How Can I Make Our Double-Hung Windows Energy Efficient?

[picca]

I've been lurking on this site for quite some time now, but this is my first post.

We are in the process of buying our first house, a bungalow in the heights. It has beautiful wooden double-hung windows that are, of course, painted shut.

I found an earlier post which explained how to restore the windows to working condition, but I was wondering if there is anything that you can do to make them more energy efficient? My understanding is that working double-hung windows typically have gaps that allow lots of heat/airconditioning to escape the house when the windows are closed.

Thanks!

[musicman]

you can get some of those magnetic panes that go on the inside kind of like this or storm windows on the outside.

[Dan the Man]

My suggestion would be to make a set of removable wood frame storm windows. You could base the design on a traditional wood frame window screen, but use glass/plexiglass instead of screen cloth. The wood frames can be easily made with a table saw, or even a circular saw. If you're feeling really ambitious, you could even incorporate a traditional decorative design. This would help make the storm windows look appropriate on your old house.

Please, whatever you do, don't replace the historic windows!!!

[picca]

My suggestion would be to make a set of removable wood frame storm windows. You could base the design on a traditional wood frame window screen, but use glass/plexiglass instead of screen cloth. The wood frames can be easily made with a table saw, or even a circular saw. If you're feeling really ambitious, you could even incorporate a traditional decorative design. This would help make the storm windows look appropriate on your old house.

Please, whatever you do, don't replace the historic windows!!!

Don't worry, we don't want to replace the windows! haha, just make them more energy efficient. Thanks for the idea!

[picca]

you can get some of those magnetic panes that go on the inside kind of like this or storm windows on the outside.

Hm... those are pretty interesting. I've seen some houses with the outside storm windows when we were looking to buy, and I didn't really like the way they looked from the outside...

Thanks for the ideas!

[BrickStamp]

Hm... those are pretty interesting. I've seen some houses with the outside storm windows when we were looking to buy, and I didn't really like the way they looked from the outside...

Thanks for the ideas!

You could use the old winter-in-New-England trick... sheets of plastic and duct tape. If that doesn't say class, I don't know what does.

[HeightsGuy]

You can't make them more energy efficient, but you can definitely make them airtight which is 75% of the battle. A typical old double-hung window allows as much airflow as a fist-sized hole in the middle of the window.

Look up a bunch of articles like this and you'll find something you can manage yourself. http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,1120083,00.html

[picca]

You can't make them more energy efficient, but you can definitely make them airtight which is 75% of the battle. A typical old double-hung window allows as much airflow as a fist-sized hole in the middle of the window.

Look up a bunch of articles like this and you'll find something you can manage yourself. http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,1120083,00.html

Great thanks!