- Had a similar situation with my 60s ranch—brand new windows, but a couple spots still felt drafty. Turns out, the insulation around the frames wasn’t great. Ended up pulling off some trim and packing in low-expansion spray foam. Helped a lot, but it’s not a miracle fix.
- If your energy bills dropped, that’s a win, but yeah, the cold spots can be annoying. Sometimes it’s just the way old walls settle or how the wind hits certain sides of the house. Not always the window’s fault.
- I’ve also noticed heavy curtains make a surprising difference for those trouble spots. Not the prettiest solution, but it works in winter.
- If you’re handy, checking for gaps with a candle or incense stick can help track down sneaky drafts. Sometimes it’s not even the window but the wall or sill.
- Honestly, I’d still say it’s worth it for the comfort and lower bills, but there’s always some trade-off with older homes. Nothing’s ever perfect, right?
I hear you on the drafts even after new windows. When we swapped ours out in our '70s split-level, I was honestly shocked that some rooms still felt chilly in spots. Ended up crawling around with a flashlight and found gaps where the old insulation had just crumbled away near the headers. Honestly, fixing those made more difference than the actual window swap. Curtains help, but man, it’s wild how much the little stuff adds up. I guess there’s always something with older houses—never quite a “done” project, huh?
Funny how you think new windows will be the magic fix, then you’re down in the crawlspace with a can of spray foam and a headlamp. Had a similar thing here—thought I’d finally beat the drafts, but nope, cold air still found a way in through gaps around the framing. It’s like playing whack-a-mole with these old houses. Still, I’ll admit, after sealing up those weird little spots, it actually felt warmer than after the window swap itself. Guess it’s all layers on layers—never really finished, just less drafty for now.
Yeah, that’s exactly how it goes—thought I’d be done after dropping a chunk of cash on new windows, but nope, still crawling around chasing those sneaky drafts. I swear, my 1940s place has more secret air tunnels than I thought possible. Honestly, plugging up the weird little gaps with foam and whatever else I could find made way more difference than just swapping the glass. It’s like the house is testing me or something...
Not sure I totally agree—swapping out the old windows in my place (1955 ranch) actually made a pretty big difference, even before I got to all the tiny gaps.
For me, it was more like 50/50. The new windows cut down on noise and drafts, but yeah, those random gaps around the frames still needed attention. Maybe it depends on how rough the original install was?plugging up the weird little gaps with foam and whatever else I could find made way more difference than just swapping the glass
That’s interesting, because I had a similar experience with my 1970s split-level. The windows themselves were a huge upgrade—less rattling in the wind, and the drafts dropped off a lot. But I was surprised how much cold air still snuck in until I went around with a can of foam and some caulk. I guess it makes sense, since some of the old frames were never square to begin with.
I do wonder if part of the difference comes down to climate, too. I’m in the Midwest, so those winter winds really test every little gap. Maybe in milder areas, just swapping the windows would be enough? Or maybe it’s just how careful the installers were back in the day. Did anyone else notice if their original windows were installed with any kind of insulation or just stuck in place? Mine had nothing but a bit of crumbling plaster...
You’d be amazed how many times I’ve pulled out old windows and found, well, basically nothing filling the gaps—sometimes just a wad of newspaper or a random chunk of wood jammed in there. Back then, they just didn’t worry about sealing things up tight, especially in houses that weren’t meant for crazy cold winters. I always tell people: the window itself is only half the battle. Curious if folks in older brick homes have noticed anything different? Sometimes the masonry hides all sorts of weird surprises...
When I swapped out the windows in my 1940s brick place, I was honestly shocked at how little was actually holding them in. Like, I expected maybe some insulation or at least a proper frame, but nope—just some crumbly mortar and a weird chunk of foam that looked like it came from an old couch. The brickwork itself is solid, but around the window openings it was kind of a mess. Took me forever to chip out all the old stuff and get a clean edge.
Here’s what I did, step by step: First, I pried out the old window and immediately vacuumed up about a century’s worth of dust and spiderwebs. Next, I checked the brick around the opening for cracks or loose bits—had to patch a couple spots with fresh mortar. Then I dry-fitted the new window to see where the gaps were biggest (spoiler: pretty much everywhere). For insulation, I used low-expanding spray foam—just enough to seal but not mess with the brickwork. After that set, I trimmed it flush and caulked the seams inside and out.
One thing I ran into—the outside sill sloped weirdly, so rainwater would’ve pooled right under the window if I hadn’t built up a new slope with mortar. That was a surprise.
I’m curious—has anyone else run into weird stuff tucked into their brick walls? I found what looked like an old shoe behind one window (no joke). Also, for folks who’ve done this, did you bother with flashing above/below the new windows? Some guides say it’s necessary even on older brick homes, but others claim you can skip it if there’s already a lintel in place. Not totally sure if I overdid it or not...
That shoe made me laugh—when I pulled out the kitchen window in my ‘52 brick, I found a petrified bird’s nest and what looked like a marble from some kid’s slingshot days. Makes you wonder what else is hiding in those walls.
On the flashing, I actually went back and forth too. Some older guides say the brick lintel does enough to keep water out, but my neighbor had water sneaking in above his window during heavy rain, so I ended up tucking some flexible flashing tape above and below just to be safe. It wasn’t a huge extra step, and honestly, I’d rather overdo it than risk leaks down the line. That said, I’ve seen folks skip it and do fine for years, so maybe it depends on how exposed your wall is or if you get driving rain.
Did you notice any weird smells when you opened things up? Mine had this musty funk that took a few days to air out. Old houses sure keep you guessing...
Funny you mention the smell—when I swapped the windows in my ‘49 Cape, I got hit with this weird mix of old wood and something almost sweet, which sounds nicer than it was. Took a solid week with fans blasting to clear it out. Never found anything as wild as a shoe or a marble, though... just some ancient insulation that crumbled if you looked at it wrong.
On flashing, I’m with you: better to go overboard than end up chasing leaks later. I’ve seen folks cut corners, then spend weeks fighting damp patches and peeling paint. Not worth it for the minimal extra effort or cost. That said, I do wonder if some of these old houses just lucked out with their original craftsmanship—the brickwork on mine is so tight, water barely stands a chance unless there’s a driving storm.
Curious—did you run into any surprises with the framing? Half the time I open a wall in this place it’s like playing “guess what’s not up to code.” Sometimes makes me question if swapping windows is ever really straightforward in these older places...