"Have you checked if the window itself is properly aligned or sealed? Sometimes a quick adjustment or tightening the hardware can make a surprising difference..."
Good point about alignment. Had a similar issue last winter—thought it was just poor insulation, but turns out the window wasn't fully seated in the frame. A quick adjustment and some removable silicone caulk around the edges made a noticeable difference. Window film didn't hold up for me either, especially with condensation...ended up bubbling pretty badly after a month or two.
Window film didn't hold up for me either, especially with condensation...ended up bubbling pretty badly after a month or two.
Had a similar experience myself. Last fall, I kept feeling drafts and assumed it was just old windows or poor insulation. Turns out the latch hardware had loosened over time, causing the window to sit slightly ajar even when it looked closed. Tightening up the screws and adding some weatherstripping tape around the edges made a huge difference. Agree about window film too—tried it once, but condensation made it peel off pretty quickly...not worth the hassle imo.
Same here, window film was a bust for me too. I remember one winter I spent ages carefully applying it, smoothing out every little bubble...only to have it start peeling off at the corners within weeks. Eventually realized the real issue was gaps around the window frame itself. Ended up using some silicone caulk to seal those gaps—made a noticeable difference. Might be worth checking if you've got any hidden cracks or gaps letting air in.
Had a similar issue at a client's place—film barely helped because the frame itself was drafty. Switched to weatherstripping tape around the sash, and that sealed things up nicely. Might be worth trying if caulk alone doesn't do it.
Had the same problem last winter, and weatherstripping tape definitely helped, but I also found that adjusting the window latch made a noticeable difference. Sometimes the window isn't fully sealing unless you tweak the hardware a bit... worth checking out before buying more supplies.
Good tip about the latch—I overlooked that myself at first. Another thing I noticed was that sometimes the window frame itself can warp slightly over time, especially in older houses. Last year, I ended up using a hairdryer to warm up the frame a bit before sealing it again, and it seemed to help the tape stick better. Has anyone else noticed their frames warping or shifting with temperature changes?
Yeah, frames definitely warp a bit in my experience, especially with older wooden windows. My place is from the 70s, and every winter I notice the same window acting up. Last year, I tried your hairdryer trick too—worked pretty well actually. But eventually, I ended up adding some weather stripping around the edges because the tape alone wasn't cutting it anymore. Seems like the wood expands and contracts with humidity and temperature swings, so sealing it properly can be tricky. Honestly, at some point I might just bite the bullet and replace the whole window... but for now, these little fixes keep things manageable.
Glad to hear the hairdryer trick worked for you—I was skeptical at first, but maybe I'll give it a shot. I'm dealing with a similar issue right now, and honestly, it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one struggling with these older windows. Weather stripping sounds like a solid next step if things get worse. Did you find it difficult to install properly? I'm still figuring out all this homeowner stuff, so every little tip helps...
"Weather stripping sounds like a solid next step if things get worse. Did you find it difficult to install properly?"
Totally agree on weather stripping—it’s usually straightforward, but the trick is prepping the surface first. Clean the window edges thoroughly and measure twice before cutting. Trust me, learned that one the hard way...
Good call on the measuring twice bit—been there myself, haha. Another thing that really helped me was using a hairdryer on the adhesive side of the stripping before applying it. Just warms it up enough to stick better, especially if it's chilly out. Honestly, weather stripping is pretty forgiving, so even if you mess up a bit, it's usually fixable. You've got this...