Harsh winds, snow, rain, sleet, and hail — don't you hate stormy weather? Well, how do you think your house feels?

Our poor homes are battered by the elements year in and year out. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to stormproof your house. The first place to start is with your windows. Westfield, MA homeowners can perform a few simple modifications to maintain their windows and keep raging storms outside where they belong.

First off, let's look at a few small, DIY weatherproofing improvements you can make to your trim, frames, and sashes. With some adhesive weatherstripping, you can seal your sash channels to insulate them from moisture and extreme temperatures. Foam weatherstripping is easy to install, and it’s usually available for a low cost at hardware stores. By the same token, you can caulk up the thin channel where the window trim meets the wall, which will keep that nasty weather from sneaking in through the cracks. Be sure to use waterproof, paintable caulk that you can color to match your walls. These small, cheap jobs will keep everything dry while saving you money on heating and cooling bills.

To go the extra mile when storm-proofing the windows, Westfield, MA homeowners might consider buying a weatherproof film that can be applied to windowpanes. This product can be stuck in place with double-sided tape then zapped with a hair dryer so that it shrinks to fit the surface. This insulates the glass and prevents cracking. If you're willing to make more of an investment, you can even install wooden shutters over your windows to create a solid barrier against harsh winds, rain, and flying debris.

We can't control the weather, but we can outfit our homes to withstand whatever Mother Nature has in store. With a few modifications to their windows, Westfield, MA locals can strengthen their homes against the Northeast's brutal winters and stormy summers.