Save Money On Heating Bills With DIY Sash Window Insulation Advice

It might be smart to learn how to save money on heating bills with DIY sash window insulation, since the heat that escapes through leaky windows is a waste from any viewpoint. These days all of us are being challenged to reduce our use of energy any way we can. In addition, having tight windows with no air leaks makes a building draft free and therefore more comfortable all winter long.

Why do sash windows let heat escape, and air conditioning as well during the hot months? Wood swells and shrinks with the change of seasons, and the frames and putty get loose around the glass. The channels where the sash weights lie are often sources of air leaks. Also, the frames may lose their seal with the interior and exterior walls and leak around the outside of the whole window unit. Metal window frames, although moisture proof, are not as insulating as wood, which is a poor conductor of heat and cold.

From a cost-effectiveness viewpoint, repairing and restoring old windows makes a lot of sense, especially when you will do the work yourself. Replacement windows, which may have a better energy efficiency rating and which may raise the value of your home, are nevertheless a large investment that it may take years to recover in energy savings.

It takes a certain amount of skill and knowledge to repair your sash windows yourself, but once the technique is acquired, the job is not difficult or prohibitively time consuming. There is a lot of advice online about ways to weatherproof sash windows, with instructional videos and detailed how to guides.

Most leaks involve loose sashes in the frames, and often the frames themselves will no longer fit tightly in their spaces in the walls. The sashes may be tightened with new latches that bring the sections together tightly to keep air from entering. To stop leaks around between the sashes and their frames, or around the frames where they meet the walls both inside and out, weatherstripping must be applied.

There are many different types of weatherstripping, and it will be a good idea to educate yourself on the best product for your purpose. After all, if you do the job well and use the correct form of stripping and sealing, your windows will be airtight for season after season. Although a putty or foam type strip might be affordable and easy to install, the long-lasting nature of metal stripping may be a better investment.

Save money on heating bills with DIY sash window insulation and enjoy life without the cold drafts that remind you that you are heating the great outdoors as well as your house.

Looking for more information on how to save money on heating bills with sash window draught proofing? Get the low down now in our complete sash window refurbishment guide.