Window Film & Seasonal Draft Kits
Window film and seasonal draft kits are the cold-weather fix that installs over single-pane, old aluminum-frame, basement awning, and historic-property windows when full replacement is not the right answer this season — clear shrink film heat-shrunk to clarity, magnetic interior acrylic or polycarbonate storm panels custom-cut per opening, and aluminum-frame seasonal kits on basement awnings — from $150 per window with the spring removal included. A properly installed shrink-film kit cuts the U-value of a single-pane window roughly in half for the winter; a magnetic interior storm panel does the same year after year. The bedroom that drops to 56 degrees overnight because of one single-pane window the previous owner never replaced, the basement awning windows that pour cold air across the floor of the playroom, the historic double-hung windows in a Phinney Ridge craftsman that the city's preservation rules will not let you replace with vinyl — the Department of Energy estimates 25 to 30 percent of residential heating energy is lost through windows, and on older homes the single-pane share carries most of that loss. We install in October and pull in April.
Service
What Do Window Film & Seasonal Draft Kits Include?
Window film and seasonal draft kits are the install of clear shrink film, magnetic interior acrylic or polycarbonate storm panels, aluminum-frame basement-awning kits, and rigid-foam AC-sleeve plugs over windows where full replacement is not the right answer this season — historic-preservation properties, rentals, single rooms that do not justify replacement cost, and the in-between winter while a replacement is on order — from $150 per shrink-film window to $400 for a large magnetic polycarbonate panel, with the spring removal included on every install. They are the third-best fix for cold windows behind full replacement (the best) and exterior storm windows (second), and sometimes the only realistic option. The work below covers the kits we install, the rooms we typically install them in, and the honest comparisons against alternatives.
Shrink-Film Kits — The Standard Approach
Clear polyethylene film applied with double-sided tape along the inside of the window trim, then heat-shrunk with a hair dryer or heat gun to remove wrinkles. The film creates a still-air pocket between the existing window and the film layer, which is the actual insulation mechanism — still air is one of the better insulators available. A quality kit (Duck Brand, 3M Indoor) cuts the U-value of a single-pane window from roughly 1.0 to 0.55 — comparable to adding a single-pane storm window. The film lasts the season (October to April) and pulls cleanly off in spring without leaving residue when removed within 6 months.
Magnetic Interior Storm Panels — The Year-Round Solution
A clear acrylic or polycarbonate panel custom-cut to each opening, held against the interior of the window stop with magnetic strip on both surfaces. Installed in fall, removed in spring (and stored for re-installation next year), or left in place year-round on rarely-opened windows. Magnetic storms are more expensive than shrink film ($120 to $250 per window for the panel) but reusable for decades — the payback is 3 to 5 winters and they perform comparably to exterior aluminum storms. The right answer for historic-preservation properties where exterior storms are prohibited.
Basement Awning and Hopper Windows
The small basement windows that swing in at the top — typically single-pane, often with broken or missing latches, and often dropping cold air into the basement and through the floor above. Awning windows are awkward to film (the operating arm interferes with the inside trim) — we use a slightly different kit with an aluminum frame that fits over the opening, sealed with foam tape on the perimeter. Lasts the season, removes easily.
Through-Wall AC Sleeves — Off-Season Plugs
The wall sleeve where a window AC unit sits in summer becomes a permanent hole in the envelope for the rest of the year. Even with the unit's covers closed, the seal is poor and the metal sleeve conducts heat directly through the wall. The off-season fix is a rigid-foam plug cut to fit the sleeve from the inside, sealed at the perimeter with weatherstrip — installed in October when the unit comes out, removed in May when the unit goes back in.
Historic-Preservation Properties — Magnetic Storms by Default
Properties on the Seattle Historic Register, Landmark Preservation Board–designated structures, or in a designated historic district often have specific restrictions on visible exterior modifications including replacement windows and exterior storm windows. Magnetic interior storm panels are usually allowed because they are entirely interior — invisible from the street. The Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Historic Preservation program coordinator can confirm the rules for your specific property; we work to the documented spec and do not modify the prime window or the exterior trim.
Spring Removal Service
Every kit we install includes the spring removal as a separate scheduled visit — typically late March or early April depending on the year's weather. The shrink film is pulled and disposed, the magnetic storm panels are removed and stored in labeled packaging for next winter, the basement awning kits come down, the AC sleeve plugs come out. A 15 to 30 minute per opening removal that ensures the kit comes off cleanly. Stored panels live in our shop or in a client-supplied storage location — we deliver them back in October.
How Window Film & Draft Kit Install Works
Six steps from the per-window product match to the scheduled spring removal — the actual sequence we follow on every shrink-film and magnetic-storm-panel install.
Per-Window Product Match
Walk every drafty window and pick the right product per opening — shrink film for budget single-pane and rentals, magnetic interior storm panels for historic-preservation homes where exterior storms are prohibited, aluminum-frame seasonal kits for basement awning windows, rigid-foam plugs for off-season AC sleeves. The wrong product on the right window fails in weeks.
Measure and Surface Prep
Measure every opening precisely — shrink film tape lines run along the interior trim, magnetic storm panels need exact-fit acrylic or polycarbonate cuts. Wipe trim with a dry cloth, test the double-sided tape on an inconspicuous spot on delicate historic finishes, switch to softer adhesive if the test pulls finish.
Shrink-Film Application
Apply double-sided removable tape along the interior of the window trim, lay the polyethylene film over the tape with a small overlap on every side, press to bond. The film creates a still-air pocket between the prime window and the film layer, which is the actual insulation mechanism — still air is one of the better insulators available.
Heat-Shrink to Clarity
Run a hair dryer or heat gun across the film, holding 4 to 6 inches off the surface and moving steadily — the film tightens and every wrinkle pulls flat. Properly heat-shrunk Duck Brand or 3M Indoor film reads newspaper through it. Trim film excess with a razor along the tape line.
Magnetic Storm or AC Sleeve Variant
Magnetic storm panels need magnetic strip applied to the prime window stop on first install, then the custom-cut acrylic or polycarbonate panel mates to it. AC sleeve plugs are rigid foam cut to the sleeve interior with foam-tape perimeter seal, slid into place when the unit comes out in October.
Spring Removal Scheduled and Logged
Every install closes with a scheduled spring removal visit on the calendar — late March or early April. Shrink film is pulled and disposed without trim damage, magnetic storm panels are removed and packed into labeled storage cases for next October, basement awning kits come down, AC plugs come out. No homeowner ever fights a film kit off a window with a razor in May.
Window Film & Draft Kit Pricing
Final pricing depends on window count, window type (standard double-hung, basement awning, picture window, irregular), and whether shrink film, magnetic storm panels, or both are specified. Spring removal is included on every install. Request a free estimate for an accurate quote.
Tell us which windows are drafty and whether replacement is on the table — we will recommend the right scope.
Why Choose a Professional for Window Film & Seasonal Draft Kits?
Most homeowners hear "window film" and picture the wrinkled, hazy plastic kit a previous owner stapled over the basement windows in 1998. The current generation of shrink-film kits is genuinely clear when heat-shrunk properly — you can read the newspaper through it — and the math on a single-pane window is real. Magnetic interior storm panels are even better and last decades. The right answer depends on the window, the rest of the house, and whether you are 5 years from replacement or never replacing. After dozens of Seattle window-kit installs on craftsman, Tudor, and historic-preservation homes, we know which products work, which fail in three weeks, and how to tell you on the booking call whether this is the right fix for your house or whether you should just budget for replacement.
Quality kits, heat-shrunk to clarity
Duck Brand and 3M Indoor are the two kits we use — both produce a fully clear, wrinkle-free finish when heat-shrunk properly. Cheap film kits from discount retailers leave a permanent wrinkle pattern even after heat-shrinking, and the tape lets go at 40-degree temperatures. We carry only kits we have field-tested over multiple Seattle winters.
Magnetic storms for historic properties — exact-fit acrylic or polycarbonate
For Seattle Historic Register properties and the Phinney Ridge, Wallingford, and Capitol Hill craftsman houses that have exterior-modification restrictions, magnetic interior storms are the right answer. We measure each opening precisely, cut acrylic or polycarbonate panels to fit, and apply magnetic strip to both the prime window stop and the panel edge. The panels are visible from inside only if you look closely (the magnetic seam is the visual tell); from outside they are invisible.
Honest comparison against replacement and exterior storms
Shrink film is the cheap fix and lasts one winter. Magnetic interior storms are the historic-preservation fix and last 15 to 20 years. Exterior aluminum storms are slightly better thermally but visible from the street. Full window replacement is the best long-term answer and costs $800 to $2,500 per window. We tell you on the walk-through which option fits your house, your budget, and your timeline.
Spring removal included on every install
Every kit we install comes with a scheduled spring removal — late March or early April. Shrink film is pulled and disposed, magnetic storms are removed and stored in labeled packaging for re-installation next fall, basement kits come down. No homeowner ever has to fight a film kit off a window in May with a razor blade — that is on us.
Insured, background-checked, 30-day guarantee
Every Handis weatherization technician carries liability insurance and has cleared a background screening. If the shrink film comes loose at a tape edge, a magnetic storm panel falls or fails to hold the seal, or any kit develops a wrinkle or gap within 30 days because of our workmanship, we come back and fix it at no extra charge. Materials carry the manufacturer's warranty (typically 1 to 2 seasons on shrink film, 5 to 10 years on magnetic storm panels).
Estimate
Tell us the window count, the window types (standard double-hung, basement awning, picture, historic), the rooms you want to address, and whether replacement is on the table for the next few years — we will send back a clear estimate and the honest recommendation.
Customer Reviews
Recent window film and draft kit reviews from verified Seattle customers.
1928 craftsman in Phinney Ridge, original windows we cannot replace because of historic restrictions. Tech measured every window in October and installed magnetic acrylic interior storm panels on the four bedroom windows. Nursery temperature stabilized — was running 6 degrees colder than the rest of the house, now matches. He stored the panels for us last spring and re-installed this October. They look almost invisible from inside.
Basement awning windows on our 1965 split-level — single-pane, broken latches, the original installer never sealed them. Tech installed the aluminum-frame kits in October. The basement playroom went from being unusable in winter to being a real room. He pulled the kits in April without any damage to the trim.
We knew we wanted to replace the bedroom windows but the contractor was booked 8 months out. Tech installed shrink-film kits on the four worst windows as a winter stopgap — said they would buy us one season. They did exactly that, no wrinkles, no falling off, and the bedrooms were warmer. Pulled them in April when the new windows arrived.
Through-wall AC sleeve in our 1958 condo. The unit comes out every September and the hole was leaking cold air all winter. Tech cut a rigid-foam plug to fit, weatherstripped the perimeter, popped it in. The bedroom holds temperature now. Removed it in May when we put the unit back in.
He told me upfront that shrink film was the wrong answer for our windows because the trim was wood-paneled and the tape would damage the finish. Recommended magnetic storm panels instead — $200 more per window but they will last 15 years and they will not damage the trim. Appreciated the honest comparison; some contractors would have just installed the cheap option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about window film, magnetic interior storms, and seasonal draft kits.