It's no secret that a huge amount of heat leaves the premises through the windows - this is especially noticeable in winter. Therefore, it is these structures that need protection, and the sooner it is done, the better. Fortunately, such work can be easily done on your own, and if there is no time for this, just hire specialists. Even our distant ancestors were aware of how to properly seal gaps in window structures - their houses were warm even in severe frost, but little wood was needed for heating. However, the insulation of plastic windows for the winter is somewhat different from the traditional solutions that were popular decades ago, technologies are different in our time, modern approaches to solving problems are also chosen.
Insulate plastic windows
First of all, you should know that when performing insulation, you may need to adjust the plastic window. With your own hands, such a task is performed without problems, especially if recommendations and advice on the topic are taken into account. However, first things first. Despite the fact that manufacturers always claimreliability of its products, even the highest quality window may need insulation.
The cheapest way to protect yourself from the cold is to cover the opening with some kind of dense material that will be able to keep warm. Previously, for example, blankets were used for this, but today such a solution can be applied, perhaps, to wooden windows. A modern tool for double-glazed windows is a special colorless polyethylene film that is fixed on your structure. This method guarantees effective insulation of plastic windows with your own hands, nothing needs to be dismantled during operation, which is very convenient.
Blinds and insulation
Some choose blinds to minimize heat loss through double-glazed windows. The window frame is not affected. An important point - if you are insulating plastic windows for the winter in this way, you should definitely stick strips of woolen fabric on the blinds, this is the only way to achieve the desired effect.
Electrically heated glass
If cheap options do not suit you, it's time to pay attention to an expensive means of insulation - installing a system that will provide electric heating to windows. Today, especially for double-glazed windows, you can buy many different heaters - they are installed on window sills. There are also special filament spirals (they are glued directly to the glass). The surest way not to worry about the cold is to put a metal-plastic window in the apartment, the design of which consists of at least three glasses. One of them will definitelyenergy saving. It is beneficial to use such glasses - the heat-saving characteristics of the entire system are significantly increased. If you repair and insulate plastic windows in this way, your double-glazed window should have thermal break elements, which should also have metal inserts. The space between the glasses is usually filled with krypton or argon. In general, this is a very expensive solution, but drafts and frosts can be forgotten for a long time (of course, if there are no more vulnerabilities in the house).
Why you need to insulate slopes
When old wooden windows are replaced with modern plastic, they usually expect that there will be excellent protection from various negative factors: dust, noise, cold. Indeed, the PVC profile justifies itself at first, but then it still begins to let moisture and cold through. This happens due to subsidence of the walls, as well as from depressurization of the seams. Of course, this situation will not make your home comfortable, and you will have to insulate the slopes of plastic windows. What is characteristic - these works are performed both from the inside of the room and from the outside. For everything to be successful, you need to perform additional heat-insulating and protective layers. This requires some materials:
- extruded polystyrene foam;
- foam;
- mineral wool;
- isover (fiberglass);
- sandwich panels.
These materials are usually sold in the form of slabs. Another question - which one is better to choose if plastic windows are insulated with your own hands? It's all heredepends on the size of the gaps. For example, if they are not less than 0.4 cm, polystyrene foam, polystyrene foam, as well as fiberglass, the thickness of which is usually in the range of 20-30 mm, is perfect. When the gap is narrow, choose mounting foam or mineral wool.
Insulating the slopes of plastic windows is not the most difficult task, if you have at least minimal building skills, there will be no problems.
When it is necessary to insulate slopes
If the walls in your room are multi-layered and carefully laid with various insulating materials that reach the window frame, insulating plastic windows for the winter is not a mandatory procedure (if there were no precedents). This structure of the walls is a reliable protection against freezing. But if they are single-layer or the house is made of panels with stiffeners, you still have to make thermal insulation - you can’t do without it. Special thermal liners are placed along the slopes.
How slopes are insulated
The material selected for thermal insulation is fixed on the surface of the window opening. The seam that is obtained during installation must be closed, while the window frame is partially blocked. Drywall is installed on top of the material, its surface is first puttied, then painted - to achieve maximum effect. If you use extruded polystyrene foam, it is not necessary to use GKL.
Insulation sheets are glued on the top of the slopes, moreover, a plaster mesh should be fixed on top. On it with a thin layera cement-sand mixture is applied, then a finishing putty is made to consolidate the result.
Styrofoam insulation
Another technology that deserves attention if you are insulating plastic windows for the winter is the use of foam. When the frame is already installed, the opening is plastered, for this a cement-sand mixture is used. It is important that the surface is well dried - after that a layer of foam is glued onto it, the thickness of which does not exceed 5 mm. After that, everything is puttied and painted. Such a technique provides excellent protection against cold air - now it will be much more difficult for him to get into living rooms from the street. The window opening is often insulated with polystyrene foam in the same way, plaster is applied to it - a very worthy result is obtained.
Swedish technology
Recently, many people choose Swedish window insulation for their homes. The name of this method arose due to the material used in the work. Tubular silicone rubber seal - it is made in Sweden. According to manufacturers, this material is very durable - up to twenty years, while it does not lose performance even over a wide temperature range. Not afraid of the impact of paints and dirt.
Doing Swedish window insulation on your own is not an easy task. Here you can not do without professional skills, and you should also have a special tool at hand. It is difficult to make sampling around the perimeter with a cutter,especially if, as a result, you need to get a groove for rolling the sealant - so that over time the material does not peel off and does not fall out. It is best when specialists in this way insulate plastic windows in your house. The price may vary - it all depends on the region, but the result of the work is worth the money. In addition, the price includes various services: dismantling of window sashes, fitting a groove for a sealant, placing tubular silicone in it, and if necessary, adjusting a plastic window. Not everyone can do all this with their own hands, only an experienced builder.
When to adjust
Insulation of plastic windows for the winter has been completed, now is the time to think about adjusting. When is it needed?
- If the sash sags (because of this, the sash bottom touches the plastic frame). Need to adjust the vertical or horizontal plane.
- Because of the offset, the middle wing touches the frame. To get rid of this, the problematic part is evenly shifted to either side.
- When air enters through the seal. In this situation, the sash pressure is simply adjusted.
- If the handle is loose. With such a problem, turn the plate located at the base, then tighten all the screws.
- The handle is too tight to turn. Setting up is easy - machine oil is used for this. Cotton swabs, as well as any brushes, are great for lubricating eccentrics,hinges and clamping mechanisms.
