Go Back  DoItYourself.com Community Forums > Interior Improvement Center > Doors, Skylights and Windows
Reload this Page >

Use spray foam insulation on wood double hung windows?

Use spray foam insulation on wood double hung windows?


  #1  
Old 12-08-19, 05:47 AM
M
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: us
Posts: 35
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Use spray foam insulation on wood double hung windows?

Hello All - we live in an apartment with older (but functioning) wood double hung windows. The windows are very drafty. This will be our 2nd winter in this apt. Last year the landlord's solution was to apply a black sticky spongy tape / weather stripping. It looked ugly on the white windows and kept falling off as it lost it's adhesion. I ended up taking a putty knife and forcing it into the gap all around the edges. That looked better and helped, a bit. And fortunately it was not an issue in the spring time when we first opened the windows. I appreciate the landlords challenge, to a degree. These are old wood windows and they are what they are. And we knew what we were moving into.
I've thought about plastic sheet coverings. But the appearance of that in a negative.

Is there a spray foam product that I spray into the gaps that will address the cold air leaking in but will easily break away and not be an issue with the mechanics of the window operation next spring?

Thanks.
 
  #2  
Old 12-08-19, 06:02 AM
XSleeper's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 27,061
Received 1,910 Upvotes on 1,716 Posts
Ha! If you didn't like the black foam, no... I don't think you would like the appearance of spray foam. Plus it will not easily come off and the windows would need to be repainted if you ever decided to cut them open again. The plastic 3m window insulator kits are the normal way of dealing with old drafty windows. You could also use removable caulking... Either rope caulking or Dap Peel n Seal. But it's also not invisible. You would not want to force it deep into the gaps, that would make it much harder to remove in the spring.
 
  #3  
Old 12-08-19, 06:05 AM
B
Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: New England
Posts: 9,460
Received 47 Upvotes on 43 Posts
It sounds like you want to seal around the moving parts of the window and I would say no to can foam for a couple of reasons.

You said "I've thought about plastic sheet coverings. But the appearance of that in a negative. " I've seen many windows covered with the plastic shrink material and in some cases you can't even see it. That would be my choice as it covers the entire window and eliminates air leakage as well as adding an additional layer of insulation, another r-1. R-1 doesn't sound like a lot but when all you have to start is one or two it is a significant improvement. The r-value comes from the added air film.

The other area subject to air leakage is trim around the window but unknown what yours looks like.

Bud
 
  #4  
Old 12-08-19, 06:51 AM
M
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: us
Posts: 35
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
I may try both removable rope caulking and plastic sheet covering. Even is the landlord doesn't cover the expense, it should pay off in comfort and reduced heating costs.

Thank you both.
 
  #5  
Old 12-08-19, 07:24 AM
Marq1's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: USA MI
Posts: 9,745
Received 1,210 Upvotes on 1,098 Posts
Try one of the window insulation kits first, they are a pretty good way to seal out cold drafts.

My first condo has single pane windows and I installed these and they made a big improvement.

Only lesson, don't shrink the film to drum tight, it can pull the self stick plastic frames off the walls with too much tension!

I was even able to reuse them for several years by limiting how they were installed!
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: