Portable Heating | Window Insulation – Finding Leaks and Preparing the Area

Window Insulation – Finding Leaks and Preparing the Area

In our previous post - Insulating Your Home for Efficient Heating and Cooling - we talked a bit about some of the vulnerable points that expose your home to needless heat loss and your wallet to needless drains. Our poor portable heating unit was struggling to no avail, our hypothetical home owner was freezing to death and the local power company was practically throwing parades for our poor homeowner in gratitude for the huge checks they were receiving. Now let’s move on and let the Heating and Cooling HQ help you find solutions to your problems. 

Of the many weak spots we mentioned, windows probably represent one of the greatest vulnerabilities but also can be the easiest to solve cheaply (assuming complete window replacement isn’t required or desired). As mentioned, 25% of a home’s heat loss happens at the windows. That number can rocket as high as 35-40%! With so many diy fixes available to consumers, there’s simply no reason to let your windows bleed your bank account dry. 

This is intended to be a two-part post, so don’t start tearing out the existing weather stripping, caulk or other window insulation until our next installment. This post will guide you in finding your window leaks and prepping the are for the installation of new window insulation but you’re better off keeping what little you have until completely ready to install (which will be covered in our next post). 

Find the Leaks - 

Your first objective is to determine just how bad the problem may be and where, precisely, the problems are. Cold and windy days are best for this test. If you’re a smoker, this one is easy. If not, purchase a packet of stick incense in a scent you like. 

Next, turn on all the exterior vents in our house (bathroom vents, stove vents and your clothes drier). The objective here is to create a pressure differential which will exaggerate the movement of air between the inside and outside of your home. 

With incense lit, approach your first window and move the stick of incense along all areas of the window. Focus particular attention on sliding elements and moving segments but be sure to do a thorough job. That means also checking the area where the window frame meets the wall. Watch where the smoke moves in response to drafts and mark those areas with a small piece of tape (or otherwise mark in a manner that isn’t permanent). Once done, move on to the next window and repeat. 

Preparing to insulate windows - 

Having located all the leaks in your windows, your next step is to prepare for corrective action. Examine the existing weatherstripping (if any) and remove it if old or damaged. Many foam weatherstrip options offer up to five years protection with tubluar vinyl and other vinyl window insulation options offering 10 years or more. If your weatherstripping is at or over that age or shows damage, remove it. Ensure there is no debris preventing your window from closing cleanly. In vertical sliding windows, be sure to check the underside of the lower sash and the sill, but don’t overlook the upper section. You are looking for debris or even dried paint clumps that ruin what should be a smooth, uniform surface. Once any notable debris is removed, clean all areas with soap and water and allow to dry.

Getting back to the often overlooked frame, check for any damaged or missing caulk where the window frame meets the wall. Be thorough here. Use a ladder and check the top of the frame and get down on hands and knees to examine the bottom of the frame as well. Remove any old or damaged caulk. 

With the surfaces clean and clear of debris and the problem areas identified, you are now ready to install your window insulation of choice. We’ll discuss a few window insulation options in our next post so be sure to stop back by the Heating and Cooling HQ soon.

Filed Under Insulation for Efficient Heating and Cooling |

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