I finally listened to my uncle about caulking windows and saved a bundle

My uncle Mike told me to skip the expensive spray foam and just use backer rod and caulk for my old double hung windows. I ignored him for two years and kept paying extra for heat because of drafts around 4 windows in our 1950s house in Toledo. Last month I finally tried his way on one window and the temp difference was huge - has anyone else found cheap fixes that actually work better than the fancy stuff?

3 comments

3 Comments

wren82613d ago

yeah but like how much did you really save though? people act like a few drafts are gonna bankrupt them but unless you're living in a tent the difference on your bill is probably like twenty bucks a month max. i get that it's satisfying to do the job yourself and feel smart about it but i've seen dudes spend three weekends caulking every crack in their house and still have high bills because their attic insulation is trash. old guys love to act like their janky methods are superior but sometimes the fancy stuff exists for a reason. backer rod and caulk is fine for a single window but if you actually needed that much heat loss you'd be better off just getting new windows tbh.

mia_singh2415d ago

Slammed a tube of basic silicone caulk around my basement windows last fall and it did the same thing as the expensive stuff. People sleep on how much just sealing up old gaps helps, no need to buy the premium brands. My buddy tried that fancy expanding foam tape and it actually peeled off after one winter, while my cheap caulk is still holding strong. Good reminder that sometimes the simple fixes from older folks are the real deal.

beth_hart6815d ago

Had a buddy spend sixty bucks on that spray foam stuff for his crawlspace vents and it was cracking apart by spring. Meanwhile my other friend just stuffed some old rags in the gaps and taped over them, been holding for three years now.