Climate Seal Window Inserts
Magnetic interior storm windows with a bellows-edged acrylic panel that snaps to a steel subframe, in Thermal, Acoustic, Preservation, and Pro series. The strongest acoustic spec in the category, thirty years of institutional installs, and thin installation guidance for DIYers.
By Sergio Igartua, Founder & Editor · Updated · How we research
Key facts
- Climate Seal makes magnetic interior storm windows and has been in business for nearly 30 years.
- A Climate Seal insert is an acrylic panel with a bellows-edged magnetic molding that snaps to a steel subframe.
- Climate Seal sells Thermal, Acoustic, Preservation, and Pro series; the Acoustic series is rated up to STC 49.
- Climate Seal warrants its panels for 10 years against yellowing and clouding.
- AcrylicWindow.com rates Climate Seal 4.3 out of 5 for noise, seasonal removal, and historic buildings.
Pros
- Magnetic mounting: lift off in seconds for cleaning or summer, snap back without tools
- Bellows molding lets the acrylic expand without bowing or popping the seal
- Acoustic Series with 1/4 to 5/16-inch acrylic rated to STC 49, up to 80% sound reduction
- Ten-year guarantee against yellowing and clouding
- Nearly 30 years of installs in landmarks, museums, and National Park Service buildings
Cons
- No published pricing; quote only
- Steel subframe stays on the casing when the panel is off
- Installation instructions criticized as unclear by DIY customers
- Small online review footprint; the company turned away one small residential job
Specifications
| Mounting | Magnetic vinyl extrusion on panel to steel subframe on casing |
| Thermal series | Standard 1/8 in acrylic; up to 60% sound abatement claimed |
| Acoustic series | 1/4 in acrylic (up to 5/16 in) with acoustic weather stripping; STC up to 49 |
| Preservation series | Configured for historic buildings |
| Pro series | Abrasion-resistant acrylic, 1/8 or 1/4 in; exterior-capable |
| Bellows | Built into molding to absorb thermal expansion |
| Warranty | 10 years against yellowing and clouding |
| Impact | 17× glass of equal thickness |
| Company | Climate Seal, in business nearly 30 years |
Climate Seal is listed in our directory. See Climate Seal in the directory →
Our Verdict
For noise, for seasonal removal, and for historic buildings that need a preservation-grade insert, Climate Seal is the magnetic system to beat. Homeowners with a handful of windows and no installer should expect to call for help.
Overview
Climate Seal has been making magnetic interior storm windows for close to thirty years, and its customer list reads like a preservation register: historic landmarks, museums, and National Park Service buildings where the original windows cannot be touched. The system is simple. A thin steel subframe is fixed to the inside of the window casing. The acrylic panel carries a magnetic vinyl extrusion around its perimeter. The panel snaps to the frame with a seal the company describes as virtually airtight, and lifts off in seconds when you want it gone.
It is our Best for Noise pick in the storm window roundup. This review covers what separates it from a generic magnetic panel, what the series mean, and why the DIY experience gets mixed marks.
The bellows
Acrylic expands and contracts with temperature about eight times more than glass. On a large panel that movement bows the sheet and, on a plain magnetic strip, peels a corner off the frame. Climate Seal builds a bellows into the molding so the sheet can grow in its own plane without deforming. That detail is the difference between a magnetic insert that stays sealed through a January cold snap and an August heat wave and one that does not. The vinyl extrusion is also a far better insulator than the aluminum frames on some competing systems.
Series
- Thermal Series is the everyday product: standard 1/8-inch acrylic aimed at heating and cooling savings, with up to 60 percent sound abatement claimed.
- Acoustic Series steps up to 1/4-inch acrylic, and up to 5/16 inch for maximum performance, with acoustically rated weather stripping. Climate Seal claims an STC rating of up to 49 and up to 80 percent sound reduction, the strongest published numbers in this category.
- Preservation Series is configured for historic buildings, where reversibility and invisibility from the street are the requirements.
- Pro Series uses abrasion-resistant acrylic in 1/8 or 1/4 inch and is built for exterior and commercial use.
The acrylic is guaranteed against yellowing and clouding for ten years and is about 17 times more impact-resistant than glass of the same thickness.
Performance
Owners who have them are happy with the product itself. Testimonials on the company's site report inserts that went in perfectly, look clean, and delivered immediately noticeable sound attenuation. A Trustpilot reviewer confirmed the panels "block drafts and sound" well. We found no reports of seal failure or fogging, which is consistent with a magnetic system that allows for expansion.
The physics is the same as any sealed acrylic panel: a dead-air gap that roughly doubles resistance to conductive heat loss and stops air infiltration. As with Indow, the acoustic result depends on the air gap between insert and glass as much as on the acrylic thickness. We have not tested these ourselves.
The DIY problem
Climate Seal's online footprint is small, two Trustpilot reviews at a 3.4 average, and both say the same thing: the product is good and the instructions are not. One customer wrote that clear directions for installation were "almost totally lacking" and had to phone repeatedly for basics. Another, who had spent several thousand dollars, was told by email that a follow-up project was too small and complicated to take on. The owner was described as friendly; the documentation and the appetite for small residential jobs were the complaints.
Read that as a signal about who the company serves. Climate Seal is built for institutions, contractors, and large residential projects. A homeowner with four windows and a screwdriver will get a good insert and should expect to work for the installation.
Price
Not published. Every job is quoted by the company or a dealer. Expect it to land in the same broad band as Indow, around $250 to $400 per typical window for the Thermal Series, with the Acoustic Series higher and installation on top if you hire it.
Who should buy it
Buy Climate Seal for a noise problem serious enough to want an STC rating, for windows you will take out every summer, for a historic building that needs a preservation-grade reversible insert, or for a commercial job in the Pro Series. Buy it with an installer or the patience to call.
Buy Indow if you want the insert measured and made for you with a Snug Fit guarantee and a deep review record. Buy a Window Savers kit if you want magnetic mounting at a fraction of the price and do not mind building the panels.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
How much do Climate Seal window inserts cost?
Climate Seal does not publish pricing; every job is quoted by the company or a dealer. We expect it to land in the same broad band as Indow, around $250 to $400 per typical window for the Thermal Series, with the Acoustic Series higher and installation on top if you hire it out. That is an estimate from the category rather than a Climate Seal price list.
Do Climate Seal inserts reduce noise?
Climate Seal publishes the strongest acoustic numbers in this category. The Acoustic Series uses 1/4-inch acrylic, up to 5/16 inch for maximum performance, with acoustically rated weather stripping, and the company claims an STC rating of up to 49 and up to 80 percent sound reduction; the Thermal Series claims up to 60 percent sound abatement. As with Indow, the result depends on the air gap between insert and glass as much as on acrylic thickness.
How do Climate Seal window inserts mount?
Climate Seal inserts mount magnetically. A thin steel subframe is fixed to the inside of the window casing, and the acrylic panel carries a magnetic vinyl extrusion around its perimeter, so the panel snaps on with a seal the company describes as virtually airtight and lifts off in seconds for cleaning or for summer. The trade-off is that the steel subframe stays on the casing when the panel is off.
What is the Climate Seal bellows?
The bellows is built into the molding of a Climate Seal panel so the acrylic can grow in its own plane instead of bowing. Acrylic expands and contracts with temperature about eight times more than glass, and on a plain magnetic strip that movement peels a corner off the frame. The bellows is the difference between an insert that stays sealed through a January cold snap and one that does not.
Which Climate Seal series should I choose?
Climate Seal's Thermal Series is the everyday product, standard 1/8-inch acrylic aimed at heating and cooling savings. The Acoustic Series steps up to 1/4-inch acrylic, up to 5/16 inch, for noise. The Preservation Series is configured for historic buildings where reversibility and invisibility from the street are the requirements. The Pro Series uses abrasion-resistant acrylic in 1/8 or 1/4 inch for exterior and commercial use.
Can I install Climate Seal inserts myself?
Expect to work for it. Climate Seal's two Trustpilot reviews average 3.4 stars, and both say the product is good and the instructions are not; one customer wrote that clear directions for installation were almost totally lacking and had to phone repeatedly for basics. Another was told a follow-up project was too small to take on. The company is built for institutions, contractors, and large residential projects.
Should I buy Climate Seal or Indow?
Choose Climate Seal for a noise problem serious enough to want an STC rating, for windows you will take out every summer, for a historic building needing a reversible preservation insert, or for a commercial job in the Pro Series. Choose Indow if you want the insert measured and made for you with a Snug Fit guarantee and a deep review record, which Climate Seal's two-review online footprint cannot match.