Our window coverings are just regular insulated curtains. We also have them in the living and dining rooms, but there we leave them open to let light in during all but the Polar Vortex, when temps were at 50 below zero and we were all advised to seal up houses as tight as possible so the furnace could keep up. We still get ice forming on the living room and dining room windows when it goes down toward zero, which is not hugely unusual around here. I want to fix the moisture issues so the wood isn’t degraded further.
(And in the bedrooms, the windows are leaky enough that you can feel the breeze coming off them in winter if you open the insulated curtains. We caulked around the outside of the frames a couple of years ago, so I think the cold is coming in around the panes of glass.)
Great point about the ice build up and seal and peel, it was an annual must do to fix window drafts at our old house. Sliding glass door in this one.
Chain and pulley? As long as they’re functioning keep the old windows. Good luck with repairs Eva it’s nice to have someone else willing to get on the roof or hang out a window!
Vinyl inserts aren’t made for Chicago winters. Ours have leaked a bit since installing. Actually was a step back in drafts after we pulled out the original wood. Not drafty, just ‘I feel something’ that will flicker a candle. Though I do not miss the storm windows, the every few years glazing, the fact they actually open and have screens. Fiberglass is a pricey option also if you want the low E double paned new stuff.
Your interior ice buildup on the glass is a sign you have decent humidity inside the house. A strong wind with the shades pulled puts frost / ice on the bottom of our panes if it lasts more than a day.