Millions of people live in older homes with double hung windows in them that have a tendency to leak during bad weather. Don’t let this make you go out and spend a fortune to replace your windows, though. Instead, use some tips and tricks to get them weatherized and you won’t have to worry about them for years to come.

In fact, by placing a small amount of weather stripping in the window sills, you can keep all that cold air and dust out of your home. It’s simple and very cost effective when compared to the price of new windows and installation.

Weatherizing Older Windows

The best weather stripping to get for the sash and the jamb is a V-shaped stripping. This polypropylene stripping has an adhesive strip on one side that you apply to the jamb and presses against the sash sealing it.

The first thing you need to do in order to apply this stripping is measure the sash and add two inches before cutting. Once you have it cut, you’ll need to tape the open end of the V with a bit of scotch tape and open the window all the way.

Slide the taped end between the sash and the jamb. Then, peel off the paper to adhere it to the jamb. With this being so simple it’s surprising more people aren’t saving money by weatherizing their windows instead of buying new ones.

To seal the window where the sash meets the sill, just purchase a piece of compressible foam that has adhesive on one side. Clean the sill to make sure the adhesive sticks well, and install the foam. Now, when you close the window, it will compress the foam and create an air tight seal. If your windows have been painted shut and you never need to have them open, you can seal them with caulking or removable sealant instead of trying to fix them so they open. This is a great way of keeping the weather out of those rooms you may not use as much.

You can do some research online to find other ideas for sealing windows located in basements or attics where the moisture difference is noticeable. Basements should be highly waterproof in order for the seals to work correctly. Attics should be able to hold up to high changes in temperatures. By taking these steps, your home can be insulated from the weather at a reasonable price.