Airtight windows offer a lot of benefits to your home.
Windows serve several useful purposes in a home, such as enhancing the architecture, increasing the amount of light in the home and allowing for comfortable air flow and ventilation. On the other hand, they're essentially holes in the house and don't provide the protection offered by walls. They can also leak or be drafty, adding to your potential difficulties. You may be interested in making your windows airtight. The primary benefit of doing so is an increase in the energy efficiency of your home. Does this Spark an idea?
Drafts
If a window is not airtight it allows air from the outside to flow in, and vice versa. This is not only uncomfortable, but it is not energy efficient, which is bad for both the environment and your wallet. For example, if it's a hot day and your windows are not airtight, then the hot outside air can get into your home. You may turn up the air conditioning to make things more comfortable, but some of the cold air then escapes out the windows, meaning that you need to run the air conditioner more and at a cooler temperature than you would if all that cold air was staying inside.
Finding Drafts
If your windows are not airtight, you may feel a distinct draft. If you don't, there are other ways to determine if your windows are sealed. For instance, you can light a candle or an incense stick, then slowly move it around the window frame while the window is tightly shut. If the candle flickers or the smoke drifts when you are holding it still, there is air flowing and you have a draft. This test works best when performed on a day with a little breeze so that you can see the air flow better.
Making Windows Airtight
There are a number of ways to make your windows more efficient, but the two easiest are to add caulk around the window frame or to add weatherstripping. Caulk is suitable for filling cracks between the frame and the wall that are less than a quarter of an inch wide. Weatherstripping can be installed on parts that move to prevent air flow between your window and the frame.
Problems With Airtight Windows
Though the energy savings involved makes airtight windows a highly desirable feature in your home, they do cause a couple of notable problems. Airtight homes are not naturally ventilated and require a source of mechanical ventilation for good indoor air quality. Condensation and high humidity are issues that arise from poor ventilation and can cause rotting in extreme instances. The moisture can also encourage mold growth inside your home, which is a health hazard.
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