Weatherproofing the Windows
I write a lot about living seasonally at Urban Home Blog. In fact, it is the firmament from which our urban homes are kept and from which this blog proceeds. I draw my inspiration from the seasons themselves: a frigid winter's night begs for a warm bowl of soup, spring dew inspires spring planting, summertime leisure allows for summertime travels, autumn harvest sends us into the canning kitchen and the crafting table. As poetic as I have waxed about autumn's pleasures, from its crisp breezes to its holidays, I also remember that these pleasures and the dates that mark them in time are manifestations of deeper truths. Halloween is a fun holiday full of scary monsters and creative costumes and candy, but it is built upon the foundation of an ancient new year. This time of transformation occurs on a stage of great turbulence in preparation for a period of profound rest. Even as the fields lay fallow, both water tables and sap are rising and falling according to rhythms more ancient than we can imagine and more powerful than we can fathom. Storms are as true of the transitional seasons of spring and autumn as are extreme heat in summer and extreme cold in winter.
Never has this been more true than the few days before Halloween, 2012, when Hurricane Sandy pummeled the eastern shores of the United States. This category two hurricane that began as a tropical storm in the Caribbean made landfall in coastal New Jersey on Monday night, October 29. Throughout that night, I along with my fellow New Yorkers and much of the world rode out the storm in horror, glued to tv sets where there was power and hunkered over battery radios where there was none, as reports never stopped coming in from along the storm front. In the city, southern Manhattan, coastal Queens and Staten Island sustained unprecedented levels of damage. Every one of the transportation tunnels flooded. Much of the Manhattan from the West and East Villages to SoHo to the Financial District was under water. An explosion rocked a sizable ConEd facility on the East river. A brutal fire decimated the Queens neighborhood of Breezy. There was devastation from the Rockaways to Staten Island.
Somehow, blessedly, in Astoria we were for the most part okay. Though there was damage in our beloved Astoria Park, even in our neighborhood close to the park we experienced no street flooding. Most of our neighborhood's magnificent old trees held their own against winds of 85 mph, but as I write this several days after the hurricane, many streets remain cordoned off with the heartbreaking evidence of those that didn't. The relatively low level of damage is testament to the strong, protective presence of trees. As we reorient ourselves after Sandy, it is important to be grateful for that strength, for while we were protected inside our homes during the storm, the trees were exposed to the full force of it, as was the wildlife that lives in and among the trees and their grounds. An offering of plant food, birdseed, or dry pet food is as important to these vulnerable members of our neighborhoods as are the food and clothing being delivered to people in the hardest-hit areas. People, animals and plants need our conservation every day and especially now. The New York aquarium sustained heavy damage, but thanks to the heroism of aquarium conservators who stayed with the animals, remarkably little loss of those dependent lives. To donate funds for our vulnerable neighbors, click here, here and here.
For the homekeeper, a vital and sometimes neglected practice is preparing the home for seasonal changes. Spring cleaning is an obvious form of this, but summerizing and winterizing the home also requires the efforts of maintenance and preparation. It is a good idea to set aside one weekend in spring and another in autumn for summerizing and winterizing the home. What seems daunting at the beginning becomes a long, lovely weekend of enjoyable tasks such as switching closets and getting seasonal decorations within reach to rewarding, if labor-intensive, ones such as cleaning gutters and checking household systems. Such maintenance is not only necessary, it connects us with our homes. Further, it plugs us into that greater rhythm of nature, so that we are as emotionally prepared for the change of seasons as our environment physically is.
One task that is necessary, and well-timed to autumn and spring, is weatherization. Though the full weatherization of a dwelling is a big enough undertaking that it is best left to HVAC professionals, simple weatherproofing is easy to learn and to do. It is also rewarding because its effects are felt immediately, both in the home environment and in the energy bill. This is because simple weatherproofing involves identifying and plugging air leaks around the windows. Whether it is for purposes of heating or cooling, plugging those leaks makes an instant difference in the livability of the room -- in cold weather, cold air doesn't get in, and in hot weather, cool air doesn't get out. Here is Urban Home's guide to simple weatherproofing for your windows in preparation for cold weather. For summer weatherproofing, simply plan to reinstall the window units and check for and attend to leaks as below.
WEATHERPROOFING THE WINDOWS
Before weatherproofing, remove window air conditioners if any. If you don't have storage space, which urbanites often don't, many HVAC services will pick up, remove and store your window units. They will clean the unit while it is in storage, and will reinstall the unit when warm weather returns. While there are several products and methods for weatherproofing windows, this guide concentrates on the simplest for do-it-yourselfers. For significant air leakage and the processes to address it, it is best to contact an HVAC professional. To identify a certified HVAC contractor, click here.
If you live in a managed community such as an apartment building or compound, condominium, or gated community, check with the housing office regarding regulations if any regarding weatherization -- including, perhaps, their obligation to do it for you. Outside of custom windows, whose measurements you, your home association, or your housing office should have, most windows are of one of a few standard sizes, and most weatherproofing kits are packed accordingly. Finally, for Urban Home's guide to outfitting your home tool kit so that you are ready to do-it-yourself, click here.
Anatomy of a Window. The see-through part of a window is a pane. Panes are almost always made of clear glass, though high-impact plastic or other polymer window panes do exist, as do colored or tinted panes. The frame that the pane resides in is the sash, whose components are known as rails if they are horizontal and stiles if they are vertical. Each rail is delineated by its position as upper or lower and each stile as left or right if on the side or as the muntin bar if in the center. Most sashes are made from wood, but metal or high-impact plastic or other polymer sashes do exist. Older hinged windows may be set in small metal sashes that are soldered together. The channel that a sliding window uses for movement is a jamb.
Types of Windows. Outside of specialty designs, which you or your housing office should have the information regarding if it applies, there are five types of windows:
Double-hung windows consist of two panes which slide past each other in a channel. Double-hung windows that slide up and down are the most common household window. If the window slides side to side, it is a sliding window -- which means that, yes, a sliding glass door is a large sliding window.
Hinged windows consist of single, double, even multiple panes. Hinged windows are not uncommon in older structures, including apartment buildings and rectories. Hinged windows that open from the top are awning windows. Hinged windows that open from the bottom are hopper windows. Hinged windows that pivot from the side are casement windows.
Drafts. The first step in weatherproofing is to identify indoor areas that are prone to drafts. Drafts are the reason we weatherproof: they are the result of fissures through which air escapes the window. Drafts can happen anywhere around the sash, between the sash and the jamb, and between the jamb and the wall. Drafts are an unavoidable effect of having windows, as buildings and their components settle, redistribute, or simply experience wear and tear through usage. Though anything that looks potentially dangerous -- such as a crack in the wall -- bears investigation by a professional, outside of rare such occurrences, drafts do not mean that anything is wrong structurally.
Many draft-prone areas are already identified because anyone who inhabits the home has noticed where drafts occur. Make a note of known areas and plan to concentrate on the windows that feed those drafts first. Beyond those areas, investigate each window by passing your hand around the perimeter of the window. If you feel a breeze, then there is a gap through which air is passing and which will benefit from being weather-stripped.
As you investigate each window, carry a tape rule, index card, and pencil or pen. Measure each side of each window -- left, right, top and bottom. It may seem repetitive as the two sets of sides should be two sets of equal measurements, but often there are differences, usually slight but sometimes noticeable, and it is always best practice to always have precise measurements. Add the four numbers together and then add ten percent to that number, and that is the amount of area you will need to cover with weather-stripping.
Weather-stripping. Weather-stripping is a material that plugs air gaps around openings in the home. At the home center or hardware store, weather-stripping may also be identified as weather-seal. For windows, the three types of weather-stripping for do-it-yourselfers are spring metal, rolled vinyl, and foam. Spring-metal weather-stripping attaches to the channels and the sashes to form the best seal of the three types of weather-stripping, but it is also commands the highest skill level for effective installation. Rolled vinyl is easier to install than spring metal and forms a very good seal, but is visible once installed. Foam is the easiest to install and forms a good seal, but it will require the soonest replacement. These instructions cover these three kinds of weather stripping, which should be adequate to many if not most homes. As each window is unique, remember to tweak such dimensions of the instructions as measurement and placement to reflect your windows -- though these instructions are written for double-hung windows, with common sense they can easily be adapted for hinged windows.
For more serious draft management, you can consider a window kit. A window kit contains a sheet of plastic that fits over the window and the jamb and then is dry-shrunk to form a tight seal, often to be overlaid with strips of wooden lathe that are attached to the jamb over the plastic film. Though it can be unsealed, it is more of a commitment of time and skill to install. These kits are widely available at hardware stores and home centers, and the instructions are included with the kit. If you decide to use a window kit, be sure to obtain the correct kind -- there is also a window film kit, which is also a good idea for the home, but is used to protect inhabitants and furnishings from sun damage rather than to manage drafts.
Weather-Stripping with Spring Metal
For each window:
One spring metal weather-stripping kit with pre-drilled holes or the footage of coiled spring metal weather stripping indicated by the window measurement plus ten percent
Flat-head Screwdriver
Hammer and 1/4 or 1/2 inch flat-head steel nails if not provided in kit
Tin Snips
Tape Rule
Laundry Marker
Optional:
Utility Knife
Drill fitted with nail-driver
Tape Rule
Laundry Marker
Optional:
Utility Knife
Drill fitted with nail-driver
1. Measure, mark and cut four pieces of weather-stripping to correspond to the following dimensions of the window:
One roll of foam- or rubber-tape adhesive-backed weather-stripping
Tape Rule
Scissors
1. Measure, mark and cut two pieces of weather-stripping to correspond to the following dimensions of the window:
Never has this been more true than the few days before Halloween, 2012, when Hurricane Sandy pummeled the eastern shores of the United States. This category two hurricane that began as a tropical storm in the Caribbean made landfall in coastal New Jersey on Monday night, October 29. Throughout that night, I along with my fellow New Yorkers and much of the world rode out the storm in horror, glued to tv sets where there was power and hunkered over battery radios where there was none, as reports never stopped coming in from along the storm front. In the city, southern Manhattan, coastal Queens and Staten Island sustained unprecedented levels of damage. Every one of the transportation tunnels flooded. Much of the Manhattan from the West and East Villages to SoHo to the Financial District was under water. An explosion rocked a sizable ConEd facility on the East river. A brutal fire decimated the Queens neighborhood of Breezy. There was devastation from the Rockaways to Staten Island.
Somehow, blessedly, in Astoria we were for the most part okay. Though there was damage in our beloved Astoria Park, even in our neighborhood close to the park we experienced no street flooding. Most of our neighborhood's magnificent old trees held their own against winds of 85 mph, but as I write this several days after the hurricane, many streets remain cordoned off with the heartbreaking evidence of those that didn't. The relatively low level of damage is testament to the strong, protective presence of trees. As we reorient ourselves after Sandy, it is important to be grateful for that strength, for while we were protected inside our homes during the storm, the trees were exposed to the full force of it, as was the wildlife that lives in and among the trees and their grounds. An offering of plant food, birdseed, or dry pet food is as important to these vulnerable members of our neighborhoods as are the food and clothing being delivered to people in the hardest-hit areas. People, animals and plants need our conservation every day and especially now. The New York aquarium sustained heavy damage, but thanks to the heroism of aquarium conservators who stayed with the animals, remarkably little loss of those dependent lives. To donate funds for our vulnerable neighbors, click here, here and here.
For the homekeeper, a vital and sometimes neglected practice is preparing the home for seasonal changes. Spring cleaning is an obvious form of this, but summerizing and winterizing the home also requires the efforts of maintenance and preparation. It is a good idea to set aside one weekend in spring and another in autumn for summerizing and winterizing the home. What seems daunting at the beginning becomes a long, lovely weekend of enjoyable tasks such as switching closets and getting seasonal decorations within reach to rewarding, if labor-intensive, ones such as cleaning gutters and checking household systems. Such maintenance is not only necessary, it connects us with our homes. Further, it plugs us into that greater rhythm of nature, so that we are as emotionally prepared for the change of seasons as our environment physically is.
One task that is necessary, and well-timed to autumn and spring, is weatherization. Though the full weatherization of a dwelling is a big enough undertaking that it is best left to HVAC professionals, simple weatherproofing is easy to learn and to do. It is also rewarding because its effects are felt immediately, both in the home environment and in the energy bill. This is because simple weatherproofing involves identifying and plugging air leaks around the windows. Whether it is for purposes of heating or cooling, plugging those leaks makes an instant difference in the livability of the room -- in cold weather, cold air doesn't get in, and in hot weather, cool air doesn't get out. Here is Urban Home's guide to simple weatherproofing for your windows in preparation for cold weather. For summer weatherproofing, simply plan to reinstall the window units and check for and attend to leaks as below.
WEATHERPROOFING THE WINDOWS
Before weatherproofing, remove window air conditioners if any. If you don't have storage space, which urbanites often don't, many HVAC services will pick up, remove and store your window units. They will clean the unit while it is in storage, and will reinstall the unit when warm weather returns. While there are several products and methods for weatherproofing windows, this guide concentrates on the simplest for do-it-yourselfers. For significant air leakage and the processes to address it, it is best to contact an HVAC professional. To identify a certified HVAC contractor, click here.
If you live in a managed community such as an apartment building or compound, condominium, or gated community, check with the housing office regarding regulations if any regarding weatherization -- including, perhaps, their obligation to do it for you. Outside of custom windows, whose measurements you, your home association, or your housing office should have, most windows are of one of a few standard sizes, and most weatherproofing kits are packed accordingly. Finally, for Urban Home's guide to outfitting your home tool kit so that you are ready to do-it-yourself, click here.
Anatomy of a Window. The see-through part of a window is a pane. Panes are almost always made of clear glass, though high-impact plastic or other polymer window panes do exist, as do colored or tinted panes. The frame that the pane resides in is the sash, whose components are known as rails if they are horizontal and stiles if they are vertical. Each rail is delineated by its position as upper or lower and each stile as left or right if on the side or as the muntin bar if in the center. Most sashes are made from wood, but metal or high-impact plastic or other polymer sashes do exist. Older hinged windows may be set in small metal sashes that are soldered together. The channel that a sliding window uses for movement is a jamb.
Types of Windows. Outside of specialty designs, which you or your housing office should have the information regarding if it applies, there are five types of windows:
Double-hung windows consist of two panes which slide past each other in a channel. Double-hung windows that slide up and down are the most common household window. If the window slides side to side, it is a sliding window -- which means that, yes, a sliding glass door is a large sliding window.
Hinged windows consist of single, double, even multiple panes. Hinged windows are not uncommon in older structures, including apartment buildings and rectories. Hinged windows that open from the top are awning windows. Hinged windows that open from the bottom are hopper windows. Hinged windows that pivot from the side are casement windows.
Drafts. The first step in weatherproofing is to identify indoor areas that are prone to drafts. Drafts are the reason we weatherproof: they are the result of fissures through which air escapes the window. Drafts can happen anywhere around the sash, between the sash and the jamb, and between the jamb and the wall. Drafts are an unavoidable effect of having windows, as buildings and their components settle, redistribute, or simply experience wear and tear through usage. Though anything that looks potentially dangerous -- such as a crack in the wall -- bears investigation by a professional, outside of rare such occurrences, drafts do not mean that anything is wrong structurally.
Many draft-prone areas are already identified because anyone who inhabits the home has noticed where drafts occur. Make a note of known areas and plan to concentrate on the windows that feed those drafts first. Beyond those areas, investigate each window by passing your hand around the perimeter of the window. If you feel a breeze, then there is a gap through which air is passing and which will benefit from being weather-stripped.
As you investigate each window, carry a tape rule, index card, and pencil or pen. Measure each side of each window -- left, right, top and bottom. It may seem repetitive as the two sets of sides should be two sets of equal measurements, but often there are differences, usually slight but sometimes noticeable, and it is always best practice to always have precise measurements. Add the four numbers together and then add ten percent to that number, and that is the amount of area you will need to cover with weather-stripping.
Weather-stripping. Weather-stripping is a material that plugs air gaps around openings in the home. At the home center or hardware store, weather-stripping may also be identified as weather-seal. For windows, the three types of weather-stripping for do-it-yourselfers are spring metal, rolled vinyl, and foam. Spring-metal weather-stripping attaches to the channels and the sashes to form the best seal of the three types of weather-stripping, but it is also commands the highest skill level for effective installation. Rolled vinyl is easier to install than spring metal and forms a very good seal, but is visible once installed. Foam is the easiest to install and forms a good seal, but it will require the soonest replacement. These instructions cover these three kinds of weather stripping, which should be adequate to many if not most homes. As each window is unique, remember to tweak such dimensions of the instructions as measurement and placement to reflect your windows -- though these instructions are written for double-hung windows, with common sense they can easily be adapted for hinged windows.
For more serious draft management, you can consider a window kit. A window kit contains a sheet of plastic that fits over the window and the jamb and then is dry-shrunk to form a tight seal, often to be overlaid with strips of wooden lathe that are attached to the jamb over the plastic film. Though it can be unsealed, it is more of a commitment of time and skill to install. These kits are widely available at hardware stores and home centers, and the instructions are included with the kit. If you decide to use a window kit, be sure to obtain the correct kind -- there is also a window film kit, which is also a good idea for the home, but is used to protect inhabitants and furnishings from sun damage rather than to manage drafts.
Weather-Stripping with Spring Metal
For each window:
One spring metal weather-stripping kit with pre-drilled holes or the footage of coiled spring metal weather stripping indicated by the window measurement plus ten percent
Flat-head Screwdriver
Hammer and 1/4 or 1/2 inch flat-head steel nails if not provided in kit
Tin Snips
Tape Rule
Laundry Marker
Optional:
Utility Knife
Drill fitted with nail-driver
1. Measure, mark and cut four pieces of weather-stripping to correspond to the following dimensions of the window:
- 2 pieces to correspond to outside upper channel from just below pulley to just above top rail
- 2 pieces to correspond to inside lower channel from just below top rail to just below lower rail
- 1 piece to correspond to bottom of lower rail of lower sash
- 1 piece to correspond to back of lower rail of upper sash
Note: most spring metal weather stripping can be cut with tin snips; only use the utility knife if it is necessary and you can do so safely.
2. Working one at a time and being careful of sharp edges if any, position each piece of weather-stripping to correspond to the area it was cut for. Position each strip so that the spring side faces outwards. Note: if you cannot reach the back of the lower rail of the upper sash, weather-strip this area with foam strips (see below).
3. Working carefully to avoid damaging the window, hammer a nail into each pre-drilled hole in the weather-stripping. Note: if you are working with a window with metal components, it may be necessary to use the drill to attach the weather-stripping.
4. Once you have installed all four pieces of weather stripping, use the screwdriver to gently pry the weather strip open to ensure a solid seal.
Weather-stripping with Rolled Vinyl
Weather-stripping with Rolled Vinyl
For each window:
The footage of coiled rolled vinyl weather stripping indicated by the window measurement plus ten percent
Hammer and 1/4 or 1/2 inch flat-head steel nails
Heavy Duty ScissorsTape Rule
Laundry Marker
Optional:
Utility Knife
Drill fitted with nail-driver
1. Measure, mark and cut four pieces of weather-stripping to correspond to the following dimensions of the window:
- 2 pieces to correspond to outside upper channel from just below pulley to just above top rail
- 2 pieces to correspond to inside lower channel from just below top rail to just below lower rail
- 1 piece to correspond to front of lower rail of lower sash
- 1 piece to correspond to front of lower rail of upper sash
Note: most rolled vinyl stripping can be cut with heavy duty scissors; only use the utility knife if it is necessary and you can do so safely.
2. Once the four pieces of weather stripping are cut, use the laundry marker to mark one-inch intervals of the weather-stripping so that the marks are identifiable on the rolled side of the weather-stripping.
3. Working one at a time and being careful of sharp edges if any, position each piece of weather-stripping rolled-side outward to correspond to the area it was cut for.
4. Working carefully to avoid damaging the window, pull the weather-stripping taut along the area where it will be applied and hammer a nail into the weather-stripping at one-inch intervals. Note: if you are working with a window with metal components, it may be necessary to use the drill to attach the weather-stripping.
Weather-stripping with Foam or Rubber Tape
For each window:Weather-stripping with Foam or Rubber Tape
One roll of foam- or rubber-tape adhesive-backed weather-stripping
Tape Rule
Scissors
1. Measure, mark and cut two pieces of weather-stripping to correspond to the following dimensions of the window:
- 1 piece to correspond to bottom of lower rail of lower sash
- 1 piece to correspond to bottom of lower rail of upper sash
2. Once the two pieces of weather stripping are cut, position each piece of weather-stripping to correspond to the area it was cut for.
3. Working carefully to avoid damaging the window, pull the weather-stripping taut along the area where it will be applied. Unpeel the backing and press the weather-stripping into place, unpeeling and pulling taut as you go.
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