

jobs, buy glazing compound in tubes, which can fit into your

caulking gun.

 

-- When installing a windowpane, you can use several kinds of

glazier's tips or points to hold the glass in place. Particularly if

you're up on a shaky ladder, the odds are substantial that you'll

break the pane with your hammer when putting in a pane with some

kinds of glazier's tips. Look for the kind with a nib sticking out.

You can catch that nib with a screw-driver, tap the screwdriver

handle with your hammer, and improve your chances of success

considerably.

 

-- Getting the glass replaced and reset is the right first step, but

a window that is still rattling needs weather stripping. The most

satisfactory method is to install V-strips or extruded plastic

strips already shaped in a V. If you are weather-stripping many

windows, you will save money if you purchase the V-strip weather

stripping in 180-foot rolls. Make sure the window channels are free

of dirt and grease. Clean with a damp rag before installing the V-

strip. and reinforce the V-strip with small tacks.

 

--Another area that may be leaking is around the window frame. A

bead of caulking compound down both sides and at top and bottom

should seal out vagrant breezes.

 

--Have you seen those clamshell locks on many double-hung windows?

Their purpose isn't just security but also to pull the sashes

together to keep cold air out.

 

 

 

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