Your windows and doors serve as an external envelope for your home that provides defense against extreme environmental factors such as cold wind during winters. And taking steps to enhance the efficiency of this envelop proves to be super helpful if you live in a cold country like Canada.
Windows and doors tend to lose their efficiency over time and as homeowners in Canada, you can’t afford to have drafty doors and windows especially during the winters that will allow all the cold air inside. Instead of paying a ton on electricity bills to keep your house warm, you can just fix your windows and doors to make them as good as new.
Below we have discussed some great tips provide by Eco Choice Windows and Doors on how you can fix drafty doors and window to increase their efficiency:
1. Provide layering to your doors and windows
Heavy drapes, curtains, blinds, etc are all great examples of how you can provide layering to your windows and doors. It allows you to stop the wind and let the sunlight enter simultaneously by controlling your drapes and curtains.
You can also choose from updated options in the market such as close-fitting drapes that reduce 25 percent of airflow by hanging snugly to the window. Canadian homeowners can also benefit from non-operational windows that don’t open as it significantly improves the heat amount inside the room. However, you need to keep at least one window in your home operational in case of emergencies.
2. Applying Weatherstripping to Locked Windows
Locking the windows during winters seems like a basic step of winter-proofing them but a lot of homeowners often forget to do it and hence end up paying a lot on energy bills. The lock on the window pulls the sashes together and prevents the air leaking.
For larger windows, you can separately install the locks, especially from the outside edges to close the windows all the way. You can also add some weatherstripping along the top edge before closing the locks to airtight the windows properly.
3. Weatherproofing Exterior Doors
Weatherproofing your doors is extremely important especially during winters, it works the same as weatherstripping for windows. Even a little gap between the door and its frame allows a lot of air to come inside. Therefore weatherproofing your exterior doors is a smart and economic choice for fixing drafty windows.
4. Sealing the windows by sealing the gaps
Gaps between windows and their frame or the wall are also a major reason why your windows are not functioning effectively and letting all the cold wind inside. If the space between the window and its structure allows you to insert a fingertip inside then you can fill it with a gap filler for making it airtight.
For larger gaps, you can use foam rope such as Backer Rod. It comes on a roll in various sizes that allows you to fill gaps of different sizes. You can operate it by pressing the rope into the gaps and trimming the access with scissors.
5. Insulating Windows with Plastic
You can easily avail window insulation kits from online or offline sources for insulating your windows. It includes a plastic sheet that you can apply on your windows using double-sided tape. You can also use a hair-dryer or blow dryer for shrinking the plastic sheeting to perfectly attach it to the window and make it look like a glass pane.
6. Physical Barriers for Doors
For blocking the drafts on your door you can use physical barriers such as an old quilt or door snakes. Door snakes are sand-filled long tubes that prove to be effective in blocking drafts.
7. Reglazing Loose Windowpanes
With time the parts of your window lose their efficiency and hence work as a contributor to making your windows less functional. If your window is old, pay attention to the glazing, if you can easily notice loose panes or missing chunks then it’s time to reglaze your window.
8. Applying Temporary Caulk to Drafty Windows
Caulk is another effective way of sealing the cracks. They are easily available at hardware stores or you can also buy them online, They are sold in tube and roll form. Press the caulk into the window gaps to seal them airtight for the windows and if you have used the temporary kind, you can also peel it off to make the window open.
The Bottom Line
Having drafty doors or windows during the winters in Canada can be unbearable at times. That’s why taking best care of them in important to enjoy the winter season and remain comfortable in your home. Eco Choice Windows and Doors have been providing homeowners with valuable assistance to enhance energy efficiency of their homes and are also serving the best quality products to improve their home-life.
