We have vinyl Crestline single hung windows on our 10 year old house that leak air badly. The original plan was to replace these windows but this may not be feasible for at least a few years. I'm wondering if storm windows might be a better option. A couple of questions I have:

1. Will storm windows help if my issue is a framing problem, or only if the original windows are the issue?

2. What are some good brands of storm windows to look at?

3. How much (ballpark) should I expect to pay per storm window?

4. Is the installation something I can do myself (I'm assuming it is)?

5. I see there are both interior and exterior storms....which is better?

6. How much do storms actually help?

7. What are the major disadvantages?

Thanks!

 

As a long time user and believer of storm windows I can attest to their usefulness. I recently bought new windows that no longer require storms. But before that my whole neighborhood had Andersen double hung thermo panes. At the time they were considered decent windows but quickly deteriorated within 10 years. When I bought my home from the original owners (house was about 5 years old at that time), after one winter, I immediately had triple track storms installed. They lasted over 30 years and my windows were at least as good as the day I moved in. Saved me lots of repair and heating bills. Almost everybody else in the neighborhood had to replace their windows within 10 to 15 years if no storms were used. Some of those homes still have not replaced the original windows and they are moldy and falling apart.

If you can't afford new state of the art windows then by all means get storms. I recommend triple tracks. Yes you can install them yourself, but it may take a week or two depending on how many you have. I had mine installed and it took one day. Worth the extra cost. And I didn't have to climb any ladders.

I did install my own patio storm door. It's still being used to this day and after doing an inspectio I don't need to get a new patio door at this time because of the storm door.

 

The source of the air leaks does need to be determined. If it is the frame to window gap, then storms will do nothing to help. If it is the window, then you should first look at why. In some cases there are improvements that can be made to reduce leakage, others here are more knowledgeable as to what those fixes are.

If you turn on your bath fan, kitchen fan, and dryer, all exhausting air, you will increase the air leakage and possibly be able to detect where the leaks are. A window fan can also be used.

Bud