I get where you’re coming from, but honestly, I’m always a little wary about just swapping glass if the frames are already drafty. In my experience, argon’s great for slowing heat loss, but if the seals around those old frames aren’t tight, you still end up losing a lot. Had a job last winter where we put in argon units, but the homeowner still complained about cold spots—turned out the air was just sneaking in around the sashes. Sometimes it’s worth weighing if a full replacement saves more hassle down the road, especially with really old wood. Anyone else run into that?
Honestly, I’ve tried the “just swap the glass” route before, thinking I was being clever and saving a buck. Ended up with a living room that still felt like a meat locker every February. Here’s what I learned (the hard way):
Step 1: Check those frames. If you can feel a breeze with your hand or see daylight poking through, no fancy gas between panes is gonna fix that. Argon or air, it all leaks if your frames are shot.
Step 2: If the frames are solid but just a little tired, weatherstripping can help a lot. Sometimes it’s just old caulk or those weird felt strips that need swapping.
Step 3: Only after the frame is good should you even think about paying extra for argon. Otherwise, you’re just putting premium gas in a leaky tire.
I get wanting to save some cash, but after fighting with sticky old wood windows for a couple winters, I finally just replaced the whole thing. Cost more up front, but my toes are warmer now. Sometimes you gotta pick your battles... and your windows.
Only after the frame is good should you even think about paying extra for argon. Otherwise, you’re just putting premium gas in a leaky tire.
Couldn’t agree more with this—so many people focus on the gas between panes and forget the frame is half the battle. From a technical standpoint, argon does have a lower thermal conductivity than air, so in theory, you get a bit better insulation. But if you’ve got gaps or rotten wood, that extra R-value is basically meaningless.
One thing I’d add: even with new windows, the spacer between the panes matters too. If it’s a cheap aluminum spacer, you can still get cold spots at the edges (thermal bridging). Warm-edge spacers are worth looking into if you’re dropping money on new units.
I’ve measured surface temps on my own windows before and honestly, the biggest jump came after fixing old caulk and swapping out a cracked sash, not from the argon upgrade. The gas helps, but only when everything else is dialed in. Sometimes it’s the boring fixes that actually keep your house warm.
Couldn’t have said it better about the frame and caulk—people get fixated on argon like it’s magic, but if your sash is warped or the frame’s letting air in, you’re just wasting money. Warm-edge spacers are a big deal, too. I’ve seen plenty of “premium” windows with cold edges because they cheaped out on that part. Honestly, if someone’s on a budget, I’d tell them to focus on solid frames and good seals before even thinking about gas fills. Argon’s nice, but it’s not going to fix drafty installs or shoddy materials.
I ran into this exact thing when I replaced the windows in my 90s ranch. I got all excited about argon, but the installer pointed out some of my old frames were warped. Ended up spending more time on shimming and sealing than anything else. The difference was night and day—no more cold drafts. Argon helps, sure, but if the frame’s not right, you’re just heating the outdoors.
Argon helps, sure, but if the frame’s not right, you’re just heating the outdoors.
Couldn’t agree more with this. People get so hung up on the gas in the panes, but if you’ve got a crooked or leaky frame, it’s like pouring water into a cracked bucket. I learned the hard way in my old split-level—spent a fortune on “premium” glass, but until I fixed the framing and did some serious sealing, it was draft city. Argon’s great, but it’s not magic if the basics aren’t right.
Yeah, I hear you. I spent way too much time obsessing over the gas fill when it turned out the caulking around my sills was the real culprit. Out of curiosity, has anyone noticed a difference in condensation with argon versus just air? I swear I still get foggy corners in winter.
Funny you mention the foggy corners. I swapped out my old single panes for double-glazed with argon a few years back, and honestly, I was expecting a miracle. The salesman made it sound like condensation would be a thing of the past, but, nope—still get those little patches in the corners when it really dips below zero. Maybe not as bad as before, but it’s not gone.
I’ve always wondered if it’s just the nature of our old house (built in ‘68, so insulation and air flow aren’t exactly cutting edge). I did notice after I re-caulked the sills and added weather stripping to the storm windows, things improved a bit. Not perfect, though. Seems like if there’s even a tiny draft or cold bridge around the frame, you’ll see some fog no matter what’s between the panes.
Curious if anyone else has dealt with older wood windows? I keep hearing about “warm edge” spacers making a difference too, but haven’t tried them myself. Sometimes I wonder if all these upgrades are worth it or if I’m just chasing small improvements. At this point, I’m half convinced that unless you live in a brand-new build with everything sealed up tight, there’s always going to be some condensation in winter.
Is there something about certain climates that makes argon more worthwhile? We get wild temperature swings here in Ontario—maybe that’s part of it.
The condensation in the corners is a pretty common issue, especially in older homes where the window frames themselves can become a thermal weak spot. While argon-filled double glazing does slow down heat transfer compared to air-filled units, it’s not a cure-all—especially when you’ve got older wood frames and the inevitable drafts or cold bridges that come with them.
I’ve seen this firsthand, even in houses that have had pretty extensive upgrades. The glass itself stays warmer with argon between the panes, but the edge of the unit—where the glass meets the frame—is still vulnerable. That’s where “warm edge” spacers can actually make a noticeable difference. The standard aluminum spacers conduct heat quite well, so you get that cold ring around the perimeter, and that’s often where condensation shows up first. Swapping to a non-metallic or “warm edge” spacer reduces that effect, but it’s not going to eliminate condensation entirely if you’ve still got air leaks or poorly insulated frames.
Climate definitely plays a role. Ontario’s temperature swings are brutal on windows. When it drops fast outside and you’re heating inside, the difference across the glass can be huge. Argon helps slow down the transfer, but if the relative humidity inside is high, you’ll still see fogging when the glass surface gets cold enough. I’ve noticed homes in milder climates don’t have nearly as much trouble, even with basic double glazing.
Honestly, chasing perfect condensation control in a house from the ‘60s is tough. Upgrading weather stripping and sealing gaps helps, but unless you’re replacing the entire window—including the frame—with something thermally broken, there’s always going to be some compromise. It’s a balance between comfort, cost, and how much disruption you’re willing to put up with. I’d say argon is worthwhile for energy savings and comfort, but it’s not magic. As for warm edge spacers, they’re a solid incremental upgrade if you’re already replacing units or sashes, just don’t expect miracles there either.
Sometimes, it’s just about managing expectations and humidity indoors—running a dehumidifier or cracking a window on milder days can help too. I’ve had clients who swore by those little tweaks more than any high-tech window feature.
- Not sure argon’s always worth the extra cost, honestly. Swapped out a couple windows in my 70s place last winter—went with air-filled double glazing and haven’t noticed much difference in comfort or condensation compared to the older argon units in the living room.
- The installer even said unless your frames are top notch, it’s almost splitting hairs.
- If your budget’s tight, I’d say focus more on sealing drafts and maybe running a fan to move air in those cold corners... that helped me more than swapping the gas between panes.
- Warm edge spacers do seem to help a bit, but like you said, nothing’s perfect if the house is leaky.