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Are your windows ready for winter?


Thank you again for taking the time to read our blog! We hope you find this article useful in helping to keep your home well maintained and running smoothly.

This week we are going to address what can be the source of a major loss of heat energy from your home in the winter...Windows.

Making sure your windows are properly sealed for the winter can save you a great deal of money heating your home this winter; and most of these steps can be taken care of in just a few minutes.

Cleaning: It may not seem like this would be important to your windows functioning properly, but it can make a big difference! But it may not be what you think... We are not talking about just the glass. When getting ready to seal up for the winter, this is a great time to make sure the tracks are good and clean. You should fully open each window and wipe down the track and window frame with a mild cleaner to remove any build up of dirt. Just a small amount of dirt can cause a window to sit uneven, creating air gaps and letting your precious warm air out! Additionally, you will want to make sure any drain holes (usually located under the screen/storm window) are open so snow or water that enters the track can easily drain out. Once clean, simply close the window, latch it and then check for air leaks. 

Leaks: After you have cleaned your windows and frames, closed and latched them, this is the time to see if there are any significant air leaks around the window. One simple way to do this is just wet a finger, and then slowly move it around the edges of the window.  If there is any air movement, you will be able to feel the cold air on your moist finger. If you do find leaks there are two relatively inexpensive and effective methods to remedy the leaks - weather sealing tape, and window insulation kits. Below are pictures of these products, and descriptions of when we recommend their use.

Weather Seal Tape:

If your existing windows are newer, double pane, and generally well sealed, but you find a few areas that have air leaks, we recommend a product like this tape. The tape will not help with overall heat loss from the glass itself but will stop isolated air leaks on otherwise well sealed windows. A few important notes with this tape; it is generally strong tape in which the glue and tape stay flexible and sticky in cold weather. This means it can leave a residue, or even peel off paint when removed later, so keep this in mind when taping painted surfaces. This product generally costs about $7 and is available at most hardware stores.

Window Insulation Kit:


If you have older, single pane windows that are leaking and generally NOT well sealed, we HIGHLY recommend installing this type of window insulation kit. Costing around $5 per kit, when properly installed on a window, you will save more than the cost, not to mention the overall comfort factor. It is much easier to keep your heat setting lower if you eliminate a 30 degree "breeze" that occasionally blows through the room! The kits include double sided tape and a plastic film that is heat shrunk tight with a blow dryer. The kits offer great clarity not blocking light and create a "cushion" of trapped air that insulates your home from outside.


As always, thank you for reading our blog! please check out the other articles we have on this blog, and the resources on our website at www.Expert-Home-Inspections.com


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