An air leakage (AL) test determines how much cold air enters a building through a window.
Poorly sealed windows affect a home's energy efficiency by allowing heat to escape and cold air to enter. While this might not be a problem in the summer, it can be the cause of high heating bills in the winter. Correcting this situation involves knowing what products you can easily apply to your window to keep the cold air out and the hot air in.
Weatherstripping
Weatherstripping is available as self-stick plastic folded into a V-shape that can be affixed to the inside track of double-hung or sliding windows or inexpensive narrow strips of felt that are stapled, glued or nailed around windows. Tops and bottoms of windows, as well as odd-shaped cracks, can be sealed with foam tape, while rolled vinyl strips can be attached to the bottoms of windows to create a tighter seal. Fin-seal weatherstripping works well on sliding windows like those found in many mobile homes, and while difficult to install, provides a long-lasting seal.
Plastic Insulation
Clear plastic sheeting that fits over an entire window is sold individually or in sets and in sizes to fit most windows. Heavier gauge sheeting can be tacked around a wooden window frame, or the thinner material is affixed to the glass by heating it with a blow dryer. You can also make your own inexpensive storm windows using plastic sheeting and narrow wood trim molding that can be attached inside your window frame for a snug fit.
Caulking
Caulking can be used around the outside edges of a window frame, around glass panes or to fill in uneven cracks that are letting cold air in through your window. Caulk is available as silicone, polyurethane or latex foam. Applied with a caulking gun or right out of the tube, roughly half a tube of caulking is needed to seal an average size window. Caulking is made of various materials, including silicone, polyurethane or latex foam, and cleanup is dependent upon whether the compound is water or solvent-based. Check the label for instructions on use and any warnings as some caulking, such as butyl rubber, is toxic.
Draperies and Window Quilts
For renters who don't have the option of making repairs or alterations of any kind on their windows, insulated draperies or window quilts are a good solution. When selecting draperies, review the label for the word "insulated" or "thermal," which indicates that the material has been lined with an extra layer designed to minimize the exchange of hot and cold air through the window. Select draperies or window quilts that completely cover your window and offer a close snug fit. Loose window coverings can be secured with double-sided fabric tape or stick-on hook-and-loop tape.
Diagnosing Leaks
While new windows are snug when they are first installed, buildings shift over time; wood contracts and expands in the heat and cold, creating leaks and cracks where there were none before. An easy way to know just where your window is letting in cold air is to do either a flame or feather test, which is done by moving a lighter or candle flame or a small feather around the entire window frame. If cold air is getting in, the flame or the feather will move, letting you know the approximate location of the leak. Use a washable marker to indicate the areas that will need attention.
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