I hear you on the condensation. Those shrink kits do help with drafts, but if there’s already moisture in the sashes or frame, you’re just sealing it in. I’ve seen folks pull off the film in spring and find a mess underneath—peeling paint, even some mold. If your windows are starting to go soft or you see bubbling, it’s probably time to look for the source of the leak, not just cover it up. Temporary fix at best, but not a long-term solution if you’ve got water issues.
if there’s already moisture in the sashes or frame, you’re just sealing it in.
That’s the part that always makes me nervous about those kits. I tried them a couple winters back and yeah, they helped with drafts, but when I pulled the film off in April, the paint was peeling and the wood felt spongy in spots. You’re right—sometimes it’s just hiding a bigger problem. Still, I get wanting to stretch things out until you can actually afford new windows. It’s a tough call between patching things up and biting the bullet on a big expense.
Yeah, those window kits are kind of like putting a Band-Aid on a leaky pipe—works for a bit, but you know it’s not a real fix. I’ve seen some pretty gnarly surprises when people finally peel that film off in spring. One time I helped a buddy and half the sash came off with the tape... we just stood there staring at the mess. I get it though, new windows aren’t cheap and sometimes you gotta buy time. Just gotta keep an eye out for soft spots or musty smells so you don’t end up with a bigger headache down the road.