- Used heavy curtains on our front window (old 1920s house).
- Noticed less cold air, but only if they’re thick and actually touch the sill/floor.
- Didn’t totally fix drafts, but made the room feel warmer.
- They’re pricey, especially custom sizes. Off-the-shelf ones helped enough for us.
- Still use the incense trick—old habits die hard.
- Cat ignores curtains, but used to attack the foam snakes... go figure.
Heavy curtains are on my list, but I keep second-guessing the price tag, especially for the weirdly tall windows in our place. Did you notice a big difference right away, or was it more of a slow, subtle thing? I tried those foam snakes too—ours looked like sad pool noodles shoved under the sill. Our dog thought they were toys, so that lasted about a week.
I’ve heard the incense trick works, but I always worry I’ll set off the smoke alarm or forget where I put the stick. Anyone ever tried using a candle instead, or is that just asking for trouble? Drafts drive me nuts in winter (old house problems...), but I’m never sure if I’m actually fixing anything or just stacking “solutions” on top of each other. At least the curtains look nice, right?
I tried those foam snakes too—ours looked like sad pool noodles shoved under the sill. Our dog thought they were toys, so that lasted about a week.
That made me laugh—had the same issue with draft stoppers and a nosy cat. As for heavy curtains, I did notice a difference, but it wasn’t instant. More like the room felt less chilly over a few weeks, especially at night. Have you checked for gaps with your hand on a windy day? Sometimes those subtle leaks add up. I get what you mean about “stacking solutions”—sometimes it feels like a never-ending project. Candles work, but I’d keep them away from anything flammable or pets... learned that the hard way when a tail got too close.
Heavy curtains helped here too, but only after I sealed the obvious gaps first. Otherwise, I felt like I was just trapping cold air behind the fabric. Have you tried using an incense stick or even a lighter to spot drafts? Sometimes it’s easier to see the smoke move than to feel a breeze by hand. I’ve found that method more reliable than the “hand test,” especially on less windy days. Wondering if anyone’s tried those window film kits—worth the hassle?
“Wondering if anyone’s tried those window film kits—worth the hassle?”
I’ve used the window film kits a few winters now. Here’s my take: First, clean the window frame really well or the adhesive won’t stick. Then, cut the film a bit bigger than the window so you have room to pull it tight. The hairdryer part is kind of satisfying, watching it shrink up. They do help with drafts, but if your window frames are really uneven or crumbly, the seal doesn’t last all season. Ever notice any condensation issues after sealing yours up? That’s been my only gripe—sometimes I get moisture trapped between the film and glass.
I get the condensation thing too, especially on the north-facing windows where it’s colder. Didn’t see much mold, but it does leave some foggy spots if I leave the film up too long. Still, it’s better than that icy breeze coming in.
Still, it’s better than that icy breeze coming in.
Totally agree—I'd rather deal with a bit of foggy film than shivering every morning. I’ve noticed that the film can get a little grimy if I leave it up too long, but honestly, it’s a fair trade-off for not having to crank the heat. One thing I started doing is running a fan near those windows for a few hours every week. Seems to help with the condensation, at least in my case. North-facing windows are always a pain... sometimes I think they just attract cold air for fun.
That’s the trade-off, right? I’ve tried those window films too, and while they do get a bit cloudy or grimy, it’s nothing compared to that constant draft. In my old place (built in the 60s, so you can imagine the insulation situation), I’d get this arctic blast from the north-facing living room windows every winter. The film helped a ton, but yeah, it definitely started to look like a science experiment by March.
Running a fan is a clever move. I always figured it’d just stir up more cold air, but now that you mention it, maybe it does help with condensation. I used to wipe mine down every morning with a rag, which was kind of a pain and honestly just made me more aware of how much moisture was building up.
One thing that worked for me—kind of by accident—was putting heavy blackout curtains over the film. Not exactly pretty, but it trapped another layer of air and seemed to slow down the grime buildup. The downside is, it made the room feel like a cave. North windows already don’t get much light, so it was a bit of a trade-off between warmth and not feeling like I lived in a bunker.
And yeah, those north-facing windows are relentless. Sometimes I swear you can feel the cold radiating off them even with two layers of film and every crack sealed. Makes you wonder if they’re just designed to test your patience...
Anyway, good on you for sticking with it. It’s not perfect, but honestly, I’d take slightly foggy windows over waking up to an icebox any day.
Sometimes I swear you can feel the cold radiating off them even with two layers of film and every crack sealed. Makes you wonder if they’re just designed to test your patience...
That’s basically how I felt last winter—my apartment’s got these ancient single-pane windows that seem to exist solely for the purpose of letting in drafts and existential dread. I tried the candle trick (you know, moving a lit candle around the frame to spot leaks), but it mostly just made me nervous about burning the place down. Ended up using the plastic shrink film, which helped a bit, though by February it looked like I was living inside a plastic bag.
I did experiment with those thermal curtains too, but like you said, it turned my living room into a perpetual midnight. Not great for plants or pretending I’m not a vampire. I will say, though, layering the film and curtains together seemed to cut down on condensation—less wiping, more pretending the outside world doesn’t exist.
Honestly, I’d take “science experiment” windows over waking up with frost on the inside glass any day. At least my coffee doesn’t freeze on the table anymore.
I tried the candle trick (you know, moving a lit candle around the frame to spot leaks), but it mostly just made me nervous about burning the place down.
Yeah, the candle test always seemed a bit risky to me, especially if you’ve got curtains or anything flammable nearby. I switched to using incense sticks—same idea, but less chance of accidentally setting off the smoke alarm or, worse, torching the place. The smoke makes it easy to spot drafts, and it’s a lot less stressful. If you want a low-tech fix that actually works, I’ve had decent luck with rope caulk around the frames. It’s not pretty, but it peels off clean in spring. Not a permanent solution, but my heating bill thanked me.