Guide to Stopping Window Drafts in Your Home

A light breeze might feel nice in the great outdoors of the Piedmont Triad, North Carolina. But it’s the last thing you want to feel inside the house, especially in the winter or summer. Window drafts can turn a cozy room into a chilly or humid one, not to mention drive up your utility bill each month.

Even though window drafts are common, they’re not difficult to seal up with some tools, DIY know-how, and local contractors you can count on. You can always get in touch online with Window World of the Triad about our solutions to solving drafts. Today, let’s break down how to stop window drafts in a few different ways.

What causes window drafts?

Window drafts don't all come from the same source. The unfortunate fact is that several possible things could be wrong with your windows that cause them to lose their seals (and let out the cooled or warmed air inside your home).

Bad installation

For starters, a window might be drafty right from the start if it isn't installed properly. Poor window installation can happen if you DIY a window replacement project without double-checking your work or having the right experience – or if you hire the wrong contractors for the job.

In any case, faulty window installation could result in a window not being aligned properly with the frame, which may result in immediate air leaks or future warping/cracking down the road, or it could lead to the window seals or weatherstripping not working. Either way, the potential for subpar window installation highlights the need to work with expert contractors who will do a great job.

Problems with seals

However, your window might have only recently become drafty or problematic. That could be due to issues with the current window seal.

Modern energy-efficient windows use double or triple-pane glass, which includes insulating gas between the panes. If the seals between the glass panes have broken over time, the gas can escape, and the window can quickly become drafty.

A window seal can break for a variety of reasons, ranging from cheap materials to normal wear and tear. Regardless, a broken window seal is usually a good sign that you need to replace the window or get experts to see about repairing it.

Warping or cracks

Sunlight, snow, and other weathering can cause the temperature of window frames to rise and fall over the years. Fluctuating temperatures can make your window’s frame expand or contract – sometimes beyond its original size specifications.

Depending on the materials used for the window frame, your window might warp, stretch, and eventually crack due to these forces. Even a single crack can be enough to breach the window’s seal or lead to drafts by itself.

How to stop a window draft

Once you notice your window is a bit drafty, or if you check your utility bill and see that your electricity costs spiked in the last month, it's time to consider DIY window draft repair solutions. On the bright side, there are lots of ways you can stop window drafts!

Repair or replace the weatherstripping

Many windows come equipped with weatherstripping, which prevents hot or cold air from sneaking through the tiny gaps between windows and frames so easily. You might also have manually applied weatherstripping to one or more of your windows sometime in the past.

If you feel a draft from one of your windows, visually check the weatherstripping for tears, breaks, and other signs of degradation. If it looks less-than-stellar, you can buy more weatherstripping at a home improvement store and replace the broken weatherstripping.

This DIY window draft fix should only cost a few bucks and take a few minutes to apply, making it an excellent solution if the draft isn’t large or related to the window’s seals.

Try a window draft stopper

Window draft stoppers are also popular ways to plug updrafts, and they’re often found in basic window insulation kits. Also called “draft snakes,” window draft stoppers are thin tubes or sleeves that are filled with dense, insulating materials. You place a draft stopper on the bottom edge of your window to seal it up.

The downside? Draft stoppers aren't permanent, and they can be moved or knocked down very easily. In addition, you need to move them aside if you ever want to open your window from the bottom up. These are temporary fixes for drafts, so don’t rely on them for too long.

Cover with plastic

A plastic sheet or film is another solid way to stop window drafts on a short-term basis. Any plastic sheeting you can think of, ranging from basic plastic wrap to bubble wrap, can serve this purpose.

Just roll your plastic insulation film or material of choice over your window, making sure that it extends to the edges of the frame, then use tape to keep the plastic in place. Presto! Now you've sealed your window. You might not be able to open it without tearing the plastic wrap, but this is still a suitable fix while you research long-term alternatives.

Seal window cracks with nail polish or caulk

As we mentioned above, some window drafts are caused because of cracks or holes in a window’s frame. If that's the case for your window, you can apply nail polish or caulk to fill in those cracks and stop drafts instantly.

Nail polish is super affordable and just fine for tiny cracks you can barely see. Caulk is much better for larger damage, and it’s also easily available at home improvement stores. Polish and caulk can accumulate their own damage over time, so check your patches regularly and re-apply if necessary.

Just remember that both of these materials should only be used for window frames that haven't been polished, as they can ruin the polish or finish layer atop the frame.

Replace seriously drafty windows

In some cases, deep issues with a window’s seal or frame mean that you can't rely on easy fixes to stop drafts from continuing. In those instances, the best solution is to replace the drafty window entirely with a new one.

Modern energy-efficient replacement windows can do a great job of keeping energy from transferring from one side of the window to the other for your Triad home. They’re also available in dozens of different styles and types. New windows – assuming you get experts to install them – should last for many years and can significantly improve your home's value in the meantime.

Whether you go with vinyl windows or premium wood-clad windows to match your interior trim, there are distinctive styles and custom solutions for every home. Altogether, finding the right replacements for any windows in your home won’t be difficult.

Finding the perfect replacement windows

If a full window replacement is the only fix for a draft, you need contractors you can trust to install your new window(s) properly. After all, a brand-new window ought to be sealed perfectly and work properly from the start!

As a local, experienced window retailer, Window World of the Triad has the windows and contractors you need. Browse our selection, call our team at 336-364-5014 for advice, or schedule an installation – it’s all possible when you stop by our Winston-Salem showroom or request a quote today.