How to Find and Address Air Leaks in Your Home Windows

So, how do you find air leaks in windows when you cannot feel the air escaping? A simple light or candle test will do the trick to find air leaks around windows in your home. 

Perform a light test during the day by turning off all of the lights inside your home and looking around the window frames for light showing through. If light is coming through the window frames, you can be sure cold air is leaking through the windows as well. 

The candle test is even a better way to detect air leaks in windows. Simply light a candle and trace the edges of the window frames with the lit candle. Air coming through the window frame will pull the smoke from the lit candle in the area of the window seal leak. Use the candle test in conjunction with a buddy blowing air on the windows from the outside with a leaf blower or hair dryer. The lit candle on the inside will flicker when the forced outside air comes through the window frame.

Now that you know how to check for air leaks around windows, what is it that causes those air leaks around windows? This is an important question to address, as you could be spending extra money on energy bills without realizing it. 

In a nutshell, daily use, exposure to weather, and a shifting house will cause air leaks in windows. The walls can shift, seals will break down, and the moving parts of your windows can wear out over time. A window pane that rattles when opening and closing is leaking air because the seals are not tight. Casement windows, those that swing open with hinges on the sides, will have air leaks around the windows when the weather stripping is loose and the window does not lock in place effectively. 

There are many factors involved with finding the true reasons why air is coming through window frames. Different styles of windows will present different hinges, seals and moving parts to know about. Your home, how old the windows are, and how they were installed are also factors to consider. Consulting with a window professional is essential when pin-pointing the exact cause of window air leaks.

When air leaks around windows are confirmed, what’s your next step? Cold air seeping through windows needs to be promptly corrected, the right way. Attempts to fix window air leaks yourself will be frustrating, time consuming, and will not lead to lasting results. Your next step should be to schedule a service call with a trusted professional door and window company to expertly repair air leaks around windows.

When you discover air coming through the window frames in your home, call and speak with the window experts at Door Systems Inc. who are always looking out for your best interest and will expertly fix air leaks around windows at a reasonable price.