CHEAP WAYS TO KEEP THE COLD OUT OF OLD WINDOWS?

the acrylic warped a bit over the season and I ended up with gaps around the edges

Yeah, I ran into that too. Those panels sound great until you actually live with them through a winter. Static-cling film is way less of a mess, but I agree, it doesn’t do much for real drafts. Honestly, I just shove an old towel on the sill when it gets really cold... not pretty, but it works.

I hear you on the towel trick—done that more winters than I care to admit. I tried the bubble wrap thing one year, just spritzed water and stuck it on the glass. It looked ridiculous but did help a bit with the cold, though not so much with the drafts sneaking in around the frame. Anyone ever mess with rope caulk for those gaps? I keep seeing it at the hardware store, but never pulled the trigger. Wondering if it's worth the few bucks or just another thing that'll peel off by spring...

Anyone ever mess with rope caulk for those gaps? I keep seeing it at the hardware store, but never pulled the trigger.

Used rope caulk around a few drafty windows last winter—honestly, it held up better than I expected. Peeled off clean in spring, no sticky mess. Not pretty, but I’d say it’s worth the couple bucks if you’re not ready to replace the windows yet. Just don’t expect miracles if your gaps are huge...

I get why rope caulk is popular—cheap and easy, right? But honestly, I tried it a couple years ago and wasn’t super impressed. Maybe my house is just too drafty (old 1920s place, so nothing’s square), but the stuff kept coming loose in spots where the wood was uneven or the gap was a bit bigger than a pencil. By February, I had to push it back in a few times. Didn’t make a huge mess or anything, but it was kind of annoying.

Ended up switching to the clear plastic window film kits. Not the prettiest look either, but I swear my living room felt way warmer with that extra layer. The tape can be finicky to get off in spring, but at least it stayed put all winter. Guess it depends on your windows and how much air’s sneaking in. For small gaps, rope caulk might be fine, but if you’re dealing with bigger drafts, the film might be worth a shot.

Ended up switching to the clear plastic window film kits. Not the prettiest look either, but I swear my living room felt way warmer with that extra layer.

Totally get what you mean about the film kits looking a bit clunky, but I’ve had the same experience—once they’re up, the temp difference is wild. Have you ever tried those foam weatherstripping tapes? They’re not as obvious as the film and work decently for weird-shaped gaps, though they don’t last forever. My 1910 windows are a pain too, so I’m always mixing and matching solutions...

I've seen a lot of folks get good results with those foam tapes, especially for older windows where the frames aren't exactly square anymore. The trick is making sure the surface is clean before applying, otherwise they peel off faster than you'd like. In my experience, they help with drafts but won't do much for actual glass insulation—so pairing them with film or heavy curtains can make a bigger dent in heat loss. Honestly, with windows from the 1910s, sometimes you just have to layer up solutions and accept a bit of imperfection...

Honestly, with windows from the 1910s, sometimes you just have to layer up solutions and accept a bit of imperfection...

Yeah, that’s the truth. My place is from the 1920s and I swear, no two windows are the same size. I tried the foam tape but it kept peeling off—probably my fault for not cleaning the frame enough (oops). Ended up just shoving rolled-up towels on the sills and using those shrink-wrap kits. Not pretty, but hey, it keeps my toes warmer. Heavy curtains help a ton too, especially when the wind really kicks up.

Those old windows are a whole adventure, huh? I’ve worked on a lot of houses from the ‘10s and ‘20s, and it’s wild how much “custom” there was back then—meaning nothing is square and every fix is a one-off. Foam tape can work, but you really have to scrub down the frame first. If there’s any dust or old paint, it just won’t stick. Sometimes I’ll wipe them with rubbing alcohol to make sure, but even then, cold temps can make the adhesive fail.

Honestly, towels and shrink-wrap kits are about as budget-friendly as it gets. The shrink film works surprisingly well if you don’t mind the look. I’ve seen people double up—film first, then heavy curtains. You’d be amazed how much heat stays in if you’ve got thick drapes that go all the way to the floor. I know it’s not going to win any style awards, but it’s practical.

Another trick I’ve seen: rope caulk. It’s like putty you just press into gaps, and it comes off clean in the spring. Not permanent, but for drafty sashes or those weird gaps at the meeting rails, it does the job. Not expensive either—maybe $5-10 for a pack.

If you’re feeling handy and want something a little more durable, you can make interior storm windows with plexiglass and magnetic tape. Takes a little work with measuring and cutting, but it’s cheaper than real storms and actually looks decent from inside. Did that for a client last year with some truly oddball window sizes—worked way better than I expected.

Biggest thing is just plugging every gap you can find. Even rolled-up newspaper stuffed in cracks does more than you’d think. At the end of the day, with these old places, perfection’s not really on the menu... but you can get close enough to keep your feet from freezing.

Shrink film gets a lot of flak for looking cheap, but I’ve used it in some high-end homes during emergency calls when the original sashes were just too warped to seal up. It’s not pretty, but it does cut down on drafts, especially if you’re dealing with single-pane glass. I’ve also had good luck with rope caulk, like you mentioned. It’s quick, doesn’t leave residue, and you can pull it out in spring without a mess. The only downside is it can dry out and crumble if you leave it in too long or if the window gets a lot of sun.

I’ve tried foam tape on old casements and honestly, prep is everything. If there’s even a hint of dust or loose paint, forget about it sticking through winter. Alcohol wipes help, but if the wood is rough or flaking, sometimes nothing really holds for long.

One thing that comes up a lot with clients—interior storms made from plexiglass and magnetic tape. I built a few last winter for a 1920s bungalow with windows that weren’t even close to square. Took some patience getting those measured right (nothing in that house was level), but the end result was solid. They’re not as airtight as double-glazed units, but for the price and effort? Not bad at all.

Heavy curtains are underrated too. I’ve seen people scoff at them, but when you combine those with any kind of gap-sealing—rope caulk, shrink film, even just rolled towels—you get a big improvement. Not fancy, but practical wins in these old places.

I’ll admit I’m not wild about newspaper or towels as a long-term fix since they can get musty or shift around, but in a pinch they do help. With these houses, you’re always balancing cost against how much time you want to spend chasing every little draft... sometimes “good enough” is all you need to get through another winter.

Couldn’t agree more about heavy curtains—

“Heavy curtains are underrated too.”