Funny thing—I actually don’t miss the drafts at all. Maybe it’s just me, but I’d rather deal with a slightly stuffier room than waking up to a freezing bathroom floor and watching my curtains flutter when the wind picks up. I tried the whole “crack a window for fresh air” routine, but all I got was a higher gas bill and a grumpy spouse. I will say, though, modern windows made the place quieter and less dusty. Not perfect, but I’ll take it over the old “natural ventilation” method... especially in February.
I get where you’re coming from about the drafts. When we swapped out our old single panes for double-glazed windows, I was half convinced we’d lose that “fresh air” feeling and end up with a house that felt like a Tupperware container. But honestly? The only thing I really miss is being able to hear the rain at night—those old windows let every sound in, for better or worse.
The dust situation improved a ton, which surprised me. I always blamed the dog, but turns out it was the windows leaking half the outdoors inside. Only downside I’ve noticed is the stuffiness you mentioned. Sometimes it feels like the air just… sits there. We tried one of those trickle vents, but it barely made a difference and just let in noise from the street.
All in all, the quieter rooms and lower bills are worth it. Still, I sometimes wonder if the old “crack a window” method had its charm, even if it meant a chilly morning or two.
I totally get what you mean about the house feeling a bit too sealed up after the upgrade. When we switched to double glazing, I joked that we’d basically built ourselves a spaceship—no air in or out unless we specifically allow it. I kinda miss the background hum of the neighborhood and, yeah, rain on glass is weirdly comforting. But I’ll trade that for not waking up to a layer of dust on every surface and having to crank the heat just to feel my toes.
The stuffiness is real though. We tried one of those fancy “smart” vents, but it mostly seemed smart at letting in car alarms and nothing else. Now I just crack a window in the bathroom for a bit and call it good enough—maybe not super scientific, but it works.
Honestly, lower bills and less cleaning won me over. The old windows had character, but they also had a draft that could knock your socks off. Sometimes progress means giving up a little charm for a lot more comfort... and fewer allergy meds.