Slight draft near the window?

Question

I have relatively new windows in my bedroom upstairs. It's an older house, a bungalow (1950s), and it's getting drafty and cold. I'm not sure if there's anything I can do about insulation or what, but with gas prices on the rise again, I can't afford to counter that coldness with just strictly turning the heat up.

I have a buddy who tried putting that "blow-in" insulation in and he said it sucked. Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

First of all, see if you can identify exactly where the leak is coming from. Close all of the doors to that particular room, and hold a candle up near the edges of the windows. If you see the candle flicker in a particular area, then you'll be able to treat the specific problem.

You may need to pull the trim away from the wall in order to have better access to the places where the air is coming in.

You can use the same type of insulation that is used in your attic...Have a smallish piece of it ready to use, along with a good box knife. Use the box knife to cut appropriately sized pieces, and squeeze them into the framing in the area where you identified the leak.

You could also use spray-foam insulation. The brand I'm familiar with is called "Great Stuff". Your local hardware store will sell this in a can that's the same size as a can of spray paint. It should come with an extension wand that will allow you to get the nozzle into small areas. Follow the directions on the can, but it should be as easy as shaking the can and spraying the foam where you need it. Be careful, as this will expand to about 4 times the size of what came out of the nozzle. I'd use plastic on the floor, and probably wear disposable gloves, 'cause it's kinda sticky. Once it has dried, you can use a saw (or even a steak knife if you don't have a saw that's the right size) to cut away anything that's in the way of putting the trim back on the window.

Answer 2

put plastic on your windows.