Do-it-yourself insulation of plastic windows for the winter inside and outside

After replacing old wooden windows with modern plastic double-glazed windows, many owners rightly expect that there will be no drafts in the apartment. But in fact, over time, they begin to purge. Moreover, heat loss occurs both after a few years, and immediately after installation. It is too expensive to solve the problem by replacing plastic structures or accessories. Therefore, it is better to eliminate blowing or insulate window openings on their own.

Causes of heat loss, their definition

If the manufacture and installation of the plastic structure is carried out in accordance with all the rules, in the first few years after installation, the product will provide reliable protection against cold street air. Then various problems gradually appear. In most cases, they arise due to non-compliance with the rules of exploitation by the owner of the home. But if the installation of a plastic product is done carelessly, already in the first year after installation it blows from it.

The need for additional thermal insulation arises for the following reasons:

• various violations during installation of the structure;
• natural shrinkage of the building, most often such a defect is formed in new buildings;
• the need to change the rubber seal;
• Incorrect installation of slopes.

To effectively insulate plastic windows for the winter with their own hands, possible places of heat loss are determined. Do not check allowed frame made of multi-chamber plastic. It does not crack like wooden structures.

The loss of tightness is observed in the following structural elements:

• clamping parts, shaken from time to time;
• a retracted glazing bead holding glass;
• deteriorated sealant;
• Incorrectly applied foam;
• windowsill;
• slopes.

It is very simple to determine through which elements cold air enters the room. To do this, hold the palm over the entire surface of the window frame. In some areas it will blow out a lot. For the same purpose, use a flame from a lighter or a candle. It is rejected if there is a draft.

Typically, insulate plastic windows, if it blows hard, you can do it yourself. The service of specialists is sometimes needed if insulation of external slopes in a multi-storey building is required. When several areas with impaired tightness are found, a comprehensive warming of window structures and balcony doors is carried out.

When and how to insulate plastic windows

When there is a problem with tightness, it blows from window openings at any time of the year. But it is especially felt in winter, when the air in the street is cold. In addition, it is immediately clear in which section of the window the problem arose and how efficiently it was solved. It is advisable to do insulation work in spring or summer, since the composition of some sealants does not allow them to be used at low temperatures.

There are many methods of warming plastic windows. At the same time, different materials are used to perform the work:

• polyurethane foam is inexpensive and quickly eliminates defects, but it is destroyed by exposure to ultraviolet radiation, wind and temperature changes;
• mineral wool - high-quality modern insulation;
• window film insulates glass well;
• silicone based sealant reliably and for a long time insulates;
• polystyrene is used to close gaps in slopes;
• warm mixtures are used for external insulation;
• construction tape is used to improve insulation on top of the sealant;
• facade paint resistant to the impact of the external environment;
• the primer protects against moisture, dries quickly and is easy to apply.

How to insulate the windows along the contour

Sometimes the installation of plastic structures in old houses of the Soviet era is unsatisfactory. Window openings on the outside isolate poorly. Therefore, during operation, cold enters the room. From this, mold forms on the slopes from the inside. Here it is impossible to correct the situation by simply sealing cracks.

During the installation of a double-glazed window, the window opening is severely destroyed. Then, around the perimeter, filling foam is used to fill the resulting gaps. This is the easiest way, but not the most durable. Outside, unprotected foam quickly collapses under the influence of atmospheric phenomena. Destruction is especially fast if installation was carried out in winter.

To protect the room from the penetration of cold air create high-quality thermal insulation. For this, external slopes are installed. The easiest way to do this is with foam and reinforcing mesh. After trimming the protruding mounting foam, the gaps along the perimeter of the glass packet are filled with pieces of foam, gluing them with special glue. A reinforcing mesh is fixed on top and all is covered with cement mortar.

Especially high quality perform the ebb and the mounting seam located under it. So that water does not accumulate at the window, the angle of the tide is made more than 5%. It should retreat from the wall by 3 cm. The lateral edges are bent and protected by end plates. To prevent the penetration of water, the joints are sealed.

To keep the room warm, the internal slopes are carefully sealed. The work is performed according to the following algorithm:

1. Dust should be removed from the surface of the slopes, the protruding parts of the mounting foam should be removed with a knife, then primed with an antibacterial compound to protect against the penetration of moldy fungus.
2. Level the slope with plaster.
3. Close the slopes with expanded polystyrene plates, gluing them with special glue. Then fix the platband and install the corner.
4. Finish the slope with plaster and paint.

From time to time, construction foam collapses. Therefore, its remains must be removed and fill the openings with a new portion. If the gaps are small, it is irrational to use foam for insulation. Then the defects must be repaired with silicone sealant.

Self-adjusting window sashes

Due to the natural shrinkage of the foundation and weather conditions, small skews of window sashes and deterioration of thermal insulation can occur. But then getting rid of the defect is very simple. To do this, adjust the clamping mechanisms of the window.

To establish the operation of the clamping mechanism, eccentrics located around the window are used. For a snug fit, this part is rotated clockwise with a special hex key. Each eccentric has a notch. If it is directed outward, the window sash is pressed slightly. To improve the fit, the eccentric is turned so that the notch points into the room. You can see the procedure in more detail in the video.

Also, to improve the thermal insulation and strengthen the fit of the flaps, loop regulation is used.It is performed with the same hex key. With a strongly extended tongue on the hinges, the sashes are strongly adjacent to each other. To push it out, on the left hinges the key is turned counterclockwise. If the loops are on the right, the key is rotated in the opposite direction.

It is even easier to correct the situation if the glazing bead has moved away from the PVC window. It is simply removed and replaced with a new one, which can be purchased from the same window installation company. Having eliminated all the malfunctions, they again check the tightness of the window by hand or by the fire of the lighter. If defects are present, replace the rubber seal.

How to change the seal

As a sealant on plastic double-glazed windows, special rubber bands are used that improve sound and thermal insulation. On sale, they are found in different qualities. Rubber bands marked with EPDM optimally combine affordable price and good quality, so they are most often purchased. Products with the VMQ brand are of high quality, but too expensive. And you do not need to buy a TPE seal, as it quickly collapses under the influence of weather.

Seal replacement procedure:

1. The old seal is removed by prying the middle. The freed space in the grooves is washed thoroughly with laundry soap or other detergent. Then it is thoroughly dried and degreased with alcohol.
2. To make the fit more tight, the corners of the profile are glued with construction glue, PVA or silicone. After applying the composition, wait for it to completely dry.
3. After that, a rubber sealant is prepared for installation. If EPDM-labeled material is used, it is measured along the length of the perimeter of the opening, as it bends easily. The remaining materials are cut along the length of the side of the opening with a small margin.
4. Then the gum is inserted into the grooves, being careful not to deform the material. It is more convenient to do this operation together using an improvised tool.

To extend the service life, the gum should be washed several times a year and coated with silicone grease. After five years of operation, the seal is replaced with a new one.

Window sill insulation

Often the movement of cold air is strongly felt under the windowsill of a plastic window. A clearly visible crack is filled with mounting foam. You can use a piece of plastic or foam for the same purpose.

Further work is carried out in the following order:

1. The windowsill is removed.
2. The wall where it was located is cleaned of dust and dirt and inspected for defects.
3. All large dips and gaps are filled with foam.
4. After the material has completely dried, the protruding excess is cut with a sharp knife.
5. The surface is primed with the addition of an antiseptic.
6. All joints and corners are coated with silicone sealant.
7. Cover the wall with a layer of plaster.
8. Set the windowsill in its original place.

Warming with an energy-saving film

Often, in order to save money, double-glazed windows with single glazing are installed in a wooden house. They do not provide normal heat storage. Then, to improve thermal insulation at home, an energy-saving film is glued to the glass surface. A thin cloth coated with a liquid metal composition has almost no effect on the transparency of the glass, but significantly increases its density and improves energy conservation.

There are various materials on sale with this property. Better and more expensive are a film with a self-adhesive layer. There are also reinforced coatings that transmit light worse, but last a little longer. They are used in harsh climates.

Procedure:

1. The glass is washed with soapy water, thoroughly wiped and wiped with alcohol to degrease.
2. Thermal film is laid out on a flat surface and cut to the size of the glass, adding a few centimeters to the allowances at the edges.
3. A double-sided tape is glued around the glass perimeter, the protective layer is removed and, carefully stretching the film, glued so that there are no wrinkles.
4. Hot air blower blow the surface of the glass. Under the influence of high temperature, the material shrinks, spreads and sticks to the window.

Material such as thermal film is subject to annual replacement. Therefore, with the onset of spring, it is removed. Attach a new layer in the first months of autumn. During installation, it is important not to stretch the layer too much so as not to tear. Better to do this work together.

If the thermal film is on a self-adhesive layer, it is mounted without double-sided tape. For this, the window is prepared by cleaning it from contaminants and degreased. Then determine the upper and lower layer and cut the material with a small allowance. The film is applied to the window and simultaneously smoothed with a clean, dry cloth. The allowances at the edges are cut with a breadboard knife.

Finally

It is necessary to insulate the window in warm weather, since many building materials do not allow use at low temperatures. In order not to spend a lot of time on window insulation, it is better to immediately select the products of a trusted manufacturer so that the technical characteristics correspond to the climate of residence. It is also important to monitor the quality installation of the window.