How to insulate large windows for the winter. Do-it-yourself window insulation for the winter, how and how to insulate windows. Insulation of windows with heat-saving film

It often happens that cold weather comes unexpectedly and sunny days are replaced by chilly wind and rains. Therefore, you should take care of the weather in the house in advance and you need to start with the windows. If you, when deciding how to glue the windows for the winter, make the right choice, you can keep up to 2/3 of the heat in the room.

Contrary to popular belief that only wooden windows need to be insulated with their own hands, plastic structures also often need to improve their heat-saving qualities. This happens if the service life of plastic windows has ended or the structures were installed in violation of the technology.

To insulate windows for the winter with your own hands, you need to create the most airtight space between the frames, since the air in an enclosed space has excellent thermal insulation properties.

To get a comfortable room temperature, you need to eliminate the cracks through which cold air enters.

To insulate wooden frames, one (or both) of the traditional methods is usually used: gluing a sealing gum, sealing cracks with cotton wool, glue and paper strips, cloth or tape. An adsorbent can be placed between the frames - a substance that absorbs moisture, such as activated carbon, silica gel, soda or salt.

Preliminary preparation of wooden windows

Before starting work, wash and dry the windows, inspect the gaps between the frames and glass. Such cracks appear when the frames dry up, and the window putty in which the glass is installed crumbles.

Repair stages

Check the condition of the glazing beads - the long wooden slats with which the glass is reinforced in the window frame. It is better to replace rotten and cracked elements with new ones immediately.
Remove the problematic glazing beads and nails. Remove the glass and clean it from the remaining putty using an alkaline product, for example, soda ash diluted in water.
Clean the frames from putty and paint in the places where glass is inserted, wipe dry and treat with transparent silicone sealant.
When installing the glass, try not to pinch it. Secure the glazing beads with window nails.
Coat the remaining gaps with the same sealant, let it dry for 2-4 hours and wipe the windows with a special detergent.

How to insulate wooden frames

Window structures made of wood are usually insulated with the help of:

Modern profile gasket

Window seal profiles

This material is sold at any hardware store and comes in tape, with or without adhesive. Such a seal is also called a tubular profile and is made from the following materials:

foam rubber
rubber
polyvinyl chloride;
polyethylene foam;
polyurethane

Adhesive-based seals are more popular. But their disadvantage can be considered the fact that they cannot stick as securely as their self-adhesive counterparts.

The foam seal absorbs moisture, so it must be replaced annually. The polymer tape does not care about water, which significantly increases its service life.

The seal is easy to use: the tape is glued to the open sash around the perimeter, inside and outside. To eliminate particularly large gaps, you can additionally use masking tape.

A seal for a wooden window is attached to the perimeter of the frame

It is best to use a transparent silicone adhesive sealant to glue the seal without an adhesive base.

Improvised means

The method is suitable to insulate old wooden windows for the winter , as it is designed to eliminate too large gaps . They can be filled with cotton wool, rags, paper or foam rubber. A special putty for wood is also suitable.

Insulation stages:

firmly tamp cotton wool or other material into the crevices using, for example, a wide screwdriver;
glue strips of fabric or paper over the material.

Glue for these purposes can be made from a soap solution or two components - water and starch. The recipe is simple: pour a heaped tablespoon of starch with one glass of water 200 ml., Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Sifted flour can be used instead of starch. After cooling the paste, proceed to the insulation.

Paraffin wax can be purchased at any hardware store

This method was widespread several decades ago among housewives, who know exactly how to insulate wooden windows for the winter, as it made it possible to close large gaps quickly and at no cost.

The paraffin candle must be melted in a water bath and the hot mixture is poured into a pre-heated syringe. With this device, you need to quickly process all the gaps.

Putties

Insulating windows for the winter with special mixtures or something similar with your own hands is an effective, but radical method. Removing such insulation often damages the paint, so this method is suitable for old windows that you plan to replace soon.

As a heater, glue putties, a 1: 1 solution of alabaster and chalk, and special sealants for window seams are suitable. The mixture is applied to the gaps, leveled with a spatula and left to dry completely.

Heat-saving film is an effective way to avoid heat loss

This method is suitable for insulating wood and PVC windows.

In hardware stores, you can find a special protective film that has universal properties - in summer it protects the room from the sun's rays, and in winter it raises the temperature to 5 degrees.

The material of the required size is glued to the frame glazing beads using double-sided tape and blown with air from a hair dryer to level and make it transparent.

More about energy-saving films for windows

Additional cold bridges

Be sure to check lintels above the windows, as they often serve as a place for heat leakage. Lintels are insulated from the outside by alternately applying facade polystyrene foam, reinforcing mixture and plaster.

Also, cold conductors can be slopes... For thermal insulation, the side surfaces are sanded, then primed and PVC panels are installed. If voids have formed inside, it is necessary to fill them with tow or polyurethane foam.

Windowsill, improperly processed with foam, is insulated by attaching a piece of PVC panel, adjusted to size, under it. The voids are filled with the same materials as for the slopes.

Read more about window sill insulation (plastic or wooden)

How to insulate plastic windows yourself

To improve the thermal insulation qualities of plastic windows, it is imperative to use insulation. It can be traditional polyurethane foam or a suitable sealant for this purpose:

Polyurethane sealant. Experts consider this material ideal for sealing deep cracks, since the mass after hardening increases its volume several times and penetrates far into the depth of the gap.
Silicone sealant. This is the most popular and affordable way to get rid of unwanted sources of air entering the room. The sealant fills gaps tightly and has high elasticity, which makes it easy to use.
Acrylic sealant. Differs in elasticity and ease of use - its excess during application can be easily removed, unlike silicone sealant. But this material has one drawback - in a short time of operation, the acrylic sealant changes color from white to gray. This is due to its ability to attract dust and dirt to itself.

When insulating plastic windows, follow the basic steps:

Clean the cracks with a stick or brush from loose foam or debris.
Go over the slopes, frames and windowsill thoroughly with a degreasing cleaner.
Fill the gaps with polyurethane foam or sealant, depending on the material chosen.

Summing up

If the budget does not yet allow replacing old windows with new ones, do not despair. A variety of materials for their insulation will allow you to choose something for yourself based on your financial condition and the characteristics of the work.

Related video

Winter is on the doorstep, and is it blowing from your windows? Then it's time to start insulating them. We will tell you how to do this correctly and what material is best used for insulating windows for the winter, and also share some secrets of how to make any house warm and comfortable even in the most severe frosts.

The task of additional insulation is relevant only for ordinary wooden windows. Windows made of plastic, metal of a profile structure or wood with double-glazed windows and with modern fittings are initially sealed and preparation for winter can only be a seasonal adjustment of the pressure mechanism.

The main ways to insulate windows

Thermal insulation of wooden windows for the winter is a standard procedure that can significantly reduce heat loss in a room and provide adequate comfort in the cold season. The main task that is put before the master is to achieve maximum tightness of the window structure.

There are several ways to insulate windows, which can be divided into two groups:

Traditional, which were used by our grandfathers. This is the most affordable and least expensive option for those on a tight budget. These include the insulation of windows with old newspapers, paper, foam rubber, cotton wool, rags, paraffin and other materials at hand.
Modern methods of insulating windows for the winter involve the use of special means, for example, sealants or a sealing cord made of foam rubber. The cost of such materials will be slightly higher, however, they will allow you to insulate windows as quickly and, most importantly, as efficiently as possible, to ensure their complete sealing. In addition, at the end of winter, it will not be necessary to carry out complex dismantling.

Using folk methods, windows are insulated as follows: with the help of cotton wool, paper, foam rubber, textile rags or any other material, all the gaps between the frame and the window opening are closed. After that, the frames are carefully sealed with white paper, cloth or masking tape. The disadvantage of this method is that it does not imply the possibility of opening the flaps and with the onset of heat it is necessary to dismantle the insulation.

Just sealing the windows with tape is not the best option.

Traditional methods do not always adequately cope with the task at hand, spoil the appearance of the window, therefore it is better to prefer modern materials.

We insulate windows for the winter with our own hands

First you need to prepare all the materials necessary for insulation, namely:

Chisel.
Putty knife.
Paint brush.
A screwdriver.
Frost resistant silicone sealant.
Work gloves.
Paint for windows.
Polyurethane foam.
Sealing tape made of foamed rubber or polyethylene on a self-adhesive backing.

Insulation of slopes and window sills for the winter

For those wishing to insulate wooden windows for the winter, experts recommend, first of all, to pay attention to the window slopes and the area under the windowsill or ebb. Most often, cracks form in these places, through which it constantly flows through, and thus the room loses a significant amount of heat.

To eliminate these shortcomings, it is first necessary to clean the old slopes from paint with a spatula and treat them with a primer. After that, you can use polyurethane foam, blowing it into all the cracks. It is better to fill the space between the slopes and the ends of the window opening with some kind of heat-insulating material, for example, polyurethane foam or jute tow. After the foam dries, the excess can be carefully trimmed off.

Sealing gaps between glass and sash frame

The problem area of most wooden window sashes is the lack of tightness of the inter-glass space. To solve the problem, it is necessary to use a silicone sealant, which is used to coat the groove between the glass and the sash.

First, carefully remove the glazing beads with a screwdriver, then remove the glass from the frame. We thoroughly clean the glass seats from paint, dust and dirt. Then we apply silicone sealant in a continuous strip without any interruptions along the entire perimeter. We return the glass to its place and fix it with glazing beads. Often glazing beads break during dismantling; in this case, you need to have new ones in stock. The remains of the sealant can be carefully removed with a knife, and the glazing beads can be painted with paint.

Instead of a sealant, you can use a putty, even replace the glazing beads with it, if the glass is previously fixed with special clips around the perimeter

Insulation of window sashes

We proceed to sealing the space between the halves of the shutters. We do this in two steps:

In a special groove, which is in the wooden frame, we lay a foam rubber seal with dimensions of 1x2 or 2x2 cm around the entire perimeter. You do not need to glue it so that it can be easily removed with the onset of summer and thus does not interfere with the natural slot ventilation of the room.
Then, between the frame sashes, it is necessary to glue a sealing cord around the perimeter. After that, we again tighten the flaps with bolts.

1. Polyurethane foam for sealing cracks under the windowsill. 2. Seals made of foam rubber around the sash and between the two pieces of the piece frame. 3. Silicone sealant. 4. Foam insulation

If the sash is too tight to the frame and there is not enough space to accommodate the sealant, you can remove the extra layer of wood, and only then install the seal, or cut off part of the sealing tape with a clerical knife to reduce its thickness.

1. Polyurethane foam for sealing cracks under the windowsill. 2. Foam rubber seals. 3. Silicone sealant. 4. Foam insulation

At the end of all the work carried out earlier, the lock is adjusted for the correct clamping of the sash rebate. The considered insulation technology will allow your windows to survive the cold winter without any problems.

Secrets of proper window insulation for the winter

To increase the efficiency of the above methods of window insulation, it is advisable to inspect and insulate the window opening not only inside the room, but also outside. Moreover, it is better to entrust such work to professionals.

If there are too large gaps in the window frames, more serious measures will be needed, for example, complete restoration of windows, replacement of their fittings, hinges, glass and other parts. However, such work should be performed long before the onset of cold weather.

The cleaner the glass of the windows, the better their thermal insulation characteristics, therefore the glass for the winter must be thoroughly cleaned of contamination.

Glass sealing can be carried out before the onset of frost at temperatures from +5 to +40 degrees Celsius. In cold weather, you can only work with internal frames.

Thus, following our advice and using modern technologies for insulating wooden windows, you can provide an effective and durable result.

With the onset of cold weather, the zealous owner seeks to escape from the cold without causing significant damage to the family budget. Let's figure out how to glue old wooden windows for the winter. All methods are focused on doing it yourself at home using improvised means and inexpensive heaters.

According to thermal images of houses, a significant part of the heat leaves the room through walls, windows, doors, and roofs. Insulation of these nodes allows you to increase the heat-saving properties of the house. However, complete insulation is an expensive task, plus, it is far from always possible to do it yourself.

But to seal the windows for the winter is a relatively simple and easy-to-implement measure, which everyone can do, and the effect is confirmed by an increase in the temperature in the room by 2-4 ° C, depending on the chosen method of insulation.

10 ways the best way to glue windows for the winter

Summarizing the experience of previous generations, you can write a whole encyclopedia on the topic: how you can seal the windows so that there is no wind.

Consider the proven and available methods of insulation, for ease of comparison, arranging them in the form of a rating, in ascending order of the cost of performing the work:

1. Paper for pasting windows

More precisely, paper putty. This is the cheapest method, as it only requires a selection of old newspapers and water to seal the windows. To increase the effectiveness of the putty, you can add 2 parts of crushed chalk or 1 part of clay to it. The resulting mass is characterized by high plasticity, which makes it easy to seal even the smallest cracks. The window can be easily cleaned from putty during work (while it remains wet). Insulation of windows with paper is an effective way, but only for one season, in addition, the papered window does not provide an opportunity to open the sashes in winter. With warming, the putty is removed from the cracks, and the window is washed out.

Price: 0 rub.

pros: free and easy.

Minuses: the need for annual repetition of work, there is no way to open the sealed window, it is not aesthetically pleasing and the presence of additional decor in the form of gluing paper or fabric strips.

2. Paper tape or cloth strip

The fastest way to eliminate drafts. It is not necessary to count on significant insulation, but the work can be done quickly and with minimal cost.

approximate price: 100-130 rubles / roll, strips of fabric (used material).

Advantages: cheap, high speed;

disadvantages: minimum efficiency, peeling off adhesive tape in a draft.

How to seal windows with soap and toilet paper - video

3. Cotton wool or foam rubber for windows

Technical cotton wool is cheaper, but it is sold in large quantities.

With the help of cotton wool or foam rubber, large gaps can be closed, for example, between window sashes or a sash and a wall, a window sill. Cotton wool / foam rubber must be sealed on top with paper tape or special tape, because it is difficult to seal small cracks with cotton wool. In this case, the paper tape will perform the function of not only decorative, but also increase the efficiency of insulation.

average cost: cotton wool (50 rubles / 200 g.), foam rubber (30-35 rubles / skein).

Dignity: simplicity and no wet work.

disadvantages: the cost of insulation increases (+ the price of cotton wool or foam rubber), additional finishing of the insulated seam is required. In addition: cotton wool and foam rubber absorb moisture, the work must be repeated annually, and the sealed window cannot be opened for ventilation.

How to seal windows for the winter with a newspaper - video

4. Self-adhesive foam rubber for windows

A more technologically advanced way to seal windows and fight drafts. This method is good because it allows you to do without gluing the cracks with paper or fabric strips. Due to the presence of adhesive (adhesive) tape on the foam insulation, it can be glued to the inside of the window sashes.

approximate cost: RUB 60-75 / roll.

pros: The window can be used as usual.

Minuses: after gluing, the insulation can prevent the window from closing, the foam insulation is non-hygroscopic and at the same time not protected by anything. With a tight fit of the shutters to the frame, you need to either saw down (cut, adjust) part of the wood, or choose other methods of insulation. If the gaps are large, you will have to decide how you can glue wooden windows in addition to this material.

5. Self-adhesive window seal

Most owners of old wooden windows prefer this particular type because of the optimal combination of price / effect achieved. The rubber seal is glued to the inside of the window sash. Due to the fact that the seal is hollow, it does not create problems when closing the sash. It adheres well to the frame due to the adhesive strip that opens when glued. The seal lasts 1-2 years.

average price: RUB 84-100 / roll.

Dignity: longer service life, window operation mode is not violated, aesthetics.

disadvantages: cost, labor intensity, you can install a low-quality seal (many fakes), the likelihood of the seal peeling off the frame.

6. Construction putty for windows

Allows to seal the glass seat. First you need to remove the old putty or glazing bead, apply a new compound, level and paint, or cover with glazing beads and paint. In this case, the putty is applied in a thinner layer, which reduces its effectiveness.

approximate cost: 30 rubles / pack.

Dignity: relative cheapness of putty, hygroscopicity.

disadvantages: complexity of work, the need to periodically update the putty. Does not allow protection against blowing between the frame and the sash.

7. Window sealant

This method involves the application of a sealant at the place where the glass adjoins the seat. Before starting work, the window must be washed and degreased. When applying, try to squeeze out the sealant with equal pressure to ensure a beautiful sealed seam.

average cost: 200 rubles / pack.

Dignity: the speed of the method.

disadvantages: the cost of insulation increases due to the cost of the sealant and the gun for it, does not eliminate blowing through the frame.

8. Paraffin for window insulation

A cost effective way to eliminate pore blowing in wood. For processing, the paraffin must be melted and applied to the surface of the window frames.

approximate cost: 139 RUB / kg.

Dignity: eliminates heat loss through the wood of the frame.

disadvantages: labor-intensive, does not protect against blowing through the frame and glass perimeter.

9. Thermal saving film for windows

The energy-saving film allows you to close the place where the glass adjoins the frame, and also reflects thermal radiation in the infrared range. Due to this, some of the heat remains inside the room.

average price: 270-550 rubles / sq. M. is mainly sold in a roll of 1.52x30 lm. (45.6 sq. M.).

Dignity: efficiency.

disadvantages: high price of the film, there are drafts between the sash and the frame.

How to tighten a window with film - video

10. Windows insulation according to Swedish technology

An effective type of window insulation using Swedish technology using Eurostrip sealant. It consists in the fact that the seal is not glued to the sash surface, but is inserted into a specially made groove. The configuration of the seal also matters. Herringbone holder contributes to reliable fixation of the seal in the groove and ensures its long service life.

In theory, all of the above methods are suitable for both wood and plastic windows. But as testimonials testify, the most popular is insulation according to Swedish technology and pasting of heat-saving film.

A warm house is a guarantee of a cozy atmosphere and comfort of living for all family members. To make our home warmer, we use energy-saving technologies, make underfloor heating, and use alternative heat sources.
An important factor is not only the accumulation of heat in the cold season, but also its preservation. Experts, not without reason, believe that about 40% of the heat escapes through our windows.

It's no secret that panoramic glazing, large windows to the floor are one of the main reasons for heat loss. Plastic and wooden windows also need to be insulated, due to which it will be possible to significantly save on heating in winter.

Insulate plastic windows for the winter with your own hands

Plastic windows that have been in use for a long time also need to be insulated in winter.
If the window has served you for a long time and the first season began to let the cold through, then you need to adjust the locking mechanism and change the insulation. Hoarfrost, condensation or frost inside the frame may indicate a depressurization of the window.

1. Replacing the seal of the plastic window

You can replace the plastic window seal yourself. It is better to buy a seal "native". If you can't buy one, you can consult with the seller at the hardware store. To select the appropriate seal, it is enough to take a small piece of the old one with you.
It is better if the rubber seal is black. There is not so much street dust on it.

First you need to remove the handle of the sash handle so as not to damage it. Lay the sash with the inner side (where the handle is located) down. Next, you need to remove the old insulation by prying it with a knife, clean and degrease the groove. After the insulation is laid along the perimeter of the window, it is necessary to cut the sealing profile 0.25-0.5 cm longer than the perimeter. This remainder of the seal must be pressed into the groove. The seal on the frame is also replaced.

After that, the sash is installed in place. The sash is pushed from top to bottom on the lower hinge, then the parts of the upper hinge are connected by a movement away from you, the hairpin, the lock washer and the hinge cover are installed. We close the sash with a lock and check the quality of the work performed, testing the joint for a draft.

It is advisable to clean and wipe the seal 1-2 times a year. Wipe the seal with a dry cloth from accumulated dirt. Then it is better to degrease the seal for the plastic window with soapy water and apply silicone grease. Such preventive work will save the sealant from high temperatures in summer and will allow it to keep its qualities in the cold for a longer time.

2. Adjustment of plastic window fittings

Over time, plastic window locks require adjustment. The fixed part of the lock is located on the frame. The main indicator for adjusting the locks is the bolt head recessed into the structure, which has a groove for a hex key. This is an adjusting bolt that changes the position of the wedge, behind which the locking "tongue" of the lock comes. Adjusting this wedge changes the tightness of the sash to the frame in the closed position. In summer, the closure density can be weakened, and in winter, on the contrary, the density should be increased as much as possible. A hex key is used to adjust the plastic window lock.

3. Insulation of slopes and window sills.

It is good if, when installing a plastic window, slopes and PVC window sills were installed at the same time. If a draft is heard through the plastic window, you need to take care of the insulation of the slopes and window sills. Large cracks can be filled with tow or foam rubber. At the top of the gap, you can choose to fill it with polyurethane foam or alabaster. Then complete the treatment of the cracks with a sealant.

We insulate wooden windows for the winter with our own hands

4. In order to eliminate drafts in the house, you need to lay in all the gaps between the frames and glass pieces of paper, which are moistened before this and twisted into a bundle. On top of such insulation, paper is usually used to increase the tightness. The disadvantage of this method is that after the cold weather, the dried paper from the frames will need to be removed, and the frames themselves will need to be painted again.

5. The next method of insulating wooden ones is to place cotton wool and pieces of foam rubber... From above, you can stick with strips of unnecessary fabric 5 cm wide. Before using such fabric strips, they must be wetted, wrung out and soaped with soap. Compared to paper, the fabric will not turn yellow and can be easily removed in the spring.

Important: the foam seal absorbs moisture, so it must be replaced annually.

6. Insulation of window gaps using paraffin... First, the paraffin must be melted to a temperature of 70 degrees. Then, using a heated syringe, paraffin is injected into the cracks.

7. Warming with tubular profiles... Such profiles are also sometimes called gaskets. Such heaters are made for large and small cracks. The advantage of the insulation is that it is invisible, as it is glued to one side of the frame. Service life up to at least 5 years. A feature of these profiles is that you need to start insulating a window before the onset of severe cold weather. Since such profiles can be installed at a temperature of at least 10 degrees. PVC seals withstand frost better. When choosing rubber seals, it is better to give preference to softer ones.

8. Another modern and convenient way to insulate wooden windows heat-saving film... The peculiarity of this material is that it has two sides, a simple one and with a metal coating. Due to this, it passes the sun's rays through itself, but does not let the infrared radiation back through. This explains its heat-saving effect. The material is glued to both glass and frames. With proper execution, it will be practically invisible to the eye, and it will immediately become significantly warmer in the room.

Window insulation using Swedish technology

The patented name for this technology is EuroStrip. In some countries, it is also called Canadian technology.

Insulation of windows using Swedish technology is good because it allows you to preserve environmentally friendly wooden windows, providing them with good tightness for many years. Also, this technology is good in that it allows you to reduce street noise at times and reduce the penetration of dirt and dust between the shutters to almost zero. The cost of insulating windows using Swedish technology is ten times lower than the cost of installing new plastic windows

The material itself for sealing using this technology is made of wear-resistant and durable rubber, which contains natural rubber. The material is also not exposed to water and is able to maintain its heat-saving properties in the temperature range from -53 ° C to + 128 ° C. That is, in all weather conditions, Swedish insulation will protect the house from drafts. Heat savings in the apartment should be especially noted. After the work has been done, the temperature in the house rises by an average of 3-5 ° C. A specially made wide profile protects you from rain, wind, noise and dust. Aesthetically, the window retains its previous appearance. When the doors are closed, the insulation is not even visible.

High-quality insulation of windows according to Swedish technology is carried out in stages, in compliance with all technological requirements.

The process of insulating wooden windows using Swedish technology:
1) First you need to thoroughly wash the windows.
2) Carry out a flap check. Do they close tightly and do all the mechanisms work.
3) Remove the sashes from the hinges.
4) Excess layers of old paint are grinded off the sashes, which interfere with closing and opening.
5) Create grooves along the entire contour of the flaps with a milling cutter.
6) A special high-quality sealant is rolled into the grooves 7) To reduce the penetration of dust and dirt, the window sashes are insulated between themselves and inside.
8) The sashes are put in place, and the fittings are replaced.
9) The sashes and the correct operation of the wooden window fittings are checked.

Experts who are engaged in the insulation of windows say that it is better to entrust such insulation work to professionals. Since carrying out work on the insulation of windows using Swedish technology, special skills and the appropriate tool are required. Using a cutter when rolling the seal into the groove ensures that the seal will not come off or fall out over time.

Alternative methods of insulation

Heat leaves the house through dirty windows. You just want to make your home warmer wash all windows before the onset of cold weather. It has been proven that a window, if it becomes dirty and loses transparency in the visible part of the spectrum, increases transparency in the infrared spectrum. And the heat leaves the house due to drafts and infrared radiation escaping outside. It is best to clean windows using ethyl or ammonia. This will cleanse the grease build-up on the kitchen windows and prevent smudges on the glass.

Use wool blinds... Regular lamellas are wrapped in strips of wool and fabric. These blinds provide good protection from the cold.

Electric window heating... It implies the installation of a special heating coil on the windows, which carries out heating. This heating method should be provided even at the stage of window installation.

We insulate windows for the winter - goals and purposes

Even today, the issue of window insulation for the winter can be solved by old-fashioned methods, for example, to seal the cracks with paper, tape or strips of old newspapers, to stuff cotton wool or rags. Practical, but not at all aesthetically pleasing - this option is unlikely to suit the owner of an apartment where the renovation has just finished. Modern window sealants allow you to insulate windows completely imperceptibly - the strips of sealant become part of the window, merge with it, in some cases they can be painted or you can choose a transparent, colorless option.

Some sealants are used at the stage of installing windows - polyurethane foam wedges the window well and fills all the voids in the walls, and perfectly hides under a layer of plaster or PVC or metal slopes. Others can be used just before the onset of cold weather, filling up the cracks at the windowsill and at the junction with the wall. It should be understood that one single sealant for windows will not solve the problem of insulation and sound insulation - you need to use several materials in the complex, for indoor and outdoor use. Before going to the construction market, decide what goals you are pursuing. Window sealant can be:

frost-resistant
refractory
for outdoor use
for sealing joints and cracks indoors
elastic
for painting
transparent
with pigment
UV resistant

None of the existing sealants combine all these qualities. However, they are all in one bottle and are not needed. So, frost resistance is important for outdoor sealants, transparency - for sealing joints in large panoramic windows, UV resistance is useful only if the joints are not hidden under a protective layer of paint or plaster. Let's take a closer look at the existing proposals.

We seal from the inside - acrylic and butyl sealants

Sealing of window seams with butyl sealants often occurs already at the stage of assembly of insulating glass units at the time of production. Butyl formulations are based on a mixture of polyisobutylene with regular chalk. Chalk acts as a filler, and the quality of the sealant depends on its quantity. The best ratio is 50 to 50, but many manufacturers prefer to save on the more expensive polyisobutylene. Unfortunately for many consumers, the performance of an acquisition can only be assessed some time after it has been applied and hardened. Formulations with too much chalk dry out quickly, crack and crumble.

Butyl sealants are used exclusively for indoor sealing work. When choosing a composition, pay attention to the components from which it is made - if paraffin or industrial oil is also indicated on the label, then such a sealant will have much better adhesion to different materials.

Another type of interior sealant is acrylic. This type is characterized by low vapor permeability, and therefore it is often used to protect polyurethane foam from moisture and condensation. adheres perfectly to any surfaces, even if they are not completely dry. The main disadvantage of acrylic sealants is their low elasticity. In frosty weather, they completely harden and may crack. Therefore, sealing window seams from the outside with such compounds does not justify itself at all. The advantages include the fact that acrylic seams can be painted in any color with almost any paint. Therefore, most of these sealants are sold in white.

Butyl tapes are not at all the same as butyl sealants. Butyl rubber and a number of plasticizers and fillers are used as a polymer base in the tapes. It is on them that the quality of the finished product depends, therefore, butyl tapes should be bought with great care so as not to fall on a completely unusable sealant. Paraffin wax and industrial oil are also used as a plasticizer to improve material adhesion.

When working with butyl compounds, it is important to very carefully remove the remnants of dirt, paint and old putty. It does not hurt to coat the places where the seam will pass with a special primer. Using acrylic sealants, you can do without any primers.

Outdoor sealants - exploring offers

Among the most affordable and most popular sealants for sealing joints outside, silicone compounds have been and remain. Most often, you can find a white window sealant on sale - this is due to the color of PVC windows, often also white. However, silicone is actually colorless and clear versions can also be found commercially. The most important advantage of such a sealant is its high elasticity, which remains even at very low temperatures. In addition, silicone sealant is not afraid of exposure to moisture and ultraviolet radiation, which makes it suitable for winterizing windows.

The main component of such formulations is rubber, which feels great on any surface. Since it is completely safe, silicone sealant is often used for interior work as well. However, when buying it, you should either choose the desired color in advance, or do not paint the seams in the future, since the paint on the silicone lays down very poorly and does not hold well after drying. The highest quality is considered to be an acidic silicone sealant, which is easily recognizable by the smell of vinegar. However, such formulations are incompatible with metal surfaces.

When buying a window sealant, choose the one with fungicides in the composition, in this case, you will avoid the appearance of mold on the seams.

It has a serious drawback - "musicality". The point is that when the compound is applied to the seam between the glass and the frame, it forms a thin film. After a while, this film can peel off from the glass, and then the windows begin to whistle in the truest sense of the word in unison with the gusts of wind. Whistling can only be eliminated by sealing the seam with a new layer of sealant after removing the old one. By the way, sometimes it is removed completely by accident, you just have to pull on the hanging threads of a thin film.

Among the new products on the market are acrylic silicone sealants, which combine the qualities of acrylic and silicone. Such sealants are highly elastic and can be painted at the same time. However, they also cost more. If a high level of sealing of joints and surfaces is important to you, then thiokol sealant is the best choice. They are based on polysulfide oligomers - a component that provides a high degree of fluidity and viscosity after solidification. The high cost of thiokol compositions is justified by a very powerful sealing. It is quite difficult to work with them, since you have to mix the two components yourself, so they are often used only by professionals.