The weather in South Florida is terrific all year, with cool ocean breezes. However, those sea breezes can become cold when winter’s chill takes over, especially if it’s sneaking in through your windows and doors.
If you’re preparing for winter and bringing out your jacket, now may be a great time to address drafty windows and doors. At Elite Impact Glass, we want you to be comfortable, and our drafty window fix ideas make it easy to do.
Why Do Windows Get Drafty?
Any structure on land settles into its foundation as soon as it’s built. Most of the time, you don’t know it’s happening as it’s a natural process. Over time, the settling of the structure will cause structures to shift.
Although made of wood or vinyl and glass, windows and doorway drafts are often the first signs that some settling has happened. Over time, tiny cracks may occur along the edges where the glass meets wood or cause your doorway to shift, allowing more breezes to come inside as a window frame begins to warp.
Tips to Keep Cold Air from Coming Through Your Windows and Doors
You can winterize your home and compensate for those small air leaks. The easiest way to handle your exterior doors will be to apply weather stripping or use a door snake, a long piece of fabric filled with sand or other material.
If you need to find a drafty window fix, you may need to try a few things. Some of our favorite tips involve:
Weatherstripping
Weatherstripping for windows is similar to what we buy for doorways. Window weatherstripping is a small rubber or foam strip that you place along the window sash to block airflow. If using self-adhesive foam strips, you can put them anywhere you feel a draft coming through.
Re-Glaze or Caulk Around Windows
If the glass in your older windows is loose, you can help stop drafts by filling in the cracks. If your panes are tight but around the casing is drafty, you can still use temporary caulk that can be removed later when summer comes again. You can also lock your windows before you caulk to ensure that it fits as tightly as possible. Remember that larger windows may require you to lock multiple locks to close out as much air as possible.
Insulation
Both windows and whole-home insulation are a great way to fix drafty windows because they stop the natural process of your home, creating a vacuum. As heat rises and seeps out through your attic space, cooler air gets pulled in through all the tiny cracks it can find.
It happens constantly but only becomes noticeable when the temperatures outside drop and the air becomes colder. Even then, you may only notice the draft near doors and windows. Insulation works effectively to stop the cycle. However, it is one of the more expensive ways to prevent drafts.
Why It’s Important to Stop Drafts from Coming In
Even with energy-efficient changes, drafts from windows and doors can lead to up to 40% loss in heating and cooling costs. Therefore, look at your home’s electricity bill from last year and compare it to this year. It will show you why you must take time to fix drafty windows. As your energy bill goes up, you can assume that your heat and air unit must work harder to keep up with the air seeping into your home.
Draft-Free Windows and Doors in South Florida
If you think it’s time for an upgrade to your current windows, contact Elite Impact Glass. Our team, with a combined 25 years of industry experience, provides top-quality hurricane window protection for your home. We offer a price match guarantee so South Florida residents can rest assured they’re not only getting the highest quality windows but at the best price. See how we can upgrade you from drafty windows to ones more suited for your home today!
Image source: GSener via Shutterstock
