Drafty Windows Before Heat Season: What to Feel for on a Cool Morning

A ten-minute walk

Stand at each window on a cool morning. If you feel a steady stream at the lock or the meeting rail, the seal is tired. Fog between panes is a failed insulated glass unit. A rattle when a truck goes by is often a sash that no longer sits in the frame.

You do not need a blower door to know a bedroom is dumping heat all winter.

Can I recaulk instead?

Sometimes. If the glass is clear, the frame is square, and only the exterior bead is cracked, a skilled recaulk can wait a year. If the sash is rotten at the sill, caulk is a delay.

Full replacement vs a few units

Replace the worst walls first if the budget is tight. South and west sides in Gwinnett take more sun. Bedrooms you actually sleep in matter more than the unused dining room.

Compare window contractors in Gwinnett or Duluth window replacement. Ask whether they are quoting insert windows or full-frame, and why.

What to ask

• Who pulls the permit if the city wants one
• How they protect floors in a lived-in house
• What the warranty covers besides glass breakage

Use the window directory when you are ready to choose a company.