It’s a crying shame to be perfectly warm and comfortable in your own home only to be startled by a cool draft from a nearby window. The drafty window quickly sends a chill up your spine! You shiver and wonder why that particular area in your home always seems to have a cool draft. You suppose it could be from the window, so you make sure that it’s shut tight. You close it time and again, and it won’t do any good. That window — and maybe other windows in your home — needs a window draft blocker.
Basics of Window Draft Blockers
Also called window draft stoppers, draft blockers are basically any tool, treatment, or covering that stops drafts from coming into a home through any cracks and leaks in the home’s envelope. Draft blockers are designed to stop or block drafts at windows, doors, across fireplace hearths, and around cables and piping using different materials and methods.
Choosing the Right Window Draft Blockers
There are draft blockers for practically every air leak (some in matching colors) and blockers for every budget. Which of the following draft blockers would work well for you?
- Removable caulk. You probably don’t get many chances to open up your windows during the winter. So, why not seal them shut and make them airtight with caulk you can easily remove in the spring?
- Weatherstripping. Weatherstripping comes in different shapes, materials, and designs. Vinyl tubular works well around doors. Plastic or metal tension seal (or V-strip) is good for sealing double-hung windows. Seal up a leaky attic hatch with foam tape.
- Thermal drapes. For interior design with an energy-efficient purpose, go with thermal drapes. These lovely draft blockers work great for bedroom windows since they also block out sunlight.
- Shrink film. Some window insulator kits utilize shrink-wrap to block heat-energy transfer through single-pane windows and effectively increase window R-value up to 90%. Simply wrap the window, apply heat with a hair dryer, and your heat loss is blocked — but your view isn’t!
If you need help installing your window draft blockers, contact Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing.
