I totally underestimated how much that foam would expand... ended up with a sticky mess and had to redo the trim twice. The energy savings with fiberglass are great (my first winter actually felt warmer), but yeah, if you miss even a tiny spot, it’s like you did all that work for nothing. I do wonder if the hassle is worth it for every window though—my basement ones barely seem to matter. Anyone else just give up and use caulk for the tough spots?
That expanding foam is sneaky, right? First time I used it, I thought “just a little more for good measure,” and then it oozed out everywhere... had to pry the trim off and start over. I hear you on the basement windows too—mine are half-buried and barely let in any light, so I just hit the worst gaps with caulk and called it a day. Didn’t notice much difference down there heat-wise, honestly.
Upstairs was a different story though. I was pretty picky about getting every gap filled after feeling that draft last winter. It’s wild how much even a tiny missed spot can make the room feel colder. Have you noticed if your energy bills dropped much after doing the main floors? I keep wondering if all that effort is really paying off or if it’s just in my head.
It’s wild how much even a tiny missed spot can make the room feel colder.
That’s spot on. Even a pencil-width gap can let in a ton of cold air—seen it plenty when I’m doing blower door tests. Upstairs usually makes the biggest difference, especially if you’re sealing around windows and baseboards. Main floors are where folks notice the comfort change first, and yeah, bills can drop if you’ve had a lot of leaks before.
If you’re thinking about swapping out for fiberglass windows, here’s what I tell people: 1) Measure twice, order once—returns are a pain. 2) Check your rough opening for rot or weird framing before you buy. 3) Install with shims, not just foam—foam alone won’t hold the window square if there’s any movement.
About energy bills: most see better results upstairs than in basements, unless your basement’s finished and heated. Did you insulate around the window frames too, or just caulk? Sometimes missing that step is why heat loss sticks around. Curious if anyone else here noticed more savings after switching to new windows vs just sealing gaps?
Even a pencil-width gap can let in a ton of cold air—seen it plenty when I’m doing blower door tests.
That’s wild to think about, but I totally get it now. When we bought our place (built in the late 70s), I figured sealing up the obvious cracks and adding some caulk would be enough. It helped a little, but honestly, the living room and upstairs still felt drafty, especially on windy days. The bills didn’t really budge much either.
We finally bit the bullet and swapped out the worst windows for fiberglass last fall. It was a pain lining up the measurements—like you said, returns are no joke, and I had to triple check since our frames weren’t exactly “standard” anymore after decades of settling. Ended up finding some minor rot around one window too, so that was a fun surprise… but glad we caught it before it got worse.
The difference was pretty immediate. Upstairs bedrooms actually stay warm now without cranking the heat, and I swear you can just *feel* less cold air moving around. We did use shims plus foam (learned that lesson from YouTube), and I went back with some insulation around the frames before finishing with trim. That step made more of a difference than I expected—before, I’d always just done caulk and called it good.
Our energy bill dropped maybe 15% over winter compared to last year, which was more than I thought it would. Not life-changing, but enough to notice. The main thing for us is just not having that constant drafty feeling anymore. If your old windows are as bad as ours were, swapping them out is worth it—but yeah, don’t skip checking for rot or gaps around the frame itself.
One thing I didn’t expect: soundproofing is way better too. Didn’t realize how much outside noise we were getting through those old windows until now. If you’re on the fence, it’s a lot of work upfront but feels like money well spent once you’re done.
The difference was pretty immediate. Upstairs bedrooms actually stay warm now without cranking the heat, and I swear you can just *feel* less cold air moving around.
Funny, I had a similar experience after replacing a couple of our old aluminum sliders with fiberglass. I didn’t expect much, but the draftiness basically vanished overnight. I’m with you on the measuring headache—our frames were so out of square that it took me ages to get them right. I do kinda wonder if it’s all worth it for every window, though... the ones on the north side made a huge difference, but the others? Not as dramatic. Still, not missing the icy breeze down my neck every morning.
I do kinda wonder if it’s all worth it for every window, though... the ones on the north side made a huge difference, but the others? Not as dramatic.
Yeah, I hear you. I swapped out every single window in our 1970s ranch and honestly, the south-facing ones barely made a dent in comfort or bills. The north and west sides were game changers, though. Do you think it makes more sense to just target the worst offenders instead of going all-in? Sometimes I wonder if the ROI is really there for every window, especially with how pricey fiberglass gets...
I’ve done the “replace every window” thing too, and honestly, I’d do it differently if I could go back. The north-facing windows in my split-level were always freezing in winter, so swapping those out was a no-brainer—huge difference right away. But the east and south ones? Barely noticed anything except a much lighter wallet. If your budget’s tight, I’d say just hit the draftiest or sun-baked spots first. The payback on the rest feels pretty marginal, at least in my experience.
That lines up with what I’ve seen, honestly. I swapped out every single window in my 70s ranch a couple years ago, thinking I’d be swimming in energy savings. North and west sides—yeah, totally worth it. The old glass was like a wind tunnel. But the others? Not much difference, except the new ones look nicer. Sometimes I wonder if the sales pitch about “whole house efficiency” is a bit overblown.
Did you notice any noise reduction at least, or was it just about the drafts? I only ask because my street-facing windows did cut down on traffic noise, which was a nice surprise. Still, if I had to do it again, I’d probably just do the worst offenders and leave the rest until they actually failed. Curious if anyone’s tried just adding storm windows instead of a full swap—seems like a cheaper fix for some spots.
Curious if anyone’s tried just adding storm windows instead of a full swap—seems like a cheaper fix for some spots.
You nailed it about the “whole house efficiency” pitch being kind of overhyped. I see a lot of folks jumping into full replacements, but unless your old windows are truly shot, you’re not always getting your money’s worth everywhere. North and west sides—yeah, that’s where you’ll feel it most, especially if the wind’s a factor.
About storm windows: I’ve put them in for a bunch of clients who didn’t want to shell out for a full replacement. If your frames are still solid, storms can actually do a pretty good job at cutting drafts and even some noise. Not as sleek as new fiberglass, but way easier on the wallet. Plus, you can always upgrade later if you want.
Noise-wise, new windows definitely help, but it depends how bad your old ones were. Sometimes folks expect total silence, but even the best windows won’t block everything. If you’re on a busy road, it’s a noticeable upgrade, but if you’re just dealing with the odd dog bark or lawnmower, storms might be plenty.
Honestly, I usually tell people to focus on the worst windows first and see how it goes. No need to rip out every single one if half of them are still doing their job.
Honestly, I usually tell people to focus on the worst windows first and see how it goes.
That’s been my approach too. I tackled the two leakiest windows with storms before even thinking about a full swap. Noticed a big difference in drafts, and installation was way less hassle than ripping out the old frames. If you’re handy, storms are a solid weekend project and you can always upgrade later if you’re not satisfied. Just make sure to check your existing frames for rot—don’t want to trap moisture.