Window Weatherstripping Replacement — New Seals, Same Windows
You can feel cold air at the edge of the sash, or see daylight past it, but the glass is clear and the frame is solid.
Reply within one business day. Or call / text 763-204-2099.
Window weatherstripping replacement stops drafts at the sash when the windows themselves are still sound. JMB Builders matches the old seal profile, bulb, fin, foam or pile, pulls the flattened or torn strip out of the frame or sash, and installs new seal on casement, awning, double hung and sliding windows across the Twin Cities metro. Priced per window, quoted from photos, with a reply within one business day.
- Priced per window
- Bulb, fin, foam and pile seals matched
- Sash adjusted so it closes on the new seal
Every operating window seals against a strip of weatherstrip. On a casement or awning it is a rubber or vinyl bulb in a groove on the frame that the sash presses into when it locks. On a double hung it is a bulb on the bottom rail, a seal where the two sashes meet, and fin or pile in the side channels. On a slider it is pile, the fuzzy strip, along the sash edges. Twenty or thirty Minnesota winters flatten the bulbs, tear the fins and wear the pile down to the backing.
When that happens the window still opens, closes and locks, but air walks right past it. You feel it at the bottom corner of a casement, or along the meeting rail of a double hung, and you see frost on the inside edge of the sash in January. That is a parts job. Most window makers sell the seal for their series, and weatherstrip suppliers carry the common kerf-in, bulb and pile profiles.
We read the label or glass code, or match the profile from a sample, order the strip, and swap it on site. While the sash is open we check that it actually closes on the new seal: a sash that sags or a lock that does not pull tight will leak with new weatherstrip too, and we tell you that before we start. If the frame gap behind the trim is the draft, not the sash, that is a different repair and we say so.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough: a reply within one business day, or ask for a free in-home estimate. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
What you supply
- A photo of each drafty window from inside, closed and locked
- A close-up of the old weatherstrip at a corner, with the sash open
- A photo of the label on the sash edge or the code etched in a corner of the glass
- The number of windows and which rooms they are in
What JMB supplies
- Identification of the seal profile from the label, glass code or a sample
- Replacement bulb, fin, foam or pile weatherstrip, ordered before the visit
- Old seal pulled and the groove or channel cleaned
- New weatherstrip installed and cut tight at the corners
- Sash and lock checked so the sash compresses the new seal when closed
- A note on any window where hardware, not the seal, is the draft
- Photos of the finished windows in your job folder
How it is priced: per window
Quoted in writing from your photos, with a reply within one business day. What moves the number:
- Window type: casement and awning, double hung, or slider
- Kerf-in seal that pulls out clean vs. glued or stapled seal that has to be scraped off
- Whether the maker still sells that seal or a close profile has to be matched
- Sashes that have to come out of the frame to reach the seal
- Number of windows done on the same visit
- Hinge, lock or balance work found while the sash is open, quoted separately
A close-up of the old seal at a corner and the sash label photo let us order the right strip before we come out.
How long it takes
Seal usually arrives in one to two weeks. On site, most windows take well under an hour each; a houseful can be done in a day.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized reply within one business day. Prefer a look in person? A free in-home estimate is always an option.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Casement and awning bulb seal
The bulb in the frame groove that the sash presses into. When it is flat or torn the bottom and lock-side corners leak. Pulled out and replaced with the matching kerf-in bulb.
Double hung seals
The bulb on the bottom rail, the interlock seal at the meeting rail, and fin or pile in the side channels. Sashes tilted or lifted out to reach them.
Slider pile
The fuzzy pile along a sliding sash wears down to the backing and lets air run along the track. Replaced with pile of the right height and backing width.
Window Weatherstripping Replacement — New Seals, Same Windows: questions, answered
Can you replace just the weatherstripping on a window?
Yes. Weatherstrip is a separate part that sits in a groove on the frame or sash, and most windows were built so it can be replaced. We match the profile, pull the old strip and install the new one. The glass, frame and trim stay.
How do I know if my window weatherstripping is worn out?
Open the sash and look at the seal. A bulb that is flat, cracked or hard, a fin that is torn, or pile worn down to its backing is done. Other signs are cold air at the sash edge with the window locked, daylight past the sash, or frost on the inside edge of the sash in winter.
Will new weatherstripping fix a drafty casement window?
If the draft is at the sash edge and the sash closes square, yes. If the sash sags on its hinges or the lock does not pull it in, a new seal will still leak at one corner, and the hinge or lock has to be fixed too. We check that before we quote the seal alone.
Where do you get weatherstripping for old windows?
From the window maker's parts line when the series is identified from the label or glass code, or from weatherstrip suppliers who carry the common kerf-in, bulb and pile profiles. When a profile is no longer made, we match it to the closest one that fits the groove.
Is weatherstripping replacement worth it instead of new windows?
When the glass is clear, the frame is sound and the sash works, a new seal is the cheaper fix for a sash draft. When the glass is fogged, the frame is rotted or several sashes are failing, new windows are usually the better use of money. We tell you which side of that line your windows are on.
Is the draft coming from the weatherstripping or around the window frame?
Feel along the sash with the window locked, then along the casing. Air at the sash edge is the weatherstrip or the sash fit. Air coming out at the casing or under the stool is the gap between the window frame and the wall, which is fixed by air sealing behind the trim, not by new weatherstrip.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and the builders we work with. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Related jobs we do
Door Sweep Replacement & Exterior Door Weatherstripping
Daylight under the door, frost on the inside of the jamb, a rug that moves when the wind blows. The seal is shot, or the door is. We figure out which and fix it.
Read moreAir Seal Around a Window Frame — Casing Off, Gap Sealed, Trim Back
The window locks tight and the glass is clear, but cold air pours out around the casing and under the stool. The leak is the gap between the window and the wall.
Read moreCasement Window Won't Lock — Lock, Tie-Bar and Keepers Repaired
The lever flops, will not move, or throws without pulling the sash in. The window closes but it is not locked, and you can feel the draft.
Read moreWindow Sash Replacement Only — New Sashes, Keep the Frame
The sashes are rotted, fogged or will not stay up, but the frame is solid and the trim is original. You do not want the whole window torn out.
Read moreFall Weatherproofing Checklist — Winterize the House Before Snow
The furnace ran all last winter and the floors were still cold. Here is the list of small gaps that add up to a drafty house, and the one visit that closes them.
Read more1.5 Story Dormer Window Replacement — Upstairs Knee Wall Bedrooms
The upstairs windows in the dormers are drafty and hard to reach, and the bedrooms up there are the coldest rooms in the house.
Read morePage reviewed October 9, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All windows pages
Where we work
Window Replacement & Installation near you
Based in Zimmerman, scheduling across the Twin Cities metro. Closest first: