Our Fall schedule is filling up quickly. Call 651-329-4815 today for availability and to book your window replacement in New Brighton, MN.
How to Find Air Leaks, Improve Window Efficiency, and Keep Your Home Comfortable This Winter
When the first cool fall days arrive in New Brighton, MN, drafty windows often make themselves known. Maybe you notice a chilly spot beside the living room window, feel a stream of cool air around the sash, or discover that one bedroom never seems to stay as warm as the rest of the house.
Those small comfort issues can become much more noticeable once a Minnesota winter arrives.
Drafts don’t just make your home uncomfortable. When heated indoor air escapes and cold outdoor air finds its way inside, your furnace has to work harder to maintain the temperature you’ve set. Depending on what’s causing the air leak, a relatively simple maintenance project may solve the problem. In other cases, persistent drafts can be a sign that aging windows are no longer providing the performance your home needs.
At A Pane in the Glass Construction, we help New Brighton homeowners identify window problems and determine whether maintenance, repair, or replacement offers the best long-term solution. Before cold weather settles in, here are some important things to know about drafty windows.
Where Do Window Drafts Come From?
A window is made up of multiple components that must work together to create a tight barrier between your home and the outdoors. Over time, normal wear, weather exposure, movement of the home, and deterioration of materials can create opportunities for air leakage.
Sometimes the problem is relatively minor. Weatherstripping may have become compressed or damaged, or a small section of sealant around the window may have deteriorated. Other times, drafts are caused by larger issues involving the window frame, insulated glass unit, or original installation.
That’s why identifying where the air is entering is important before deciding how to fix it.
On a cool, windy fall day, slowly move your hand around the edges of the closed window and pay attention to noticeable air movement. Check where the sash meets the frame as well as the trim and surrounding wall.
If one small area feels drafty, a targeted repair may be enough. If air seems to enter around several parts of the window—or you’re finding the same problem throughout your home—it may be time for a more thorough evaluation.
Start with Weatherstripping and Seals
Weatherstripping helps create a tight seal around the movable parts of a window. Because it experiences friction every time the window opens and closes, it can eventually wear, crack, loosen, or compress.
Replacing damaged weatherstripping can sometimes make a noticeable difference, particularly when the window itself is still in good condition.
Exterior seals also deserve attention. Caulk and other sealing materials help protect the areas where the window assembly meets surrounding building materials. If those seals are visibly cracked, separated, or missing, they may need professional attention.
Continually adding more caulk isn’t a solution for a failing window. Covering a symptom without addressing its cause can leave the actual problem unresolved.
Signs of a Bigger Window Problem
A draft doesn’t automatically mean you need new windows. However, when air leakage appears alongside other problems, replacement becomes more worth considering.
Pay particular attention if you notice:
- Persistent drafts even after basic maintenance has been performed
- Windows that stick, won’t close completely, or no longer lock properly
- Damage or deterioration around the frame
- Fogging or moisture trapped between panes of insulated glass
- Several rooms with noticeable hot or cold areas near the windows
Age is another factor. If most of the windows in your New Brighton home were installed at the same time and several are developing similar problems, repairing them one at a time may eventually become less practical than considering a larger replacement project.
Why Modern Windows Feel More Comfortable
Replacing a drafty older window does more than stop a stream of cold air. Modern windows are designed as complete systems that reduce several forms of heat transfer.
Low-emissivity, or Low-E, glass is an important part of that system. These microscopic coatings help manage radiant heat. During Minnesota winters, properly selected Low-E glass can help reduce heat loss through the window, while during summer it can help control unwanted solar heat.
Insulated glass also uses two or three panes separated by sealed spaces. Depending on the glass package, those spaces may contain argon gas to further reduce heat transfer.
The result isn’t simply a warmer house. Good windows can help create more consistent temperatures throughout individual rooms, reducing the uncomfortable cold areas homeowners often experience next to older glass.
Double-Pane or Triple-Pane?
Homeowners sometimes come to us assuming triple-pane glass is automatically the right choice for Minnesota. Triple-pane windows can offer excellent thermal and sound performance, but pane count alone doesn’t tell you everything about a window.
Advances in specialty glazing have dramatically improved the performance available from double-pane glass.
For example, Andersen offers advanced glazing configurations such as Low-E4 PassiveSun® with HeatLock®. Depending on the window configuration, this technology can provide impressive insulating performance while balancing factors such as solar heat gain and UV protection.
Our featured vinyl window manufacturer, ProVia, also offers numerous glass packages. With 15 glass options available, homeowners can choose glazing based on the specific performance characteristics they value.
Those priorities might include:
- Stronger winter insulation and energy performance
- Summer solar control and UV protection
- Greater sound reduction
- Passive solar performance where appropriate
This is why we prefer to discuss how you actually use your home rather than simply telling every customer to buy the same glass package.
Installation Is Part of Your Window’s Energy Efficiency
A homeowner can invest in excellent glass and a high-quality frame and still end up with a draft if the window isn’t installed correctly.
The area between the window unit and the home’s rough opening must be properly insulated and sealed. The window also needs to be installed level and square so the sash closes correctly and creates the seal the manufacturer intended.
Proper flashing and exterior weatherproofing help manage water and protect the surrounding structure. These details aren’t particularly noticeable once the project is finished, but they’re some of the most important parts of a quality installation.
At A Pane in the Glass Construction, professional installation is an essential part of the window system—not an afterthought. Our goal is to make sure the performance you pay for in the window is carried through to the finished installation.
The Benefit of a Quieter Home
Better-performing windows can have another benefit homeowners sometimes overlook: sound control.
Insulated glass can reduce the amount of outside sound entering your home, and certain specialty glazing configurations can provide even greater noise reduction. That can be especially valuable if you live near a busy street, school, commercial area, or active neighborhood.
Sound control works in both directions, too. Better-performing windows can help contain sound inside the home. If someone in your household enjoys playing an instrument, listening to music, watching movies with the volume up, or hosting friends, improved sound performance can help reduce how much of that noise reaches your neighbors.
For homeowners particularly concerned about sound, triple-pane or specialty glazing may be worth discussing during the window-selection process.
Choose A Pane in the Glass Construction for Your Window Project
At A Pane in the Glass Construction, we help New Brighton homeowners get to the source of their window problems. We’ll evaluate your existing windows, discuss the issues you’re experiencing, and help you determine whether maintenance, repair, or replacement makes the most sense.