I've combined thermal curtains with cellular shades in my bedroom, and honestly, it's worth the extra effort. Just make sure you mount the shades close to the window frame first, then hang the curtains outside that—really helps trap cold air.
I've tried the thermal curtains and cellular shades combo too, and yeah, it does help—but honestly, nothing beats sealing up those sneaky drafts first. I mean, curtains are great and all, but if your window frames have gaps, you're basically putting a sweater on a snowman...still cold underneath. Grab some weatherstripping tape or even that shrink-wrap plastic film stuff. It's cheap, easy to apply (hairdryer fun included), and you'll notice the difference immediately.
Yeah, sealing drafts is definitely step one. I remember when we first moved into our place, the previous owners had done a pretty sloppy caulking job around the windows. Looked fine at first glance, but once winter hit, you could feel cold air sneaking in everywhere. Ended up scraping it all off and redoing it properly—made a huge difference. Have you checked if your window frames themselves are warped or damaged? Sometimes it's not just gaps but the actual frames causing issues...
Good point about the frames—people often overlook that. I've seen cases where the window itself was fine, but the frame had shifted slightly over time, creating gaps you wouldn't notice at first glance. Also, sometimes older windows lose their seal between panes, which can make them feel colder even if they're technically airtight. Have you noticed any condensation or fogging between the glass layers? That could be another clue...
"Have you noticed any condensation or fogging between the glass layers? That could be another clue..."
Condensation's definitely a red flag, but sometimes even without visible fogging, the seal can still be compromised. Have you tried the candle test around the edges to pinpoint drafts? Might reveal something unexpected...
I've done the candle test before, and it can definitely highlight some sneaky drafts. But even then, sometimes it's hard to pinpoint exactly where the air's coming from—especially if it's a subtle leak around the frame rather than the glass itself. Have you checked if the weatherstripping is still intact? Mine looked fine at first glance, but when I pressed on it, I realized it was brittle and not sealing properly anymore...
Had a similar issue last winter—thought it was the weatherstripping too, but turned out to be tiny gaps around the frame itself. Ended up using some clear silicone caulk, and honestly, it made a huge difference. Might be worth checking that out if the stripping seems okay...
Ran into something similar myself last year. Thought it was my weatherstripping at first, replaced it and everything—still felt drafts. Turns out the cold air was sneaking in around the window casing itself. Ended up carefully removing the trim and filling the hidden gaps with foam insulation. Took a bit of patience, but honestly, the difference was night and day. Might wanna check behind your trim too, if caulking doesn't fully solve it...
Good call on checking behind the trim—I had the same issue a couple winters back. Thought I was losing my mind after redoing the weatherstripping twice. Foam insulation behind the casing was the real fix, made a huge difference. Glad you figured it out too.
Had a similar issue myself, though honestly I was skeptical about the foam at first—seemed too easy. But after spending a weekend freezing my fingers off trying every other trick in the book, I finally caved and gave it a shot. Gotta admit, it worked better than I expected...