As you know, in winter it is through the windows that the most heat leaves the room, which means that they need to be insulated as quickly as possible. In addition, it is quite simple to do it yourself, and such insulation is inexpensive.
Even our ancestors knew how to properly seal the cracks in the windows, so that in winter the house would be warm, and it would take a little firewood. Now plastic double-glazed windows are used much more often, and manufacturers claim that they do not emit heat at all, however, buyers have a completely different opinion on this matter: “Still, it blows from plastic windows.”
It's getting colder now, and it's time to take care of keeping warm. Therefore, today we will consider insulation options for all types of windows so that comfort does not leave your home in winter.
Insulation of wooden windows
Many people prefer not to replace traditional wooden windows with plastic ones. But it is wooden windows that require special care and thorough insulation every winter. To do this, there are several of the most common methods for insulating wooden windows:
- Windows are sealed with strips of paper or tape. This is not always practical: if you need to open the window, then you will have to re-glue it later, and it is difficult to get rid of traces of glue;
- Putty is used for insulation. It can melt and leak at high temperatures, staining both the window sill and the frame;
- Strips of cotton wool or fabric are driven into the slots in the frames. It's also not the most practical option.
But we will consider an option that looks aesthetically pleasing and will serve you reliably for many years.
First of all, you should stock up on the necessary materials. There are only two of them, and they are quite affordable at any hardware or hardware store:
- Frost-resistant silicone sealant, colorless or frame-matched;
- Rubber sealant on a sticky basis.
To find out how much sealant is needed, measure the perimeter of all the wings, fold and divide by 2. The sealant is sold in pairs, and we will glue it in 1 row, dividing it into two layers.
Your main task is to get rid of the draft. First glue the glass. To do this, apply the sealant in a thin strip to the joints between the glass and the frame, and then gently slide along the seam with a rubber spatula. In this way, glue all the glasses on both the inner and outer frames.
Now you need to glue all the sash around the perimeter with a rubber seal on the outside. Since the seal has a large cross section and is easily compressed, all slots overlap quite tightly. In order for the adhesive layer on the sealant to adhere well to the surface, the frame must be clean, without peeling paint. Pre-wipe surfaces with acetone or thinner. Glue the edges of the seal with glue or nail it with wallpaper nails so that it does not fly off. Now your windows are made of wood and are easy to open.
What if the windows are old? Insulation of old wooden windows
Old wooden windows that are still in use are unlikely to meet the new requirements for sound insulation, tightness and thermal conductivity. In addition, they have already dried out and cracked, and replacement is not cheap. Therefore, the insulation of old wooden windows requires a careful approach.
- Use foam strips to insulate old windows. They must be evenly positioned in the slots of the frames using a flat, blunt object, such as a screwdriver or knife. After that, glue the insulated places with strips of paper smeared with soapy water or paste. For convenience, you can use a wide adhesive tape.
- Often, paraffin is used to treat cracks, previously melted in a water bath and heated to 70 degrees. Slots in the window are poured with liquid paraffin using a syringe without a needle.
- Of the modern means, seals are very popular: polyvinyl chloride, foam rubber and rubber. The type of seal to be selected depends on the width of the slots, the quality of the frame, its condition, as well as the temperature.
- One of the most effective insulating materials is called a tubular profile. Its advantages over the above means are that it is invisible, has a long service life and maintains tightness when opening and closing windows.
- Silicone sealant will not only serve as a good insulation, but also help to fix the cracked frame. True, the process of working with this material is quite laborious, and looks more like than simple warming before winter.
The most important thing when working with old windows is to be careful not to have to change the frames completely. It is better to spend more time and use more expensive but reliable materials, and be sure that the windows will not let you down in the cold.
Insulation of plastic windows
Plastic windows, despite manufacturers' assurances of reliability, also need to be insulated. So let's take a look at a few common methods.
- The cheapest option is to curtain the window with a dense, heat-holding material. Previously, blankets were used for this, but this is only suitable for wooden windows. For double-glazed windows, there is a more modern tool - a colorless polyethylene film that is attached to the window. This method is very simple and does not require mandatory dismantling.
- Some people prefer to insulate the window with blinds. In this case, the window frame itself is not affected, and strips of woolen fabric are glued to the blinds.
- A more expensive method is to install a glass heating system. Now there are many different electric window heaters that are installed on the windowsill, or filament coils that are glued directly to the glass.
- The most reliable way is to install a metal-plastic double-glazed window, in which there are at least three glasses. At least one of these glasses will be energy-saving. The use of such special glasses significantly increase the heat-saving characteristics of plastic windows. The double-glazed window must be equipped with thermal break elements with metal inserts; the space between the glasses is usually filled with argon or krypton. Such a window will not be cheap, but the house will be reliably protected from cold and drafts.
Insulation of window slopes: choice of materials
After you replace your old wooden windows with new plastic ones, you count on protection from noise, dust and cold. At first, PVC profile windows justify themselves, but then they begin to let in cold and moisture. This can happen due to subsidence of the walls of the house and depressurization of the seams. Of course, this situation does not add comfort, so you will need to hold the slopes of the windows inside and out.
This method will help create an additional protective and heat-insulating layer. For this you will need the following materials:
- Expanded polystyrene extruded;
- Styrofoam;
- Fiberglass (Isover);
- Mineral wool;
- Sandwich panels.
These materials are produced in the form of plates. Which one to choose for the insulation of your windows, decide depending on the size of the gaps. For example, if the gap is at least 40 mm, then foam plastic, expanded polystyrene and fiberglass 2-3 cm thick are well suited. If the gap is narrow, then use mineral wool or polyurethane foam.
Insulation of slopes is not a difficult task, and if you have at least some skills in construction work, then you can easily cope with it yourself. just arm yourself with some recommendations.
When laying the insulation, check the good density of its pressing to the surface. For more effective insulation, process not only the window block, but also any mounting seams, filling them with mounting foam or mineral wool.
Treat those window slopes that are not equipped with insulation with a special vapor barrier to prevent moisture from penetrating. To do this, use a sealing tape made of, sealing mastic or polyvinyl chloride sealing films. Insulating material must be insulated from moisture.
Windows insulation according to Swedish technology
This method is gaining more and more popularity in recent years. It owes its name to the Swedish-made material used (tubular silicone rubber seal). Manufacturers claim that such material is durable (up to 20 years), does not lose its performance over a wide temperature range and is not afraid of dirt and paints.
It is very difficult to insulate windows using Swedish technology on your own. Here you will need both professional skills and special tools. It is quite difficult to make a selection with a cutter around the perimeter with your own hands so as to get a groove for rolling the sealant, and this is exactly what is needed so that the material does not peel off and fall out over time.
It is better to order this work to professionals. It will cost relatively inexpensively, and the price includes such work as dismantling the window sashes, preparing a groove for a sealant, locating a tubular silicone sealant in it, adjusting the sash if necessary, sealing the glass and the opening between the sashes.
Evaluation of work with fittings is carried out separately, both repair and complete replacement. Window frame repair is also paid separately. The price for painting the window is also indicated separately.
If you calculate the entire amount that you have to pay for a set of works, then it is easy to see that it is no less than the cost of a standard plastic window, taking into account the entire structure and its installation. Therefore, you should make a choice - to insulate a wooden window or install a plastic one.
The main thing to remember when using Swedish technology is that window frames must be intact, with no signs of decay. Replacement of such elements will be expensive.
Now your home is completely isolated from the cold and moisture. All winter you will be surrounded by comfort, and you can significantly save on energy sources - gas or electric heating, and even wood and coal if you have stove heating. We look forward to your comments, in which you can ask questions or provide suggestions. Good luck in your work!
A draft represents the flow of air that is created in the room, coming from the street through open doors, windows, cracks in them. In the summer, a draft is a real help, in the autumn-winter season it leads to heat losses, as a result, despite the heating, we freeze, and the bills charged for the delivery of heat increase.
A common cause of drafts is leaky, improperly adjusted windows. Through the fault of the cracks in the window frames, 20-30% of heat is lost. How to insulate plastic windows for the winter with your own hands and prevent drafts? This will be discussed in this article.
The beginning of the heating season is the last call when you need to make sure that the window frames are tight enough, prepared for the winter, cold air does not penetrate into the room. How to do it?
Easy ways to check for gaps:
- run your hand along the edges of glass, door jambs, the flow of cold air is immediately felt by the palm of your hand;
- bring a lit candle, follow the flame.
You should pay attention to the condition of the fittings, loops. If you feel a cool breeze in your palm, you need to carry out minor repairs.
How to insulate old windows for the winter correctly?
After 10-15 years, PVC windows become insufficiently energy efficient. If the frames, profiles are in good condition, they need to be thermostated. With the approach of cold weather, many are wondering how to insulate plastic euro windows with their own hands.
To save on heating, it is often advised to change old frames. It is not always necessary to do this. There are methods to make improving the thermal insulation of window openings cost-effective. What is better to use?
Stages of isolation
Modernization of window units usually includes replacement of the glazing unit, replacement of gaskets, repair or replacement of fixtures, repair of plaster. You can perform some of these actions or one. The optimal effect is achieved through the following work:
How to adjust plastic windows?
Adjustment of the eurowindow, setting it in the correct mode effectively eliminates the problem of uncontrolled breakthroughs of air masses inside, helps to reduce the costs charged for heating.
What you need:
- screwdriver;
- original keys for adjusting the window (can be replaced with a regular hex wrench of a suitable size).
Checking the position of the sash relative to the window frame
The setting begins with checking the position of the sash, the stages of work:
- Outline the window in the corner with a pencil.
- Open the sash to check the distance between the closed sash and the frame. Correctly it should overlap.
- The sash adjustment screws are located on the top and bottom hinges of the window. The screws allow you to adjust it vertically and horizontally (right to left). After tightening the screw with a hex wrench, set the sash so that it overlaps the frame by a few millimeters.
The degree of fit of the sash to the frame
Check the degree of fit of the sash as follows:
- Insert a sheet of paper between the sash and frame.
- Close the window.
- Try to remove the paper - if the paper comes out easily - you need to increase the degree of adhesion.
To improve the degree of fit, it is necessary to replace or adjust the eccentric screws on the window fittings. Usually they have small "dots" - markers showing the direction of the screws. By unscrewing the locking screws relative to the gasket, you can change the degree of fit:
- increase (dot faces "exit")
- decrease (the point must be in the room).
The adjustment will allow the sash to fit snugly against the frame, increasing the tightness of the eurowindow structure. Once adjusted, closing the window can become more time consuming. If you do not want to do the adjustment yourself, you can use the services of professionals.
Checking the condition of the gaskets
The condition of the gaskets affects the breathability of window panes, it is important to take care of them by lubricating with appropriate products:
- silicone grease,
- technical vaseline.
The lubricant will retain the properties of the eurowindow for a long time. However, if the gaskets are deformed, cracked, “out” of the frame, they must be replaced with new ones. The gasket is cut into suitable parts, carefully glued. Can be used:
- self-adhesive pads,
- rubber seals.
It is important to replace the gaskets before the onset of frost!
Before sealing window frames, the frames should be thoroughly cleaned with a special product for the care of window frames.
Hardware check
Fittings are a key element of the window frame, although they are not very noticeable at first glance. Before winter, it is worth checking the technical condition of the fittings:
- if they "sit" too loose, they should be tightened;
- Lubrication may be required (Vaseline works great).
Gaps between frame and glass, trim and wall
Heat also escapes through such cracks, it is necessary to eliminate all gaps. There are several options for solving the problem.
Thermoresistant paper
A popular option is shrink film for pvc window insulation. The film is attached with double-sided adhesive tape directly to the window frames. The films form an additional layer on the glass, which increases the thermal insulation coefficient. Self-adhesive thermal insulation films with low-e coatings are popular, give an excellent effect, do not require additional processing.
Films allow you to create an additional layer of air that increases the thermal insulation of a double-glazed window:
Thermal film is an inexpensive, effective material. The film is installed inside and outside. The film mounted inside is more stable, is not exposed to gusts of wind, adverse atmospheric factors.
After stretching with warm air from a conventional hair dryer, the film becomes transparent, does not distort the image. During the heating season, when insulation of double-glazed windows is not required, the film can be removed.
Window insulation - video
When sealing, care must be taken not to overdo it. It is important to provide micro-ventilation, in which a small amount of fresh air enters the premises. Microventilation is important for:
- operation of the gas system,
- reducing the level of humidity,
- fresh air improves our mood.
Overly airtight "jar closure" is a bad idea.
Old windows sometimes cause trouble, letting drafts into the premises. There are several options for sealing windows for the winter at home. The choice of insulation option for window openings depends on their condition and budget.
No matter how good plastic windows are, over time they can begin to let cold air into the room. In this case, insulation is indispensable!
But before proceeding with the repair of window structures, you need to find the cause of the malfunction and determine a way to eliminate it.
It's blowing, but from where?
In the design of any plastic window, there are the most vulnerable places for through air flow:
- The junction of slopes, ebbs and window sills
- Sealant location
- The point of contact between the double-glazed window and the window frame
- window fittings
It is here that leaks and cracks most often occur.
The easiest way to determine exactly where it is blowing is to bring your hand to the window.
A more accurate result can be obtained using a candle flame or a lighter. If there is air flow, it will be directed inside the room.
You can check the tightness of window sashes with a simple sheet of paper. To do this, you need to put a sheet of paper between the sashes of an open window, and then close them and pull the edge of the sheet.
If the window sashes are in good condition, the sheet cannot be removed intact: it will tear. If, on the contrary, there are leaks, the sheet can be easily removed.
It blows, but why?
There can be several reasons for the failure of a plastic window. The most common:
- Mounting errors a. As a rule, malfunctions associated with installation errors manifest themselves almost immediately, and they can be eliminated using the warranty. The installer is obliged to redo the poor-quality work.
- Window block deformation due to building shrinkage. This defect is not common, but it cannot be completely excluded. The shrinkage of a properly constructed building can slightly deform the window unit, which makes it easy to fix the problem. If, due to shrinkage, a strong deformation of the window is observed, changing its geometry, then it is time to think about the strength of the building itself and start asking builders and the management company questions about its quality.
- Installation of low-quality windows. This cause of windows malfunction is the most common and it is caused by an understandable attempt to save money. In addition, new windows look almost the same and it is sometimes very difficult for a consumer inexperienced in construction to make the right choice by paying more. So window structures appear without a reinforcing profile, with poor-quality sealant and dangling fittings, which can barely withstand one winter. It is cheaper to replace such windows with high-quality double-glazed windows than to try to repair and insulate.
- Window misuse leading to premature wear of sealing materials. According to the rules, windows can be washed only with the use of special non-aggressive detergents, be sure to wipe dry and lubricate the sealing materials with glycerin. Alas, not everyone does this, and not always.
- Physical wear of the window structure and its individual components. Time does not spare window constructions, and even the highest quality windows begin to let in the cold over time.
Faults found, causes established: what to do?
There can be two further actions: call the wizard or do everything yourself. It is advisable to seek the help of professionals in the following cases:
- Window under warranty
- For self-repair there are no skills, tools and desire
- The window must be insulated from the outside, and it is located at a considerable distance from ground level. In this case, without professional equipment for working at height, it is simply impossible to do without risk to life.
- Works are carried out in winter, which requires a professional approach
If you still decide to insulate plastic windows yourself, determine which element of the window structure needs to be improved, and get to work after reading our recommendations.
Plastic window adjustment
The most common cause of a plastic window failure is the misalignment of its sashes due to operation. This is not a breakdown: the windows just need maintenance, which you can do yourself.
The design of the window has two elements that ensure a tight fit of the sash to the window frame. They call them barrels and clamps. These two elements, when the window is closed, should go behind each other, ensuring its snug fit.
It is easy to check if the barrels and clamps in your window match: close it and try to loosen the window sash with your hands. If it is stationary, there is no need for adjustment. If there is a window frame movement, take a hex screwdriver in your hands and loosen the adjusting screws a little. By changing the position of the screws, it is necessary to achieve a tight closing of the window.
Seal replacement
Replacing the seal is a type of work that you can do yourself even without special skills. It's simple: the old seal is removed from the groove, and a new sealing cord is installed in its place. True, it is not worth rushing to replace the seal: its service life is at least 15 years. Perhaps the reason is not in it, but in the need to insulate the window opening.
Window opening insulation
It can blow from the cracks between the wall of the house and the window block. When installing a window, there is always a free space between its structure and the base base of the window opening, which is filled with construction foam during installation. If the window slopes are not sealed from the outside or are sealed poorly, over time, cracks may form in the seal, into which cold will rush.
You can insulate the window opening from the inside and outside. Interior work can be done at any time of the year. For this
- remove internal slopes,
- remove the worn seal
- primer is applied to the cleaned surface
- the prepared space is filled with mounting foam
- after complete drying, excess foam is removed,
- perform decorative finishing of slopes using PVC panels or drywall
The bulk of the work on the insulation of the window opening must be done outside the house. The most effective is the plastering of slopes.
For this:
- They remove the old finish (it was loose and the barrel was blowing through it)
- They clean the space between the window block and the wall from old mounting foam and other seals.
- Fill the vacant opening with mounting foam and wait for it to harden
- Clean off excess foam.
- Seal all cracks and bumps with adhesive
- Install mounting brackets
- Mount the polymer mesh
- Apply a plaster solution over a polymer mesh
- Clean up the wall surface
It is best to insulate the window sill during its installation. If the part is already standing, but it is blowing from under it, you need to clean the space between the wall and the window sill, fill it with mounting foam and finish the wall surface.
Additional insulation
For additional insulation of the window, you can use the so-called energy-saving film, the task of which is to reflect the flow of heat, tending outward through the window opening, into the room. The film is glued to the surface of the glass with a reflective layer inside the room. True, you should not count on a great effect from its use: it is better to simply perform high-quality insulation of the opening and slopes, adjust the window sashes, achieving their snug fit and install a high-quality seal. And then for sure, your house will be warm and cozy!
Insulating windows for the winter is a special tradition in our latitudes. It does not bypass even the owners of modern PVC profile windows, to say nothing of those wooden structures that still remember the Soviet leaders. After all, glass, poorly fixed in the frame, will let in not only sunlight, but also wind and cold. It is clear that more often such work is carried out with old windows. At first glance, there is nothing difficult here. However, you need to know how to insulate windows with your own hands correctly and how to do it - so that your work is not in vain, and the result is obvious.
Old technologies make it possible to independently insulate wooden windows for the winter inexpensively and relatively quickly. Their use implies tightness of all window parts, which is especially important where there are opening parts. The materials used for such insulation are divided into groups:
- for sealing cracks that have arisen during operation,
- for sealing the porches.
Warming with newspapers and paper
Insulating wooden windows with newspapers or paper can be cheap and fast. In addition, it will help you get rid of the stock of unnecessary newspapers. So, the old paper is torn into small pieces, then placed in a suitable dish and filled with water.
Thus the paper becomes a kind of paste, which will easily cover all the cracks. Drying, the mass will harden and will serve as a reliable sealant. Do not forget to leave the windows without insulation, as well as the balcony door, otherwise opening them is fraught with loss of insulation (and all work will need to be started anew).
Tip: Newspaper gruel can be supplemented with 2 parts chalk and 1 part wheat flour - you get a more reliable composition that can be easily removed from window frames in the spring.
Window insulation with wool and fabric strips
If you have cotton wool and fabric or paper strips, then use the following warming method:
Insulation with foam rubber and adhesive tape
The budget option will also be with foam rubber - it is cut into strips, after which it is gently pushed into all available slots. From above, the insulation is sealed with adhesive tape. The work is carried out quickly, and the effect is tangible. It is only important to choose tape with a valid expiration date, otherwise all your efforts will be in vain.
We insulate windows in a new way - modern technologies
Windows insulation according to Swedish technology
Swedish technology involves the use of tubular material made from silicone rubber. It is important to choose a high-quality sealant that is not afraid of temperature changes and is resistant to paints and dirt. This is exactly what is produced in Sweden (why the technology got this name).
So, how to insulate windows with your own hands using Swedish technology? The insulation is a rubber tubular profile with a service life of 20 years. This profile is glued into the grooves pre-cut on the window. It must be sealed very tightly, otherwise it may fall out.
Important: The amount of sealant used depends on the design features of the window - so if the window has separate bindings, then only the inner sashes are insulated, while the outer ones remain intact.
How to insulate window glass
Such insulation involves the use of innovative polyester based material(high molecular weight polymer). Other materials — organic compounds, metals and their oxides — are “weaved” into the energy-saving film in a special way, which makes it possible to change the initial properties of the polymer. At the same time, the structure of the molecules of the material is such that light passes through them perfectly.
Thus, energy saving film does not create optical distortions visible to the eye, is inert to household chemicals and does not contribute to the formation of dust on windows. In addition, this material creates a mechanical reinforcement for the glass - in case of damage, it will not shatter into the smallest traumatic fragments. The film is characterized by both frost resistance and environmental safety.
For do-it-yourself window insulation with a film, you will need:
- the material itself in the right amount,
- scissors and a stationery knife,
- household hair dryer.
Warming work is carried out as follows:
- Glass is washed and degreased.
- Frame joints are sealed with foam rubber or other sealant.
- Glue 2-sided adhesive tape to a clean surface of the window frame.
- We glue one layer of the film of the desired size on adhesive tape around the entire perimeter of the window frame.
- Using a hair dryer, we heat shrink (smooth) the material.
Keep in mind that you should not overstretch the film - the material itself will take the desired tension over time.
In addition to the insulation of windows, the insulation of walls, floors and ceilings also matters. Read our article about. We analyze the advantages and disadvantages of various materials.
And we have about the insulation of the balcony with polystyrene foam. Also from it you will learn what are the advantages of polystyrene over mineral wool.
Insulation with silicone sealant
Insulation with a sealant is considered one of the highest quality and durable. For work, you will need a sealant (silicone) and a special lever syringe (gun) for its application.
Tip: For insulation work, choose a transparent sealant - it will not be visible on the glass if it accidentally gets there.
Silicone insulation works are carried out in the following order:
Insulation of wooden windows with a transparent sealant
- Glass is removed from the window (stock up on new glazing beads, because the old ones break very often during dismantling).
- Clean the seat from dirt and dust, then apply a strip of silicone there.
- Put the glass back in place and reattach it with glazing beads.
It turns out that at the same time as warming you will carry out minor repairs to your wooden windows. If the work is carried out in the summer, then take care of the repair closely - close the cracks in the frames, change the fittings - this will improve both the heat-saving qualities of the structure and its appearance.
Features of insulation of plastic windows
Only installed plastic windows themselves do not require insulation, however, over time, even these structures lose some of their unique properties. Common reasons why you need to insulate metal-plastic windows are:
- wear of rubber gaskets or loss of elasticity,
- shrinkage of the wall and, as a result, the appearance of cracks,
- depressurization of areas between slopes and frames.
Insulation work in this case may include adjusting fittings, replacing rubber seals, as well as installing slopes.
Read our article on. From it you will also learn about the types of seals and how to care for them.
Interesting information about the characteristics of window profiles is in. How to choose a profile and not make a mistake?
If the room is poorly insulated, fungus and dampness can form in it. You will learn how to deal with them by going to this address.
Insulation of window openings
When installing metal-plastic or wooden windows, it is necessary to insulate not only the window frames themselves, but also the entire area of the window opening, and work must be carried out both from the outside and from the inside.
External thermal insulation is carried out using a special sealant - it is intended for outdoor work and is able to fill all the gaps formed during installation, also protecting the mounting foam from adverse effects.
Mineral wool or polystyrene foam can also act as a heat insulator. These materials are quite cheap, but at the same time provide a high-quality thermal layer and tightness.
Keep in mind that windows that are insulated from the outside are additionally protected from the cold.
Slope insulation
Slope insulation can be carried out with various materials - sandwich panels, drywall or foam. The most popular materials are gypsum and polystyrene - they are budgetary and quite suitable for independent work.
The process of insulating slopes with drywall is as follows:
- gypsum blanks of the required dimensions are prepared - they are cut out and processed with a moisture-resistant primer, after which they must dry,
- starting from the side slopes, the workpieces are inserted into the slots,
- a gap is obtained between the drywall sheet and the wall, which is filled with mounting foam and temporarily glued with adhesive tape (painting tape),
- the upper slope is securely fixed with a bar resting against the window sill,
- after the foam has hardened, the timber and adhesive tape are removed,
- the resulting slopes are primed and painted.
Tip: A plastic profile is fixed along the perimeter of the window opening to match the color of the wallpaper. The seam between the gypsum material and the window is securely sealed with sealant.
Styrofoam insulation can also be carried out by you yourself. All work here boils down to gluing thermal insulation boards solid to outer wall surface. For such insulation, you will need both the foam itself and the adhesive solution, as well as plaster and reinforced fiberglass mesh.
The workflow in this case is as follows:
- the foam is glued to the slope from the outside,
- all the resulting cracks are filled with an adhesive solution,
- the surface of the foam is completely covered with a reinforced mesh,
- the resulting structure is plastered.
The foam can be fixed together with special plastic connectors. This will make the design more reliable.
How to insulate a window sill
The window sill of a plastic window may also need to be insulated. For these purposes, standard materials are suitable - polystyrene foam or mineral wool. It is advisable to carry out insulation work even before installing the window sill - you can lay the foam plastic in advance and glue it with foam. After installation, all gaps are also treated with foam.
If the window sill is already installed, then you need to identify all the existing gaps and treat them with silicone or other sealant suitable for outdoor use.
How to insulate video windows
We bring to your attention a video on the topic of our article "How to insulate windows for the winter with your own hands." The video shows in detail the process of insulating windows with a film.
Window structures made of polyvinyl chloride are self-sufficient products that do not require additional thermal insulation.
If you are increasingly thinking about PVC, because in winter they still let the cold through, then there is definitely something wrong with some of the structural elements. Let's dwell on this issue in more detail.
What is a PVC window made of?
Any plastic window construction includes the following components:
- profile;
- rubber seals;
- double-glazed window;
- adjusting fittings;
- below the window sill, and on the sides - slopes.
If a breakdown occurs in one of the listed components, blowing will appear.
What is thermal insulation?
The insulation of plastic windows consists in slopes. In the context of other elements, it is only about troubleshooting. Due to the profile, for example, drafts never occur. Modern high-tech plastic is not wood. The material cannot dry out or "go".
Double-glazed windows lose heat if there is a depressurization of certain sections of the product. If you do not want the windows to let in the cold, insulate the slopes or look for the cause of the breakdowns. Let's start considering the insulation of the window structure from the slopes.
Protect slopes from the cold
For plastic windows, it is advisable to make slopes from plastic. It is best to veneer them with hard plastic. Why? The material is great for additional thermal insulation.
In this case, the opening between the wall surface and the window frame is filled with special foam. Other options are foam insulators or boards made from basalt fiber. Choose the material that suits your current needs.
The outer and inner wall must also be insulated. Only this time, the materials no longer perform insulating, but protective properties. The insulator directly protects from the negative impact of various external factors.
Elimination of skewed sashes
Window and wall structures sometimes shrink. Unfortunately, nothing can be done about it. Especially new buildings suffer from such a “disease”. Shrinkage, in turn, leads to a slight distortion of the wings, which adversely affects the thermal insulation of the structure. The solution to the problem is the debugging of fittings.
Tool
Do-it-yourself regulation of the clamping of the sashes is carried out using special eccentrics. During the turn of the hand, they go beyond the "recruiting grounds". These elements are installed along the frame perimeter. To ensure tight pressing, the eccentric is twisted in a clockwise direction.
Each described element has a risk. When she "looks" towards the street, this indicates a weakening of the pressure. If the pointer is facing the rubber seal, the sash is well pressed against the frame structure.
loops
The hinges of the plastic window also have their own mechanism responsible for the clamp. The device is adjusted with a hexagon. The rule is simple: a strongly pushed tongue - the fit of the sash is tight. To extend it, you need to turn the hexagon counterclockwise. When the loops are located on the right side, the turn is made in the other direction. This time clockwise.
As you can see, there is nothing complicated - the skew of the valves is eliminated easily and simply.
If the described actions do not help, and the cold does not disappear anywhere, then more serious problems have arisen. In this case, you will have to contact the masters.
Preparing the window for winter:
Replacing the rubber seal
What is a rubber seal? Its main task is to ensure a snug fit of the sashes to the frame. For greater reliability, it is made of rubber and does not let the cold through when it is closed.
If you properly care for it and regularly treat it with special compounds, the sealant will last a long time. However, only a few PVC window owners care about an element that is almost always hidden by the sashes. Many do not even know that it must be lubricated with special mixtures.
So it turns out that in about five years the rubber seal loses its density. And when a product becomes unusable, it must be replaced.
To perform the replacement, the double-glazed window is removed from the sash. We remove the bead, we get the required element. The rubber seal changes elementarily: the old one is removed, the new one is inserted through the groove. If you want, fix the product with an adhesive. Do not be embarrassed by the difference in color - heaters are made of black and gray rubber, but there are no differences.
Attention! Be extremely careful when removing and inserting the glazing bead. The element is easy to break, as it is very fragile. If the glazing bead becomes unusable, it will not work to install the double-glazed window back.
Alternative insulation methods
In addition to all of the above methods, some tricks can help prevent cold ingress. Let's consider a few of them.
wool blinds
This is a slightly unconventional, but effective method of do-it-yourself window insulation. Ordinary blinds are simply wrapped in strips of woolen fabric, thanks to which they become reliable protectors from the cold penetrating through the windows in winter.
Heat-saving film
Insulation of plastic windows can also be carried out with a heat-saving film - a fairly budgetary and at the same time effective option. But it is necessary to glue the film so that there is no air left under it, that is, “bubbles”, not only the appearance of the windows, but also the quality of thermal insulation will depend on this.
This is the most modern way of warming the room. With such a system, an oil heater is placed on the windowsill, and an electric heating coil is installed in the glass itself.
But if you decide to use just such a heating method, then it is better to complete the installation when the installation of the double-glazed windows themselves is still in progress, but you can do this later by purchasing the system in a specialized store.
Curtains
It may sound strange, but curtains can quite protect from the cold. They serve as an effective barrier to air and do not let the cold in in winter, if it still penetrates through the windows. In addition, passing through the curtains, the air, although not significantly, warms up.
window sill insulation
Cold air can also enter through the joints between the adjacent parts of the window sill. They need to be well sealed. Also, with poor-quality work, “black holes” may remain under the window sill itself, so it must be dismantled and the joint between the slab and the window block be further processed.
To do this, open the small plugs on the windowsill, unscrew it with a screwdriver, and all possible cracks open up for us, where cold air can come from.
Results
Remember one simple thing - if a plastic window loses heat, there is a problem with one of the elements of the system. Eliminate the problems, the design will regain its lost properties.
The only thing that requires full insulation is slopes and, possibly, a window sill. No other thermal insulation work needs to be carried out. PVC windows are already protected from the cold at the highest level, as they were originally designed to create a comfortable atmosphere in any room.
