Windows rarely fail all at once. They wear down a little each season, and because the change is slow, you adjust to it. You stop sitting in the chair by the back window in August. You keep a towel on the bedroom sill in winter. You turn the thermostat down another notch and blame the AC.
An hour with your own windows will tell you whether they are part of the problem. Pick a hot afternoon if you can, grab a notepad, and go room by room. Here is what to check and what each sign means.
The touch test
Put your palm flat on the glass of a sunny window in mid-afternoon, then on the frame. Glass in an efficient window may feel warm in direct sun, but you should be able to leave your hand there comfortably. If the glass is hot enough that you pull away, a lot of solar energy is passing through it into the room.
Frames tell their own story. Aluminum frames, still on plenty of Austin homes built from the 1970s through the 1990s, conduct heat well. If the frame is hot to the touch, it is radiating that heat into the room right along with the glass. Vinyl frames stay much closer to room temperature.
Look between the panes
On double-pane windows, check for a haze, fog or water droplets that sit between the two sheets of glass. You cannot wipe it off from either side because it is sealed inside. That is a failed seal. The insulating gas has escaped, humid air has gotten in, and the window has lost much of the performance it was built for. Mineral streaks or a cloudy film between the panes mean it has been failing for a while.
Feel for air
On a breezy day, run the back of your hand slowly around the edges of each sash and along the frame where it meets the wall. A cool or warm draft means air is getting through. A stick of incense or a candle works too: watch whether the smoke wavers near the window.
Drafts can come from worn weatherstripping, from a sash that no longer closes squarely, or from gaps between the frame and the house. In parts of the metro, clay soil shifts with wet and dry seasons and moves foundations along with it. Windows on a house that has moved often stick, close unevenly or show light around the edges.
Check the sills and the surroundings
Look closely at sills, the drywall below the windows and the trim around them. Things to note:
- Water stains, bubbling paint or soft wood under the window.
- Dark spots in corners, which can mean moisture has been collecting.
- A fine layer of dust or pollen on the inside sill that returns quickly after cleaning.
- Faded flooring, rugs or furniture in a band where sunlight lands.
That dust clue matters more here than in many places. Cedar pollen in winter, oak pollen in spring and dust from all the construction around Austin find their way through any gap. If allergies flare indoors, leaky windows are worth a look.
Try every window
Open and close each one. Notice which ones stick, which will not stay up, which locks do not line up and which you have quietly stopped using. A window that cannot be opened easily is also a problem in an emergency, especially in bedrooms.
What about storm windows?
Adding a storm window over old glass is a common idea, and it can cut drafts on an otherwise sound window. It does not fix a failed seal, a corroded aluminum frame or plain clear glass that lets in heat from the sun. Storm panels also add another layer to clean and can trap moisture if they are not vented properly. For most homes with aging builder-grade windows, the money goes further toward replacement units with low-E coated, argon-filled double-pane glass in a vinyl frame.
The exception is a house in a City of Austin local historic district, where you may want to keep original windows for character. In that case, check with the City’s Historic Preservation Office about what is allowed before you change anything on the exterior.
Reading your results
One sticky window or a little worn weatherstripping is a repair. A pattern is different. If your notes show hot glass on the sunny side, a few fogged units, drafts in several rooms and sills that collect dust, the windows are costing you comfort every day and adding to the load on your air conditioner.
When you replace, look for ENERGY STAR qualifying configurations and ask for the NFRC ratings on the exact windows being quoted. Your electric utility, whether that is Austin Energy, Pedernales Electric Cooperative or another provider, may run efficiency programs, so it is worth checking what is current.
Bring your notes to a free in-home estimate and we will go through them with you, window by window, and talk through options for replacement windows that fit your house. Call The Window Source of Austin at (512) 524-9455 to schedule.