if your putty’s crumbling, that’s probably the real culprit
That’s probably what’s going on with mine. I tried the tape/film thing last winter and, yeah, it peeled up some paint chips. Didn’t realize that could actually make things worse for drafts down the line. The rope caulk idea sounds promising though—never heard of Mortite before. Anyone ever have it get stuck or leave residue? I’m a little paranoid about making the windows look even rougher than they already do...
I get the paranoia—my old windows are already looking like they’ve seen better days, so I totally relate to not wanting to make things worse. I tried Mortite last fall after seeing it mentioned here, and honestly, it was way less messy than I expected. It’s kind of like silly putty, just a bit stickier. I did have a little residue in some corners when I peeled it off in spring, but nothing that wouldn’t come off with a bit of rubbing or a damp cloth. No paint damage, at least for me.
One thing I’m still not sure about: does using rope caulk every year actually help preserve the window, or is it just a band-aid until the putty gets replaced? I keep thinking maybe I’m just delaying the inevitable (full putty redo), but then again, not having freezing air blasting in all winter is hard to argue with...
Anyone else notice if it made their windows look worse over time? Or am I just being too picky?