a little fog beats wearing a parka indoors.
That’s the truth. I’ll take a bit of condensation over icicles on the inside any day. When we swapped ours, the drafts were gone but yeah, nothing lines up perfectly in a 1920s house. Still, it’s wild how much quieter things feel now—no more rattling every time the wind kicks up.
nothing lines up perfectly in a 1920s house
That's a fact—old houses just have their own ideas about square and level. I swapped out single panes for double-glazed units last winter. No more drafts, but now I hear every creak in the floor instead of the windows. Worth it for the lower heating bill, though.
Ha, totally get what you mean—my 1918 place is basically a funhouse for anyone with a level. I did the same window upgrade last fall and yeah, the drafts are gone but now every groan and pop in the walls sounds like a horror movie at 2am. Still, I’d rather listen to creaky floors than freeze in February. You made the right call, even if the house is just gonna keep reminding you it’s got character.
Yeah, creaky floors and mystery noises are just part of the vintage home package—no window swap’s gonna fix that. Honestly, getting rid of those drafts is a bigger win than most folks realize. I’ve seen people hesitate because they think new windows will “ruin the charm,” but honestly, you can keep the look with the right choices and still get actual insulation. The weird sounds? Usually just the house settling after all that work. Give it a season or two and things usually mellow out... or at least you’ll get used to it.
Had a client once who swore up and down that swapping out her rattly old sashes would make the ghosts mad—seriously, she blamed every creak on “disturbed spirits.” Fast forward a year, she’s toasty warm, energy bill’s way down, and the only thing haunting her is her neighbor’s leaf blower. Anyone else get pushback from family about “ruining the old vibe,” or is it just my crew that gets the dramatic types?
I get the same thing from my dad every time I mention updating anything—he’s convinced the house will “lose its soul.” Swapped out the drafty windows in our 1920s bungalow last winter, and honestly, the only spirits disturbed were the ones in my whiskey glass when I saw the first lower heating bill. We went with wood-look vinyl to keep the old vibe, and after a month, even Dad admitted it felt cozier. Still, he grumbles about “plastic windows” sometimes... can’t win ‘em all.
“the only spirits disturbed were the ones in my whiskey glass when I saw the first lower heating bill.”
That’s the real win right there. I’ve done a ton of window swaps in older homes—folks always worry about losing character, but honestly, leaky old windows do more harm than good. I replaced the originals in my own 1915 Craftsman with fiberglass units that mimic the old wood look. Kept the divided lites, but man, the draft is gone and the place actually stays warm now. Sure, purists might grumble about “plastic,” but comfort’s hard to argue with once winter hits.
“leaky old windows do more harm than good. I replaced the originals in my own 1915 Craftsman with fiberglass units that mimic the old wood look. Kept the divided lites, but man, the draft is gone and the place actually stays warm now.”
That’s exactly what I keep coming back to—how much of the “character” is really worth it if you’re shivering all winter and paying double for heat? I get the nostalgia, I do. I hesitated for a couple years on my own 1920s bungalow because I loved those wavy glass panes and chunky wood frames. But after a few winters with plastic shrink film peeling off and ice forming on the inside, I caved. Ended up going with triple-pane vinyl (I know, not everyone’s favorite), but I color-matched them to the old trim and honestly, nobody notices unless I point it out.
What surprised me most wasn’t just the warmth, but how much quieter the house got. Street noise used to be this constant hum, now it’s just... gone. Did you notice that too? Or is that more about the type of window? I’ve read some folks say fiberglass insulates sound better than vinyl, but I’m not totally sure.
One thing I do wonder about is longevity. The old wood windows lasted a century (albeit drafty), so I’m curious how these new materials will hold up. Have you had any issues with expansion or warping? My installer warned me about direct sun on south-facing vinyl, but so far, so good.
I do miss the look of the original hardware, though. Tried to save a few of the old locks and pulls—maybe I’ll figure out a way to reuse them somewhere else. Anyone else try that?
Anyway, it’s funny how quickly you forget about “historic integrity” once your toes aren’t freezing at 6am.
I’m right there with you on the “historic integrity vs. personal comfort” debate. I held out for years too, thinking I’d regret losing those old wavy panes. But after my third winter with frost on the INSIDE of the glass and waking up to a bedroom that felt like a walk-in fridge, I finally gave in. It’s wild how much difference new windows make, not just for warmth but for sanity.
I went with fiberglass too, mostly because I heard they’re less likely to warp in our weird climate swings (hot summers, freezing winters). So far, no issues—no warping, sticking, or weird noises. My neighbor did vinyl and she’s had some trouble with the south-facing ones getting a little wonky after a couple years. Maybe that’s just bad luck, but it made me glad I spent a bit more.
The noise reduction is real. I live near a busy street and used to hear every garbage truck at 5am. Now it’s way quieter—almost eerie sometimes. My friend who did wood-clad windows says she still gets some noise, so maybe fiberglass/vinyl does help more with sound? Not sure, but I’m not complaining.
I also kept some of the old hardware! Couldn’t bear to toss those chunky brass latches, even if they barely worked. Thinking about turning a couple into coat hooks or something for the mudroom. At least then they’re still part of the house’s story.
Honestly, I don’t miss the endless painting and caulking. The nostalgia fades fast when you’re not layering up just to make breakfast. I get why purists cringe at new windows, but I’d rather be cozy than “authentic” if it means living in an icebox. Maybe that makes me a sellout, but my heating bill’s cut in half and I can actually see out the glass now. That’s worth something, right?
I hear you on the comfort vs. character thing. I dragged my feet for ages because I loved the look of the old divided lights, but after battling drafts and condensation puddles every winter, I finally caved and put in new double panes. Not gonna lie, the first time I woke up and didn’t see my breath, I felt a little silly for waiting so long. Still kind of miss the wavy glass, but not enough to go back. I kept a couple of the old sash locks too—thinking about mounting them on a board for key hooks. Curious if anyone’s found a good way to reuse old muntins? Mine are just leaning in the garage right now.