Old drafty houses can be very expensive to heat over the winter. One way to reduce your heating costs is to install storm windows over the old windows on the house. Here is how you can install storm windows over the old windows on your home.

Step One: Measure Windows

Measure the width and length of each window you are putting storm windows over. Take these measurements to a hardware or window store so you can by storm windows that will fit right over your old wood windows.

If by chance some of the windows are oddly shaped, you'll most likely have to order custom-made storm windows to fit over the oddly-shaped ones.

Step Two: Put Weather Stripping on the Frame

Lay the storm windows upside down on a table or a couple of workhorses. Take a roll of double-sided adhesive weather stripping and cut pieces long enough to cover the entire backside of the storm window frame. The weather stripping should not be wider than the frame, or it will stick out from the frame when you apply the storm windows to the house.

Apply the weather stripping to the frame – make sure there aren't any gaps along the seams where the strips of weather stripping connect together around the frame.

Step Three: Install Storm Window Frames

Remove the windows from the aluminum frames. This will make the frames easier and lighter to handle – especially if you are working on a ladder to install the storm windows.

Place the storm window frame up against the wooden frame of the old window. Use a level to make sure the storm window frame is squarely even over the wood frame on all sides.

Mark an outline of the bottom half of the storm window frame on the wood frame with a pencil. 

Hold the storm window frame against the wood frame so it fits in the outline you drew with a pencil.

The manufacturer of the storm frame will have pre-drilled holes in it where the screws go to attach the frame to the wood frame.Use self-drilling screws to attach the storm window frame to the wood frame.

Step Four: Place Holes in Weather Stripping

You need to create openings at the bottom of the window for moisture to drain out of the space between the storm and regular windows. Moisture trapped in this space can cause the wood on the old window frame to rot. This could lead to expensive repairs and ultimately the replacement of the entire window.

Drill several holes, spaced evenly apart, in the weather stripping at the bottom of the storm window where the storm window frame and the frame of the old window meet. This will allow the moisture to trickle out of the space between the storm window and the old window you are covering.

Step Five: Install Storm Windows

Go inside and open the old windows so you can place the storm windows back into the aluminum frame.

To learn more, contact a company like Innovations Siding & Windows.