Have you ever sat or stood by some windows in your home and felt a chilly draft during the winter? If so, you have an air leak issue. Fixing this type of leak might require insulating your window casings, but you have to do some investigating first.
Causes of Drafty Windows
Aside from insulating your window casings, there are some other causes of drafts. These include worn out or missing weatherstripping, seals, thresholds or improperly installed insulation. To discover which issue is the cause of the air leaks, put your hand near the edge of the window to feel for air flowing out from behind the trim. If this is the source of the draft, then your window casings don’t have a proper seal.
Preliminary Investigation
Because plugging window casing leaks is a challenging and time-consuming task, you should understand what you’re doing first. First, cut through the paint around the trim to prevent chipping, and then insert a putty knife under the trim just enough to get in a pry bar.
Next, carefully work the pry bar along the trim to remove it gradually without breaking it. Once you have the piece of trim removed, look at the area between the wall framing and window jamb. If this space only has a small amount of insulation or none at all, there’s a good chance the rest of the windows in your home are also improperly sealed.
Sealing the Gaps
Now that you know where the leak is coming from, it’s time to consider insulating your window casings. If you don’t feel up to the task, hire a professional to tackle the job. In order to seal the gaps, you need to remove the trim around all your windows (do each one individually) and inject an expanding foam sealant.
Then, use a foam sealant specifically designed for windows to avoid pushing jambs inward and causing damage. Once the foam has hardened, trim off the excess carefully with a knife. Then, re-install the window trim, making sure it’s secure. Lastly, spackle and repaint around the trim as needed.
Do you suspect an air leak in your home? Contact Energy1 in the Lorain area for more information about insulating your window casings.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about insulating you window casings and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area