Ended up just shoving a rolled up towel in the sill and calling it a day.
Honestly, I’ve done the same thing—sometimes low-tech just works. Tried taping up a cracked pane with clear packing tape once, too. It held for a couple months, even through a cold snap. Not pretty, but it kept the draft out and didn’t mess with opening the window. If you don’t mind how it looks, it’s a quick fix till you can get real repairs done.
Honestly, nothing wrong with a towel in a pinch—sometimes you just gotta get through the night, right? I’ve seen folks use everything from bubble wrap to cardboard wedged in the frame. Tape does help hold cracks together temporarily, but if you’re worried about safety (especially with kids or pets), a piece of rigid plastic taped over the whole pane is a decent stopgap. Not pretty, but it keeps things stable until you can swap the glass. Always amazes me how creative people get with these quick fixes...
- Used packing tape once—held up overnight but looked awful and left residue.
- Cardboard worked better than I expected, especially with a towel stuffed in for insulation.
- Wouldn’t trust either long-term, especially with little kids around.
- If you’ve got plexiglass or even a sturdy plastic folder, that’s been my best temp fix so far... not pretty, but safer.
- Still can’t believe how fast a crack spreads if you bump the window again—definitely makes you rethink putting off repairs.
Totally agree about the packing tape—sticks like crazy, but what a mess to clean up. I’ve actually tried clear mailing labels in a pinch. They’re less sticky than packing tape, so they peel off easier, but still not great for more than a day or two.
“Still can’t believe how fast a crack spreads if you bump the window again—definitely makes you rethink putting off repairs.”
Yeah, that’s wild. I thought I could get away with leaving a small crack for a week, but it spidered out overnight after my dog jumped at the window. Ever try one of those window film kits? Wonder if they’d help as a temporary fix or just make things worse...
“Ever try one of those window film kits? Wonder if they’d help as a temporary fix or just make things worse...”
I actually tried one of those film kits last winter when my old kitchen window cracked. It did keep the drafts out and held the glass together for a week or so, but honestly, it was kind of a pain to get the film off later—left some sticky residue. Didn’t stop the crack from spreading either, just slowed it down a bit. Not sure I’d bother unless you’re desperate to keep out cold air.
I used packing tape once when my bathroom window cracked—just slapped it over both sides. Not pretty, but it held the shards together and stopped the draft for a bit. Window film is fancier, but honestly, tape’s less hassle if you’re in a pinch.
Yeah, tape definitely wins for speed. I did the same thing with painter’s tape when a bedroom window cracked last winter—looked ridiculous but it cut the draft right away. One thing I noticed, though, is that tape doesn’t really seal as well as you’d think. I still felt a chill coming through, and my space heater had to work overtime. I’ve been wondering if bubble wrap would insulate better? Not pretty either, but maybe it’d help with the heat loss until you can get a repair.
Bubble wrap actually works better than you’d think. I slapped some up on my old kitchen window a couple years back—looked like I was prepping for a paintball war, but it did help cut the draft more than just tape. Not exactly pretty, but hey, desperate times... If you’ve got any old towels, shoving one along the sill helps too.
Bubble wrap does the trick in a pinch, but I've always been a bit wary of using it for anything more than a super temporary fix. Maybe it's just me, but I once tried it on my bathroom window during a cold snap, and the condensation built up behind the plastic like crazy. Ended up with a bit of mold around the edges—definitely not what I was aiming for. Since then, I’ve leaned toward using that clear packing tape crisscrossed over the crack, then putting up one of those shrink-wrap window insulation kits. Not exactly glamorous either, but at least you can still see through it.
Old towels along the sill, though—can’t argue with that. My grandma used to call them “draft snakes” and would roll up old socks into long tubes for every window in her house. Didn’t look fancy, but her place was always surprisingly cozy for how ancient those windows were.
Ended up with a bit of mold around the edges—definitely not what I was aiming for.
You’re definitely not alone—bubble wrap can trap moisture like crazy, especially in bathrooms. I’ve had folks call me out for “mystery mold” and it almost always comes back to plastic sheeting or wrap. Packing tape over the crack is solid for short-term, but if you want a step up, I usually recommend clear Gorilla Tape—sticks better and holds up longer. Draft snakes are old-school but honestly, they work. Sometimes it’s the low-tech solutions that get you through until you can do a proper fix.