Is cold air sneaking through your windows this winter? You’re not alone. Even one drafty window can reduce your heating efficiency by up to 30%. The good news is that most drafts are easy to find and fix yourself. At Lancaster Door Service, we help homeowners solve window draft problems every day, here’s exactly how to detect drafts and what you can do about them.
How to Tell If Your Windows Are Drafty
The Hand Test: On a cold day, slowly move your hand around your window frame, sash, and glass. You’ll feel cold air wherever drafts exist, it’s simple and surprisingly effective.
The Candle Test: Light a candle or incense stick and hold it near the window edges and corners. If the flame flickers or the smoke streams sideways, you’ve found a draft. Just be sure to keep it away from curtains.
The Dollar Bill Test: Close a dollar bill in the window and try to pull it out. If it slides free with ease, air is leaking through.
You can also keep an eye out for these common warning signs: daylight visible between frame and wall, cracked or missing caulk, worn weatherstripping, condensation between window panes, or peeling paint around the frame.
Where Windows Leak Cold Air
Double-hung and sliding windows are especially prone to leaks where the sashes meet, since the weatherstripping in these areas wears down over time and creates gaps. The gap where your window frame meets the wall is another major culprit, caulk cracks and falls out, particularly on older homes.
Old single-pane windows offer almost no insulation on their own, and even double-pane windows will leak if the seal fails. Bottom sills and corner joints also develop gaps as houses settle over time, and these small openings add up fast.
Quick Fixes: Weatherstripping & Caulking
When it comes to weatherstripping, you have a few options depending on your needs. Foam tape is the cheapest and easiest to apply, lasting one to three years, it’s a great choice for windows you rarely open. V-strip, available in plastic or metal, lasts longer and works well for windows you use regularly. For the most durable seal, tubular rubber handles temperature changes best and provides the tightest fit. If you just need a quick seasonal fix, rope caulk can be pressed into gaps for the winter and peeled off come spring.
As a general rule, if you’re feeling drafts, seeing cracks, or your weatherstripping has been in place for more than five to seven years, it’s time to replace it.
Temporary vs. Permanent Solutions
Budget-Friendly Temporary Fixes
Heavy curtains or cellular shades look great and block cold effectively, but only when they’re drawn. Draft stoppers, which are fabric tubes placed along window sills, are cheap and simple, though they only address drafts coming from the bottom.
The Long-Term Solution: Window Replacement
If you find yourself constantly reapplying weatherstripping, dealing with multiple drafty windows, or noticing condensation between panes, it might be time to consider replacement windows. Today’s Energy Star windows, featuring double panes, low-E coatings, and proper installation, eliminate drafts at the source while reducing noise and lowering your heating and cooling costs year-round.
At Lancaster Door Service, we install ProVia windows, which are known for their quality construction and energy efficiency. These aren’t your basic replacement windows, they’re built to last and backed by comprehensive warranties.
When DIY Isn’t the Answer
Sometimes the problem isn’t just weatherstripping or caulk — it’s the windows themselves. If your frames are warped, rotting, or visibly damaged, or if you’re seeing fog or condensation between double-pane glass, the seal has likely failed. Persistent drafts even after weatherstripping and sealing, rising energy bills, or windows that are difficult to open, close, or lock are all signs that replacement is the better path forward.
As a general guideline, windows that are 15 years or older are strong candidates for replacement. We specialize in professional window installation with ProVia products, and if your windows are beyond simple DIY fixes, we’ll send a specialist to assess your situation and provide a quote.
Your Options: Fix It Yourself or Replace
DIY fixes are a great starting point if your windows are relatively new (under 10 years old), you can pinpoint specific gaps around the frames, and you’re comfortable with basic home repairs. In these cases, weatherstripping, caulk, and the temporary solutions outlined above can go a long way. You might also consider hiring a local handyman if you’d prefer professional help with these smaller jobs.
On the other hand, if you have multiple problem windows, temporary fixes haven’t done the trick, or energy efficiency is a priority, replacement is worth the investment. New windows pay dividends in comfort, energy savings, and home value, and with ProVia’s warranties and our two-year labor warranty, you’re covered long-term.
Bottom Line
Detecting and fixing window drafts starts with you. Use the hand test or candle test to find your problem areas, then decide: is this a quick DIY fix with weatherstripping and window film, or is it time for new windows? Simple temporary solutions can get you through the winter and save on heating bills, but if you’re dealing with old, damaged, or consistently problematic windows, band-aid fixes will end up costing you more in the long run.
Ready to replace your drafty windows with energy-efficient ProVia windows? Contact Lancaster Door Service today, we’ll assess your windows and provide a professional quote for replacement.