Good points about drafts from doors and attics—I learned that the hard way myself. After upgrading my windows, I still felt chilly spots until I sealed up gaps around my front door. Definitely worth checking those sneaky spots before expecting miracles from new windows alone...
That's a solid observation. Windows are often the first thing people jump to when they feel drafts, but doors and attic spaces can be equally problematic. I had a similar experience—after investing in high-quality double-pane windows, I still noticed cold spots around the house. It wasn't until I did a thorough inspection with an infrared thermometer that I realized how much heat was escaping through tiny gaps around my attic hatch and basement door frame.
One thing I'd recommend is checking your electrical outlets and switches on exterior walls too. You'd be surprised how much air infiltration happens there, especially in older homes. Foam gaskets behind outlet covers are inexpensive and easy to install, yet they make a noticeable difference.
It's always worth taking a holistic approach to sealing your home rather than relying solely on window upgrades. Glad you mentioned doors specifically—they're often overlooked despite being major culprits for drafts.
Good points about doors and attic spaces. People often assume windows are the biggest offenders because they're literally transparent, haha... but there's a lot more going on behind the scenes. I've found that weatherstripping around exterior doors can wear out surprisingly fast, especially if you have kids or pets constantly going in and out. A lot of folks don't realize how quickly those seals degrade until they actually run their hand along the frame on a cold day.
One thing you didn't mention—but I've seen it a lot—is recessed lighting fixtures in ceilings. If they're not insulated properly (and many older homes aren't), they act like little chimneys, pulling warm air straight up and out through the attic. Even newer recessed lights labeled as "airtight" aren't always 100% sealed, so it's worth checking them closely. You'd be amazed at how much heat escapes through these tiny openings.
Also, don't underestimate the impact of fireplace dampers. I had a customer once who spent thousands on new windows and insulation, only to find out his chimney damper was stuck partially open year-round! He basically had an open hole in his roof sucking out heat every winter. Not fun for him—or his wallet.
I agree with your point about outlets too—those foam gaskets are cheap and simple fixes. But honestly, sometimes just sealing around baseboards and trim with caulk can make a huge difference too. I've done infrared scans before-and-after basic caulking jobs, and you'd think we installed brand-new insulation by how much less heat loss there was.
Anyway, glad you're enjoying the new windows! Upgrades like these really do pay off in comfort and energy savings over time.
Great insights here—I hadn't even thought about recessed lights acting like chimneys, but now that you mention it, it makes total sense. I remember helping my brother-in-law install some recessed lighting in his older home a few years back. We didn't think much about insulation or sealing at the time (rookie mistake, I know). Fast forward to winter, and he kept complaining about drafts and chilly rooms upstairs. After some head-scratching and poking around in the attic, we realized those lights were basically funneling heat straight out of the house. Lesson learned!
Also, your fireplace damper story made me chuckle—reminds me of a neighbor who swore his house was haunted because rooms stayed cold no matter what he did. Turns out his chimney damper was rusted open too... ghosts debunked.
Anyway, it's funny how these little overlooked things can add up to big heat loss. Now I'm curious to run my own infrared scan around baseboards and trim sometime—bet I'd be surprised at what I'd find.
"Now I'm curious to run my own infrared scan around baseboards and trim sometime—bet I'd be surprised at what I'd find."
I'd definitely recommend it. Did one a couple winters ago and found cold spots I never would’ve guessed—especially around outlets and switches on exterior walls. Ever tried those foam insulation pads behind outlet covers? They're cheap, quick to install, and made a noticeable difference for me. Small fixes like that often add up more than you'd think...
Did a quick infrared scan myself last winter and was pretty surprised at how much cold air was sneaking in around the baseboards. Ended up sealing them with some caulk, and honestly, it made a noticeable difference in comfort. Haven't tried those foam pads behind outlets yet, but now you've got me thinking... might be worth a shot. Small stuff like this really adds up over time.
"Small stuff like this really adds up over time."
True, but honestly, foam pads behind outlets didn't do much for me. If you're serious about drafts, check around doors first—weatherstripping those made a way bigger difference in my place. Quick fix, big payoff.
If you're serious about drafts, check around doors first—weatherstripping those made a way bigger difference in my place.
I hear you on weatherstripping doors—did that last fall and it made a noticeable difference. Windows were next on my list, but honestly, I hesitated because of the cost. Finally bit the bullet though, and wow... worth every penny. Drafts are gone, rooms feel cozier, and the street noise is way quieter too. Foam pads behind outlets seemed like a neat idea, but didn't notice much either. Guess it's all trial and error figuring out what actually works, huh?
Yeah, windows made a huge difference for us too. We tried those outlet foam pads as well—honestly couldn't tell if they did anything. But sealing up the attic hatch...now that was surprisingly effective. Never realized how much heat we were losing there.
"But sealing up the attic hatch...now that was surprisingly effective. Never realized how much heat we were losing there."
Yeah, attic hatches are sneaky like that. I remember when we upgraded our windows a couple years back, the difference was night and day—especially in the colder months. But then I started noticing drafts from places I'd never even thought about before. Like, who knew the attic hatch could be such a culprit? I ended up adding some weatherstripping around ours, and it was honestly shocking how much warmer the hallway felt afterward.
As for those foam outlet pads, I tried them too, and I’m with you—didn't really notice any improvement. Maybe they're more effective in older homes with less insulation? Not sure. But windows and attic sealing definitely seem to be the big wins in my experience.