Is a draughty window always worn out?

No. Perished gaskets, dropped hinges and compression locks that have gone out of adjustment cause most draughts, and all three are adjustable or replaceable parts.

How do I find where the draught is coming from?

Run the back of a damp hand slowly around the closed sash on a windy day. Air moving at the sash line points to seals or adjustment; air at the wall line points to the perimeter seal outside.

Does spraying the frames stop draughts?

Spraying changes the finish, not the seal. Where we spray and re-gasket at the same visit the window ends up both tighter and better looking, but the two jobs solve different problems.

Will fixing draughts help condensation?

Sometimes. Cold, leaky frames encourage surface condensation, so restoring the seal and the thermal break usually improves it — but ventilation and moisture inside the room matter just as much.

Draught Diagnosis

Draughty Windows Are Usually a Parts Problem

Five things cause nearly every window draught. Four of them are fixed without touching the frame.

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Start with the cause

Where the cold air is actually coming from

Exposed coastal and hilltop properties across the region feel draughts earliest simply because the wind pressure finds every weak point first. That doesn't mean the windows are finished — it means the seal line has stopped doing its job somewhere specific, and the survey's whole purpose is finding where.

The five usual sources

Perished gaskets

The rubber compresses permanently over time and stops filling the gap between sash and frame. Replacing the gasket run is a parts-and-labour job, not a window job.

Dropped or worn hinges

Friction hinges lose their setting and the sash no longer pulls evenly onto the seal. Adjustment or new hinges restores the compression.

Out-of-adjustment locking cams

Multi-point locks pull the sash in at fixed points. When the cams drift, the corners seal and the middle doesn't — that classic thin cold line across the sash.

Failed perimeter mastic

Air can pass between the frame and the wall rather than through the window at all. Re-sealing the external perimeter fixes it and costs very little.

Warped timber

Timber moves with moisture. Easing and re-seating the sash works on sound frames; where the section has softened the sash needs a repair or replacement.

What you can check before we arrive

Close the window and look for daylight around the sash from inside on a bright day.
Press the gasket with a fingertip — sound rubber springs back, perished rubber stays flat.
Open the sash and check it sits central in the frame rather than dropped to one corner.
Look at the outside perimeter for cracked or missing mastic between frame and wall.

If the frames themselves have had it, the honest answer is replacement. If they're sound but tired-looking, ask about on-site spraying at the same visit.

Draught guides by town

Common questions

Is a draughty window always worn out?: No. Perished gaskets, dropped hinges and compression locks that have gone out of adjustment cause most draughts, and all three are adjustable or replaceable parts.
How do I find where the draught is coming from?: Run the back of a damp hand slowly around the closed sash on a windy day. Air moving at the sash line points to seals or adjustment; air at the wall line points to the perimeter seal outside.
Does spraying the frames stop draughts?: Spraying changes the finish, not the seal. Where we spray and re-gasket at the same visit the window ends up both tighter and better looking, but the two jobs solve different problems.
Will fixing draughts help condensation?: Sometimes. Cold, leaky frames encourage surface condensation, so restoring the seal and the thermal break usually improves it — but ventilation and moisture inside the room matter just as much.

Ready to start your project?

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