That’s pretty much what I see when I’m out on jobs. People get sold on the idea that krypton will make every window feel like a wall, but unless you’re dealing with a really big or north-facing window, argon does the trick for most folks. Did you notice any difference in condensation with the krypton? Sometimes I’ve seen it help a bit there, but honestly, like you said, sealing up old frames makes a bigger impact than the gas fill in most cases. Curious if anyone’s had a different experience.
I gotta say, I actually did notice a difference with krypton, but only in the dead of winter. My living room faces north and those windows used to sweat like crazy. With the krypton, the condensation dropped off a ton. But yeah, sealing up the old frames made a bigger difference than anything else. The price tag on krypton still stings a bit though...
Yeah, I’ve noticed something similar with my place. North-facing windows always seem to be the worst for condensation, especially when it really dips below freezing. The krypton fill definitely helped, but honestly, air sealing and adding some decent weatherstripping around the frames made a bigger dent in comfort and energy bills for me. The cost of krypton is tough to swallow—I kept wondering if argon would’ve been “good enough.” Still, less sweating on the glass is a win in my book.
- Honestly, I went with argon because the price difference just seemed too much for krypton.
- Haven’t really seen a massive change in condensation either way—still get a bit on cold mornings.
- Did notice better results after I fixed up some gaps around the window frames, like you said.
- Not sure if it’s worth spending extra for krypton unless your windows are super old or drafty...
- Maybe it’s just my house, but air sealing felt like the real game-changer.
Funny, I had the same debate when we replaced our windows last winter. Ended up sticking with argon too—couldn’t justify the extra cost for krypton, especially since our house isn’t that old. Sealing up the trim made a way bigger difference for drafts than any gas fill did. Unless you’re in some extreme weather or have ancient windows, I honestly think good air sealing and decent double panes get you most of the way there.
When we did our big reno about six years back, I went down the same rabbit hole—read up on all the gas fills, R-values, you name it. Ended up with argon in double panes, mostly because the jump to krypton just didn't pencil out for our 1980s place. What really surprised me was how much difference just re-caulking and foaming around the frames made. Honestly, my toes were always cold before that, even with the old windows. Once we sealed everything up tight? Way more comfortable, and the heating bills dropped noticeably. Maybe if I lived in Alaska or something I'd consider krypton, but for most of us, good sealing does more heavy lifting than the gas between panes.
I get where you’re coming from—sealing up drafts makes a huge difference, no question. But I’ve actually seen krypton-filled panes make a noticeable impact in really cold spots, even outside Alaska. It’s not just hype if you’re dealing with brutal winters and smaller air gaps. For milder climates though, yeah, sealing usually gives you more bang for your buck.
For milder climates though, yeah, sealing usually gives you more bang for your buck.
Totally agree with this. I live in a spot where winter means a chilly breeze and maybe a sweater, so I went nuts with weatherstripping and caulk instead of fancy gases. Honestly, my utility bill dropped more from sealing up the weird cracks behind my baseboards than anything else. My neighbor did the krypton thing—he swears by it, but he also keeps his house like a meat locker year-round. Maybe it’s one of those “depends how cold you like it” deals?
my utility bill dropped more from sealing up the weird cracks behind my baseboards than anything else.
Yeah, same here. I started with the obvious stuff—windows and doors—but honestly, it was the little gaps around outlets and pipes that made the biggest difference. I did look into those fancy gas-filled windows, but for my 70s ranch, it just seemed like overkill. Maybe if I lived somewhere with real winters, I'd notice more? For now, a tube of caulk and some foam gaskets go a long way.
That lines up with my experience too. I got way more mileage out of sealing up all the oddball gaps than anything else—especially in an older house like mine. Fancy windows sound nice, but unless you’re in a super cold spot, the return just isn’t there. Sometimes the low-tech fixes really do pay off.