Sealing the house

This old house is drafty, but I am cutting down as much as possible, since I gut rehabbed this place I insulated every exterior wall and the roof. The main problem is the33 windows needing replaced. I have replaced most of the 2nd level leaving manly the 1st level to get windows for. Being they are the old wood sashes and leak greatly I just went outside and caulked them all shut ( I know its against codes ) but its stopping the drafts until I get them replaced this spring (or possibly a few here and there over the winter) but so far I havent felt much of a draft and the house is warmer where it used to be cold or cold spots.
Today I went around with an incent stick and found a major air infiltration in the mud room, apparently the exterior isnt insulated (only room that didnt get gutted) I can see light around the exterior from inside the box as well as some major wind, also wind blowing around the window framing... Im going to pull some boards and pump expandable foam into the seams as well as add some foam board to insulate the box. This room is always cold (exterior of house with an addition built on so there is no heat piped in but its an addition to the kitchen so heat flows from there, but with insulation and stopping the drafts it should warm up in there as well.
Hope to tear into it a little tonight, see what I need and get it done.

check212 said:

Just caulked and put plastic on windows. Get the clear vinyl from home depot and Scotch mounting tape and seal from inside. Works great. My house is much warmer:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-Ki...ear-Plastic-Vinyl-Sheeting-V4825-4A/100175074
http://www.officesupply.com/office-...e=&network=g&gclid=CI7Du63G-MECFXMV7AodDi4Azg

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These windows are newer Pellas, were in before I bought the house, it is the Bay surround thats not insulated or sealed. Its simple, otherwise due to the contours and all I'd have to seal the entire wall off...lol
its sealing the seams ( its framed with plywood and siding on the outside, was never insulated inside.

this is the window in general

bob bare said:

Interesting being windows.Almost put one of those units in some years ago and found out they are for florida or rich people.Most people do not realize the biggest heat waste in a house are doors and windows,you have.Just did a lot of scraping/sanding/foaming/caulking/painting over the last month and 1/2,and my cabin is the warmest it has been in over 6 years,with the same windows and doors(many tubes of caulk).Buy a sheet of plywood or plexiglass and block that off!

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Yep, all the other rooms in the house are warm and draft free now except this room because I didnt tear anything out of it (walls or ceiling) the only drafts I found were under the window from the box (looking inside you can see light from outside) so it is not sealed, and wind blows through around the left and right side of the windows, so I will pull those trim pieces and foam inside and in the box around the perimeter, that should seal it up. In about 2 weeks I should have all the pipes to hook up the wood stove, then the house will be nice and toasty.