Anyone actually save money doing their own window installs?

For me, it was pretty subtle—not sure if it’s worth the effort just for efficiency, or if most of the savings are just avoiding contractor markup.

I hear you on that. I swapped out two ancient double-hungs in my 1920s place last spring. Did the air sealing, foam, all that jazz. My bills? Well, let’s just say I wasn’t exactly swimming in extra cash. The difference was there, but it was more like an “oh, that’s nice” moment than a jaw-dropper.

Honestly, unless you’re replacing a ton of windows or your old ones were basically open holes, the energy savings alone are usually pretty modest. The real win, at least for me, was dodging those contractor labor costs. I mean, the quotes I got were wild. But yeah, these old houses have a million sneaky gaps—insulating the windows is only part of the battle. Sometimes I wonder if I’d get more bang for my buck just air-sealing the attic again.

Still, there’s something satisfying about doing it yourself, even if your caulking lines look like a toddler helped.

- Had a similar experience—did three windows in my 1940s bungalow last winter.
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“The real win, at least for me, was dodging those contractor labor costs.”

I get where you’re coming from, but I actually saw a bigger drop in my bills after doing my windows than attic sealing, weirdly enough. My house is a 1955 ranch with the original single-pane wood windows, and they were in rough shape—lots of gaps, some rot, you could literally see daylight in spots. After swapping them for solid double-pane units, my winter gas bill dropped by about $25/month. Not life-changing, but more than I expected.

I think it comes down to how bad your old windows were to begin with. If you already had decent storms or tight seals, maybe not much impact. But if your windows are ancient and leaky like mine were, it’s a bigger deal. Comfort was definitely the first thing I noticed—less noise and drafts for sure—but the energy savings weren’t nothing either.

I agree on the learning curve though. Took me way longer than a pro would’ve, but I liked knowing it was done right. Still, if your attic and basement are the main culprits, probably makes sense to tackle those first. Just my two cents from the “my windows were basically holes” camp.

I get what you’re saying about the difference old windows can make, but I’ve gotta admit, my experience was kind of the opposite. We’ve got a 1960s split-level with original single-pane aluminum windows—super drafty, condensation city in winter. I figured replacing them would be a game changer for our bills. Did three myself (the rest were just too big for me to tackle solo) and yeah, it was quieter and less drafty, but the energy savings were honestly underwhelming. Maybe $10-15/month tops in the coldest months.

What really surprised me was how much more our bills dropped after I air-sealed the attic and rim joists. That made a way bigger dent—like, you could feel the house holding heat for once. Guess it just depends where your biggest leaks are.

Not knocking new windows at all (ours needed it for comfort and looks), but in my case, sealing up weird gaps and uninsulated spots gave more bang for the buck. Maybe every house just has its own “leakiest link,” you know?

That lines up with what I found, honestly. I got all excited to swap out the old wood windows in my ‘72 ranch, thinking it’d slash my bills. Did a couple myself, and yeah, less noise and drafts, but the numbers barely budged. What really moved the needle was crawling around with a caulk gun and a can of spray foam in the basement and attic. Sealing up those weird corners and gaps made the place feel tighter right away. Guess it’s not always the windows—sometimes it’s the sneaky spots you don’t see.

Guess it’s not always the windows—sometimes it’s the sneaky spots you don’t see.

Couldn’t agree more. I see folks drop a ton on new windows expecting miracles, but unless the rest of the house is sealed up, you’re just chasing your tail. Honestly, I’ve had customers get better results (and spend way less) just by hitting those weird gaps in rim joists or attic hatches. Windows help with comfort and noise, for sure, but air leaks are usually the real bill killers. Sometimes it’s not flashy work, but it pays off.

That’s been my experience too. I used to think windows were the big ticket, but after crawling around my 1960s ranch and hitting all the random spots with caulk and foam, my heating bill dropped more than it ever did after I swapped out the old single panes. The attic access was a big one—never realized how much air was leaking there until I actually felt the draft in winter.

Not saying new windows don’t help, especially for comfort or blocking out street noise, but if you’re looking at pure dollar savings, sealing up those hidden gaps is way less expensive and usually gives you more bang for your buck. Sometimes it’s not the glamorous stuff that saves you money... just a tube of caulk and a Saturday afternoon.

Funny thing is, I still get tempted by those fancy window ads, but in reality, basic air sealing made the bigger difference for me.

Totally agree—air sealing is the sneaky MVP. I went down the window rabbit hole too, thinking it’d be a game changer, but honestly, the drafty spots around my crawlspace and attic stairs were the real culprits. Windows did help with noise and comfort, but dollar for dollar, a can of spray foam and a couple tubes of caulk had way more impact. Kind of wild how much heat just leaks out through the tiniest gaps... Makes you wonder if window companies are overselling the savings side a bit.

Window companies definitely tend to emphasize energy savings, but the reality is, most heat loss comes from air infiltration—those little gaps and cracks you mentioned. Upgrading to double or triple-pane windows does help with comfort and noise, but unless your existing windows are in really rough shape, the payback period for energy savings alone is usually pretty long.

I’ve seen blower door tests where sealing up attic hatches, rim joists, and even electrical penetrations made a much bigger dent in air leakage than window replacement ever could. Windows are expensive, and DIY installs can save on labor, but if you’re not careful with flashing and insulation around the frames, you might end up with more drafts than before.

If budget’s tight, I’d always start with targeted air sealing and maybe some weatherstripping. Windows are great for other reasons, but they’re rarely the silver bullet for energy bills that marketing makes them out to be.

That lines up with what I’ve seen, honestly. When we moved in, I was all hyped up to swap out every window, thinking it’d slash our heating bill. Ended up just sealing the gaps around the sills and adding some weatherstripping instead, and the draftiness dropped way more than I expected. Didn’t cost much either—just a weekend and a couple tubes of caulk.

I get why folks want new windows for looks or noise, but as far as saving cash on energy, yeah... it’s not the magic fix I hoped for. The attic hatch was a bigger culprit than any of our old windows. Still, if your windows are rotted out or falling apart, replacing them is worth it for comfort alone.

You’re right about DIY installs too. I helped my brother with his, and getting the flashing right took way longer than we thought. Not hard, but definitely not foolproof. Anyway, good to know I’m not the only one who found air sealing made a bigger difference than new glass.