Wooden window structures allow you to maintain an optimal microclimate in the room and help to recreate a harmonious and attractive interior. But with long-term operation of natural wood windows, heat-saving ability is lost. At the moment, heat in the room can save a seal for wooden windows. Consider the features of this insulating material.
Types of gaskets
Many ordinary people remember the ritual that their mothers and grandmothers performed every fall - window sealing. To do this, it was necessary to cut strips of the same width, smear them with laundry soap or cleanser, cooked from flour, and glue the frames around the perimeter. In the spring I had to wash everything.
A little later, self-adhesive paper appeared and the process of window insulation was simplified. But these methods had one indisputable drawback: from the autumn until late spring it was impossible to open the casement.
Recently, a large selection of sealing material for wooden windows has appeared on the market, but before proceeding with the insulation of window structures, it is worth examining the proposals. It is understood that the seals can be made of various materials. In addition, they differ in installation method and profile.
By the method of mounting the tape can be divided into:
- heaters with self-adhesive tape;
- mounted on glue;
- gaskets installed in the groove.
The density of the sash to the frame structure depends on the configuration of the insulation and its cross section. A thick sealing profile will not allow to close the window, and too thin will not provide proper pressure.
How the whole structure will work depends on the type of material for wooden windows, so a sealant is selected for each individual case.
Sealing profiles are:
- D - profile up to 11 mm for large gaps;
- P - section with a scale of 3-7 mm for mid-size backlash;
- E, V - profile up to 3 mm for gaps of small dimensions;
- C, I - section up to 1 mm for small gaps.
The fit of the flaps and the service life of the sealing profiles directly depend on the material produced by the tape and its technical characteristics.
- Foam seals are used to preserve heat in residential premises.. It is worth noting that the service life of this material is very limited, since it is fragile and non-moisture resistant. It can be operated effectively for one season. These heaters have the maximum thickness and are made with adhesive tape or without.
- Polyethylene seals they are used, as well as the previous type, but they have advantages, they are moisture resistant, serve for a long time and restore shape well, can be self-adhesive.
- Polyvinyl chloride seals made of plastic. Short-lived - in winter the material becomes brittle, and in the summer it softens very much.
- Rubber seals for wooden windows - the most famous and sought after today. Durable, heat-resistant, flexible, lightweight, available in different shades and cross-sections.
They are the most high-quality and reliable, the basis of the material of manufacture is ethylene propylene or silicone rubber, chloroprene or polymer. I would like to pay special attention to the latest material - thermoplastic elastomer.
How to choose a sealant?
Before you go to buy a seal, be sure to take measurements of the gaps between the sash and the frame, only in this way you can choose the profile of the desired section.
Before buying, read the information on the packaging, make sure that the seal is made of the material that you need, how it is installed, whether there is adhesive tape on it, or if you have to buy additional adhesive.
Pay attention also to the production date, since expired goods significantly reduce the operating time.
When choosing, it is worth paying attention to the manufacturer, you only need to buy products for which the manufacturer has a product certificate. If the choice fell on European-made goods, it is worth asking whether it is suitable for SS EN ISO 9001 standards.
DIY gasket installation
Once the seal is purchased, it can be installed on the window. If a self-adhesive sealant is purchased, installation will be carried out as follows:
- the surface of the window where the seal will be installed is well cleaned of dust and dirt. After that, it must be degreased and thoroughly dried;
- you need to determine the place where the seal will be installed - this may be a sash or frame;
- the sealant goes in a double tape and, if necessary, it can be divided in half, then cut strips of the desired size;
- remove the protective layer carefully, being careful not to stretch the tape itself;
- a tourniquet is fastened around the entire perimeter of the window, with gentle pressing movements;
- the window can be operated after two hours.
If you bought a simple seal, then you need to take care of the method of mounting on the frame. You can apply rubber glue or sealant. The rest of the installation does not differ from the above method. It is worth noting that some ordinary people practice installing such a heater with a stapler. We do not recommend using this method, since the surface of the sash loses its appearance over time.
Swedish window insulation technique
Another way to insulate a window structure is time-consuming, but more reliable than the previous two - grooved (Swedish technology).
Sashes must be removed from the frame; along their perimeter, the chamfer selects a chamfer at an angle of 45 degrees in the direction of the striker.
In place of the loops, an untouched gap is made three centimeters larger than the size of the loop.
The groove should be well cleaned of residual chips and sawdust.
Insulation with a rebate is installed in the chamfer and pressed. To do this, you need to buy a special video that will greatly facilitate this process. Do not stretch the heater tube while driving the roller in one direction, you need to move it back and forth.
The flaps are mounted on a frame structure and the quality of the seal is checked by closing the window.
After installing the seal, you can not worry about the cold weather in winter, in addition, the seal will perform soundproofing functions.
Replacing the sealant on wooden windows is simple: the tape is removed from the structure, its location is cleaned and degreased, the frame is ready for installation of a new sealing tape.